Born in Liège, he was a Belgian architect and furniture designer who contributed in creating the Art Nouveau Movement. In 1884 he visited London, where he became interested in the Arts and Crafts movement. He returned to Belgium and put several of its concepts into practice into his creations, which he sold at his store in Liège. He also designed his own villa, "L'Aube," situated in the Parc de Cointe and produced work for the Brussels International Exhibition. He became known for his line of simple, refined furniture. His pieces are often considered to be the perfect alliance of both British and Viennese influences in that they were sometimes very modernist, especially after 1902-1903, but retained the colorfulness and romanticism which he admired in the work of William Morris and other British designers.