BoConcept?s look is metropolitan, utilitarian chic
VEERING AWAY FROM the homogenous, mass-produced look, the Scandinavian furniture store BoConcept encourages its customers to personalize their furniture in scale, hue and texture.

?Throughout the world, people are moving from romantic or classic to straight lines,? said Viggo Molholm, president and CEO of BoConcept. Molholm visited the Philippines recently to introduce the brand?s 2010 forecast at the BoConcept store in Bonifacio High Street.

At BoConcept, owners can specify upholstery, arm rest, leg rest, table base, surfaces or headboard and size. They can match their beds with various frames or headboards or night stands.

The store?s signature look is metropolitan but not slick. Although it?s a Scandinavian company, its style comes closer to Italian with the lower height and wider proportions, sectional seating and the modular systems. The lines are taut and tailored but the edges are soft.

?Our design is more international. Scandinavian design stands for spare lines, high quality and function, but it is more expensive because it uses more solid wood and it?s more traditional. It wouldn?t have a black sofa with a higher back and a shorter seat. Our designs are more casual and relaxed,? said Molholm.

Cost-efficient

Responding to the recession, Molholm said the company has made its products more affordable by being cost-efficient in its production. For 2010, it has also introduced brighter colors.

Confidence is injected in the Imola chair, which has underpinnings of Arne Jacobonsen?s organic and sculptural Egg Chair. Covered in plush yellow ochre felt, this recliner is molded to adhere to the contours of the body and is supported by a solid metal frame. Molholm added that the Imola costs 25 percent less than the iconic chair, but is more comfortable.

The Rock is a humorous take on the rocking chair. Upholstered in yellow with two button eyes, reminiscent of the Smiley button, it is not a typical Scandinavian design, either.

As homes get smaller, multi-tasking and extendable furniture are in demand. ?During the day, you can have an ottoman, the size a space saver; unfold it and you have a bed for visitors,? he said.

Wood veneer dining tables conceal a metal extension leaf that opens up to accommodate more people. Beds and coffee tables have hidden storage compartments. Sofas contain various seating units that can be added or subtracted or softened to be placed at the corner. Cushions enable the person to lounge in various positions.

Lugo consists of two different sofas that can work as a loveseat or be opened up as a long chaise. The Alpha sofa, which appeared in the James Bond flick ?Quantum of Solace,? is attached to a swivel chair that can take on another life as an ottoman or a footstool.

Addressing the Filipino penchant for collecting, the storage systems also provide many functions. Handle-free cabinets and drawers and shelves can be combined to create sculptural wall modules. Geometric wall dividers also serve as storage and table.

Minimal impact

Aside from the judicious use of wood veneers, BoConcept?s furniture has reduced the use of solvents and formaldehyde emissions.

?The lacquers and veneers don?t emit ultraviolet rays. Even if the dog licks the furniture, it?s not toxic,? added Marlene Ong, BoConcept?s franchise holder.

Also, ?the company deals with suppliers that have no child labor. It also buys materials only from factories that have programs for replanting for the trees they use in the veneers. It?s all behind the style,? said Ong.

Understanding that art also plays a vital role in adding soul into home, Mo Concepts, the gallery on the upper floor of the BoConcept building, has been exhibiting conceptual artworks, most of them curated by Roberto Chabet.

Although BoConcept?s strategy is affordable luxury, the price points for the local market are not cheap. The dining chair fetches at P8,000 if the upholstery is linen or cotton, and up to P25,000 if it?s made of leather. The oak and aluminum table that extends from eight to 12 seats costs P90,000. A customized bed could cost P60,000.

Clients know they?re paying for the science and technology behind the furniture, such as the density of the cushions and arm rests, the durable hardware and the best fabric for the user?s comfort.

Comparing BoConcept to a car, Ong explained, ?Some models would be a Mazda, basic and sporty. The new collection is at par with a BMW because of the inspiration and the make.?