DIGS is the premiere luxury real estate lifestyle magazine serving the most affluent neighborhoods in the South Bay and Westside of Los Angeles, California.
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18 DIGS.NET | 5.24.2019 A R C H I T E C T U R E + D E S I G N P R O F I L E | B O C O N C E P T "I just spoke with an architect a few minutes ago," says Stephanie Duval, franchisee of BoConcept's Los Angeles and Costa Mesa stores along with her husband Stephane. "She said she bought furniture from BoConcept for a project 15 years ago." So impressed was the architect with the quality of the pieces, recounts Duval, she was turning to BoConcept once again, to furnish a new project. Started in the early 1950s by two Danish cabinetmakers, BoConcept has grown to nearly 300 stores internationally, with consumer demand, says Duval, driven by love of the brand's "functionality, design and quality." Cost is another. "We are affordable luxury," she points out. "Our price point is excellent." Customers, notes Duval, include those looking to furnish their homes, along with professionals who turn to BoConcept for pieces to adorn boutique hotels, restaurants and corporate spaces. "What architects and designers love about our brand," she says, "is the fact that we customize, and are so modular that it's very easy for businesses to use our products." It's this mix of pragmatic design, sophisticated image—BoConcept pieces are often sculptural in look—and the ability for buyers to customize to their heart's content that is at the core of BoConcept's calling card and appeal. When browsing for a new sofa, for instance, one can select the shade and fabric: textured wool, corded velvet and soft leather from South African cow hides are among the substantial options. Materials, Duval divulges, are sourced from around the world, and among them is wood from Canada, fabric from Italy and leather from South America. Finding the ideal furniture and accessories for one's space, however, is the province of an interior designer. Someone who understands the interplay of scale, daily use, color and personal style, among other factors, when it comes to selecting the right pieces. For this, BoConcept offers an in-home designer service. "First, we have a talk with our customer to really understand what they're looking for," says Duval of the process. Her team of design consultants study how customers live and learn what they like. "We don't sell a piece of furniture," she remarks. "We sell a concept." It's a concept that translates fluidly across geography, architectural styles and home size. A modular design, such as the popular Amsterdam, for example, can morph from a sofa to a coffee table, serve as a sectional for the entire family, or as seating for two. And as one's place called home evolves, from that first shoebox apartment to a full-fledged house, purchases from BoConcept travel with their owners, and can be seamlessly expanded. A two-seater sofa might be amended with a matching corner sofa, an ottoman, or other complementary pieces from the brand's expansive collection of design furniture, lighting and accessories. "You can furnish a very small place in Asia or furnish a huge home in California," says Duval of the brand's seemingly endless options. "It's very exciting." boconcept.com (FROM TOP) SELECTIONS FROM THE MODULAR OTTAWA SYSTEM, DESIGNED BY KARIM RASHID; THE SMART AND SUMPTUOUS AMSTERDAM CORNER SOFA WITH LOUNGING UNIT, DESIGNED BY HENRIK PEDERSEN.