Karl Lagerfeld, his houses and libraries

 He was best known for his dazzling designs at fashion houses including Chanel and Fendi - and for his very extravagant tastes. 

But Karl Lagerfeld also boasted an impressive property portfolio and estate that was valued at $223million after his death.

Over the course of his life, Lagerfeld bought and renovated at least 20 homes around the world. 

Now, four years after the controversial star's death, a new book is opening the doors to those private homes.

Opulent fabrics, quirky color schemes and entire walls devoted to books are among design features of some of the properties. 

They span from Paris, Monte Carlo, Rome, Hamburg and Biarritz, each as unique as their famous occupier. 

Karl Lagerfeld pictured in 1983 at his swanky Monaco apartment. He furnished the getaway pad with objects and furniture from Memphis. Here, he sits at the Unknown table by George Sowden, with Riviera chairs by Michele De Lucchi

Karl Lagerfeld's Paris apartment at 8 Rue des Saint-Pères featured a ground-floor living room, complete with a matching black 'Quilt' sofa and ottoman set and an impressive bookshelf covering an entire wall. The idea to use thin, closely fitted sheets of metal as bookshelves in order to closely stack the colorful books in a n abstract way came from Karl Lagerfeld himself

Karl Lagerfeld finished furnishing his stunning French villa, which lay just west of Paris, and only spent one night there. The Louveciennes villa is full of references to the late fashion designer. The exterior (pictured) showcases the authenticity of the historic villa, which is just as bit lavish inside as it is outside. Lagerfeld's palace remained untouched when he died - even his sketchbook was left open on the table

The doors leading to Lagerfeld's guest bedroom at his Parisian Pavillon are surrounded by vintage German advertising posters - a homage to his German ancestry and upbringing

Here, Lagerfeld stands in front of the breathtaking bookshelf in his studio. He adopted the same design method for the shelves in his studio as in his living room - using thin, closely fitted sheets of metal to slot the books against each other. Lagerfeld spent a large amount of time in his Paris apartment - as it was close to the birthplace of Chanel, where he worked for most of his professional life

Here, Lagerfeld is caught working at his desk at the studio in his Parisian apartment in 1974. Visible in the foreground is a 1930s vintage daybed upholstered in brown and beige velvet, designed by Michel Roux-Spitz

Lagerfeld's Monte Carlo apartment was on the 21st floor of a high rise in Monaco. The pad reflected his love of 18th-century pomp - which he accomplished with bright and bold furniture choices. The avant-garde aesthetic of his Monaco apartment was very different to his other homes. Pictured is a reverse view of the sitting room, with Masanori Umeda's boxing ring and George Sowden's armchair in the foreground

Karl Lagerfeld is pictured in the master bedroom of his French Riviera summer home Villa La Vigie. The fashion icon harshly contrasts the softness of the monochromatic cream room with his sharp dark suit and sunglasses. The bedroom is a tribute to the French Riviera with its elegant and simple details and vintage vibe

Here, Lagerfeld is pictured in the early 1960s at his Rue del'Université apartment. This picture was snapped shortly before the iconic designer left Paris to study art history in Italy in 1964. The decor of his apartment reflected the creative nature of the decade, but brought a component of elegance and class to the free-spiritedness with the symmetrical art work and statues

Karl Lagerfeld pictured posing for a German magazine in a new version of the sitting room at his Paris apartment in 1972. The picture was snapped over a decade before the fashion designer became Creative Director at Chanel in Paris - but he had lived in the French capital since moving there at the age of 14 

Karl Lagerfeld: a Life in Houses is set to be released on January 16, 2024. The book, written by Patrick Mauriès and Marie Kalt, will tell the story of Lagerfeld's life through the interior design choices he made in his many homes.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-12887487/karl-lagerfeld-opulent-homes.html