C'EST SI BO

Four years ago this coming December, Danish lifestyle emporium BoConcept landed in Calgary and changed the city’s retail furnishings landscape. Up until that point, very little bridged the gap between IKEA’s bargain-level Scandi sensibility and some of the higher-end wares peddled variously by such players as Cappelini, Ligne Roset, B&B Italia and Poltrona Frau. While not inexpensive, this retailer offers value for money, delivering a level of quality and customization not generally found in mid-range retailers. The company is always on the lookout for a fresh take on home furnishings (in 2012 they cleverly joined forces with Canadian wünderkind Karim Rashid to produce his “Ottawa” collection) and this year they have introduced a new batch of products to delight our senses of sight and touch. Here are a few of my favourites from the latest collection…

 

Those who know me know I’m a sucker for a good lighting fixture—change that ‘good’ to ‘great’ and I’ll move mountains to get my hands on one. As a matter of fact, I’d shove the Rockies themselves out of the way just to score one from BoConcept’s latest series, aptly named “Pinecone”. The cyber-organic lines of both the pendant (above) and table model (not shown) are right on trend with their evident Deco heritage. Add the fact that these come in both satin silver and copper—the ‘hottest’ of the newer warm metals—and this offering is a winner all ‘round. Clearly at home in modern, Deco or mid-century settings, these pieces are discreet enough to guest star comfortably in a relaxed, traditional setting, too, from Belgian farmhouse to Cape Cod cottage. From top to bottom these little darlings are cheeky, sleek perfection.

 

 

I find this tubby little guy (the sofa, certainly not the attractively scruffy catalogue model) known as the “Bergen” absolutely delightful—and my tastes tend to skew far further trad than mod almost any day! The generous proportions lend themselves to lounging but the overall silhouette is tight rather than slouchy, a common aesthetic problem when it comes to comfort-built furniture. For those so inclined, the Bergen features optional back cushions that slide up for adjustable support—but not in a gimmicky fashion, as some of those “high concept” Italian numbers. Better still, this model can be configured a number of ways, including as a very comfortable a sectional—very gracious accommodations for those unexpected guests. Just promise me if that model shows up you don’t relegate him to the sofa if he’s staying overnight…

 

Without a doubt, this is the supermodel of the company’s illuminated line-up. I find floor lamps, although naturally inclined to elegance due to their height, sometimes still manage to strike an ungainly, dowdy pose in a room. Svelte, sleek and slightly standoffish, BoConcept’s “Adjust Me” is surprisingly androgynous and would look equally marvelous in a staid gentleman’s office as it would in a hip lady’s boudoir (or hip lady’s office and staid gentleman’s boudoir, if that sits better with your sensibilities). Available in both charcoal grey and white, this chameleonic beauty holds its own without aid of bright colour—sometimes good bones are all you need. Try it next to a sectional, arching out of a high-pile area rug (a flokati would be devastating) or leaning attentively over a reading chair—not to mention the million other ways it could be used to make a room sing.

 

 

For those familiar with BoConcept’s stock, these nesters are nothing new—but the colour certainly is. Available in both all-black and all-white, this set was previously offered in a series of rich greens, just in time for “emerald” to reign supreme in Pantone’s kingdom. They are now being executed in a trio of rose tones: the deepest of the three borders on claret, while the mid-tone recalls a candy apple and the lightest is delicious but not too sweet in a true candy pink. No matter the colour, each one is generously proportioned (unlike many nesting tables on the market), extremely sturdy and has the added bonus of removable, laminated wood tray tops. I did a set of them for clients with a toddler and they turned out to be one of the most practical items in the room: durable, wipe-able and just the right height to help a little one learn to walk—much more chic than one of those wheeled trolleys with a set of twirly plastic beads on the front...

 

 

Tempting as it may be, I will refrain from latching onto the corny “tray chic” cliché with this delightful little occasional piece (I already pushed my luck enough with C’est Si Bo). Much like its nesting cousins, this table features a detachable tray top and a generous surface area perfect for serving drinks (or food, if you’re that way inclined). Offered in black, red and a blue that falls somewhere between Birks and Tiffany, this piece is executed in an all-matte finish, including the brushed steel base. Despite its demurely modern stance, this item is versatile enough to insinuate its way into a transitional setting without being seen as an unwelcome guest and certainly does not need to be left lounging in the living room. Used correctly, it would be a divine addition to la salle de bain as a tubside catch-all or in the kitchen, perched on a generous modern island.

 

 



Reminiscent of a giant Vick’s lozenge, this cunning little ottoman dazzles by being different. If you’ve grown tired of the usual cavalcade of geometrics (rectangles, squares, circles; ovals, even) this angular lovely offers a modern alternative with edge—three, to be exact. Shown above in a Missoni-inspired bargello (flamestitch), the piece is available in a wide variety of fabrics and colours, as are most of BoConcept’s upholstered offerings. This ottoman (known only as “Ottoman”, like “Madonna” or “Cher”) is sturdy enough to double as extra seating when not being used as either a footrest or ersatz coffee table (a circular tray sat atop this would be delightful) and the proportions lend themselves to a multitude of applications. With their three-sided versatility, a series of these would be fabulous in a family room or kids’ play area, bunched up to create a sort of lounge-y island you’d be hard pressed to keep adults off of.

For some this might resemble a wastepaper basket in a mid-century office; to others it will call to mind ‘70s string art. In my mind, though, this piece is unabashedly modern—airy, functional and reminiscent of the X-brace motif we’re widely seeing in architecture (think: Sir Norman’s “Gherkin” and Bow; SAIT Polytechnic’s Trades and Technology Complex; and Calatrava’s Peace Bridge). The industrial edge of the cross-hatched steel is tempered by the pale wood top’s inherent organic quality, a canny blend of light and dark, form and function, hard and (visually) soft. Whether used as a stool (also its name; see Ottoman/Madonna/Cher above), caddy (the lid comes off), an occasional table or aesthetic punctuation point in a room, this Swiss Army knife of an occasional piece is destined to become a new classic.