Danish furniture brand BoConcept brings Hygge Style to New York City

Credit Photo: Leandro Justen

BoConcept, a Danish furniture brand celebrated their opening in Manhattan last week. I was mingling among a high profile crowd. A number of the brand executives, world-renowned designer Karim Rashid, HGTV's John Gidding, fashion designer Asher Levine and friends from Lifestyle brand AphroChic. Scroll down for my interview with Karim Rashid. (OMG!)

Designing a bathroom space for the luxury brand DXV, I am on the pulse of what is Hygge, the Scandinavian word meaning well-being and happiness. BoConcept is a Danish furniture brand that is growing in the U.S. and the brand integrates the Hygge style with a fashionable connection to home comfort and coziness. Look in any magazine right now, Scandinavian design is becoming more mainstream and BoConcept hits the trend of clean lines, seductive curves, muted colors for high end materials. For an urban dweller living in smaller spaces, BoConcept's functional furniture and lighting would work seamlessly for city living.

Credit Photo: Leandro Justen

Scandinavian design focuses on the human experience and it only makes sense that Karim Rashid is connected to the brand. I was able to speak to Rashid and he told me that "Design shapes human experiences and most importantly shapes new behaviors or we address existing behaviors. When we make an experience, use is critical."

Karim Rashid

Credit Photo: Leandro Justen

What an opportunity to get some insights and sit on one of the comfortable BoConcept couches with design icon, Karim Rashid!

What is Home to you?

Home is when I can be in a space where I feel completely at peace. Where I feel very very at peace.

I live right now in an apartment that is 50 square meters which converts to 538 sq feet. I have spent a lot of time in hotels over the past 20 years, I got used to living in small spaces and I realized that I love it. When I come home from a trip, the minute I open the door it feels peaceful.

Living in small spaces, have you designed spaces that transform?

No but everything is really efficient. I have worked with my students with this idea of reconfiguration but essentially no. People think that spaces that move will enhance space but most of the time it just sits there. I like to design space where everything is very efficient, fixed and does its job instead of complicating it with things that move or don't work.

I am seeing a movement of Minimalism with Humanism, do you agree?

Yes exactly. Minimalism is when there is nothing extraneous and is based off of pure geometry. Minimalism of today is not only about form. For example, see the chair with the leg angled back. The leg should never go beyond the back or stick out. Your foot will hit it. Sticking out is more visual and is a product of design from the 50's. Designers tend to think about form. Form doesn't necessarily mean experience.

My hotel designs for example there is no physical corner anywhere. Always rounded corners.

No angled corners ever?

Never

Which hotels?

I just finished a 500 room hotel Tel Aviv and in Amsterdam.

Great, I will have to visit! Before I go, can we take a selfie together?

Karim Rasid and Michele Alfano

More party images!:

GM BoConcept Ben Paciello with BoConcept Team

Credit Photo: Leandro Justen

Jeanine Hays of AphroChicand Michele Alfano

CEO BoConcept Anton van der Putte, HGTV John Gidding, Asher Levine

Credit Photo: Leandro Justen

Wilsonart, a LAMINATE that isn't for just countertops anymore

Laundry concept designed with Wilsonart laminate 

(AT KBIS 2016)

The Wilsonart brand, a leading manufacturer of decorative engineered surfaces shows us a new perspective on laminate. So much so, laminate has become a viable resource for modern designers. Its eco-friendly and proves endless possibilities in color, texture and application.

Kitchen concept on counters and backsplash

 designed with Wilsonart laminate (AT KBIS2016)

At the International Contemporary Furniure fair (ICFF2016) Wilsonart, one of our sponsors showed us how laminate can be used cleverly...... 

Prelude chair by Stephen Marchio

S1 chair by Scott Pancioli

Geode chair by Zachary Boomer

En Throne chair by Adam Whiiaker

Those are details from students chair designs of the College of Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. They entered the Wilsonart Challenges, an innovative Student Chair Competition celebrating Wilsonart laminate with a story, and an emotion. Their challenge was to "design for delight."  

Grace Jeffers, a design historian and materials expert who helps with the annual Wilsonart Challenges Competition told us 'designhounds' that the program is incorporated into the students curriculum and there was a winner and five runners up. What a great opportunity for rising stars!! We were able to meet this years impressive bunch of designers and talk to them about their inspiration.

Stephen Marcio's Prelude chair was the winning chair. He exposed the corner revealing the basic construction elements. I think he is a deconstructivist at heart although he wouldn't admit it.

Not the winner, but definitely my fave! Runner up Zachary Boomer's Geode chair resembles the geometries of a geode cracked open. The play of light really casts shadows on the laminate angles. The chair construction looks like concrete but Zachary told me it was made up of plaster to look like concrete. Well done!

Scott Pancioli's S1 chair exemplifies Scandinavian furniture with its clean lines. 

Inspired by one of my favorite sculptors Richard Serra, Adam Whitaker's En Throne playfully uses shape and intense color to make a sculptural statement.

Alejandra Bucco's Pie chair wins for fantastical whimsy.

Inspired by nature, Kiho Jeong's Root Bench imitates how children who climb trees can nest in slanted branches. 


Thankyou Wilsonart! 
Congratulations to all, a talented group!


image credits: Dominick Mastrangelo and Wilsonart

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DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: BOBBY BERK OF BOBBY BERK HOME

If you love hip and urban luxury, then you will love Bobby Berk's design aesthetic. Moving to NYC with only a dream and a $100 in his pocket, Bobby Berk now has an extensive online shop called Bobby Berk Home. Bobby believes in fun, affordable luxury design to the masses. His mantra is everyone can have a fun well designed home with quality pieces and not feel like they broke the bank. He uses bright colors, fun designs and unique prints so your home is a happy livable place. 

I met Bobby in Vegas on BlogTourKBIS and he is personable and fun to chat with. I am thrilled to share this interview with him where he talks about his design inspiration, wallpaper designs for Tempaper and beautiful interiors for the Responsive Homes  built by Pardee Homes.  

Me and Bobby Berk

YOUR SIGNATURE STYLE?

I am definitely more of a mid-century modern inspired designer with a penchant for a minimalist and clean aesthetic, but with a dash of cheeky youthful pop fun. 

 BARS wallpaper

WHAT IN DESIGN FIRES YOU UP?

I get excited about new and innovative products and materials, but the cornerstone of any good design is still classic, tailored modern upholstery and case goods. So when I see a company that produces a great piece that is beautiful in its simplicity and really celebrates form and quality construction, that can get me equally excited as something new or techy.  

Transit Bench - Thermoscad Grey Tempaper

TAKE US BEHIND THE SCENES OF YOUR RESPONSIVE HOME DESIGN: THE DESIGN PROCESS, INSPIRATION AND ANY CHALLENGES?

Designing these homes was a lot of fun. I liked that there was a set demographic which was a great place to jump off and formulate concepts for both homes. I really connected with the millennial demographic that these show homes were being geared towards, because I’m a millennial too! Even though I’m on the back end of the age range, I’m still very pop culture-centric and am rooted in tech culture which connects me to this demographic in so many ways, and yet my experience has lent me the wisdom to distill the needs and priorities of millennials from my own perspective and translate those values to the greater builder market.  

Larger Contemporary Responsive Home, Vegas

The smaller of the homes was a contemporary farmhouse, designed for first time home ownership, and the larger a gallery-style modern dessert oasis which was geared toward the millennial professional buying at a slightly higher price point, perhaps a second home ownership situation. For the contemporary farm house, I wanted all of the selections and materials to be accessible for real first time home owners and fit a modern farm house aesthetic, so I felt that West Elm was a good fit for a lot of the furnishings. It comes in at a great mid-level price point and the brand has embraced mid-century modern furniture with a bit of rustic sensibility that I think was a great complement to the concept. 

Smaller Farmhouse Responsive Home, Vegas

We chose in both homes to carry a very cohesive material palette throughout all of the wet spaces, and the we ran the same flooring throughout the homes, even into the showers and outdoor spaces, which really made the homes feel quite expansive, connecting indoors and outdoors. For the large home, I wanted very neutral flooring and walls to serve as the perfect backdrop for an art collector’s gallery space, with fun pops of vibrant color in the art and accessories that gave the space a fun sophistication that didn’t take itself too seriously. Despite it’s playful aesthetic, the home still had the perfect layout for entertaining, and we utilized huge pocket sliding doors that tucked away into the walls and completely doubled the living space to the fabulous backyard entertaining area. The landscaping and pool alone made the home a really fantastic party pad that anyone would be thrilled to host from.

Responsive Home, Vegas

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH TEMPAPER?

My partnership with Tempaper started ten years ago when I was one of their first retailers. I love working with everyone at Tempaper, and they've always been really good to me so it made sense to expand the partnership into a licensing deal. Now Bobby Berk for Tempaper is available on Target.com and their collection was one of the top ten sellers in home goods last month, so it's really exciting to see this partnership expand and be well received. My prints have been featured on the Today show and Good Morning America as well as Wall Street Journal.  

JAMES LOUNGE -GREY LOVE WALLPAPER

FAVORITE DESIGN MATERIALS? HAVE YOU USED IT IN ONE OF YOUR HOME DESIGNS?

One of my favorite materials right now that I'm obsessed with is Calcatta gold marble. It has beautiful veining with grey and gold warm hues that really make it look so luxurious and distinct. I used it throughout a model I just finished in Las Vegas and would be very happy to use it again, because it can be worked into any aesthetic as a beautiful complement. 

Responsive Home, Vegas

WHAT CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY ARE YOU LOVING FOR HOME DESIGN?

The Crestron home automation system from Audiovisions is a really cool way to put everything you want to control in your home at your fingertips and makes your entire home feel like a "smart home" that you can interface with via an iPad, or on your phone. You can do everything from regulate different temperatures in different rooms to turn on the television to a certain channel with all of your pre-specified controls saved just the way you like them. 

Responsive Home, Vegas

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO FIND COOL LIGHTING IN FURNITURE IN NYC?

While living in New York I always had my own store that I curated with all of the things that I love, so I honestly never really needed to do a lot of furniture or lighting shopping. I still maintain a strong online retail presence and I do a lot of shopping online for projects. I frequent high point and Las Vegas markets and so I typically know what lines speak to me and constantly get to see new product in the flesh, so I know what I'm getting when I place an order. 

Responsive Home, Vegas

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

I have no regrets. Everything that I've been through in life has shaped me into the person I am today and I wouldn't trade any of those experiences. I feel like there is a reason and a purpose for everything that life hands you, and even the failures are moments that offer you perspective, causing you to take pause and appreciate the things in your life that you can be grateful for. 

Responsive Home, Vegas

Thank you Bobby Berk for the enjoyable interview! 
Image Credits: Bobby Berk Home

You can connect with Bobby on his WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, TWITTER

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