Living Room Update with BoConcept

At the end of last year, I shared some of my favourite furniture pieces from the latest BoConcept collection. With a focus on soft, organic designs for creating a home sanctuary, one standout design for me was the Modena sofa. A few weeks ago this stunning piece moved into our main living area, along with the Bermuda footstool, and it’s been like a breath of fresh air!

Refined and elegant, the contemporary lines of the Modena sofa are softened by curved edges, a deliberate decision by designer Morten Georgsen, and one that has resulted in a beautiful visual comfort. The organic expression continues with soft pull-in stitch details, ample seat thickness and the curve of Modena’s refined arm and sloping backrest. Both the sofa and footstool beautifully complement our existing Danish-designed pieces, including our BoConcept Carlton leather sofa, while at the same time injecting a fresh feel to the space.

For a seamless transition, we chose to stick with a three-seater design for our living space, but in keeping with BoConcept’s customisation design ethos, each Modena can comprise any of 18 modules. Along with a choice of 120+ fabrics and leathers, these options provide endless ways to personalise according to lifestyle and space.

When it came to choosing fabric, it was an easy choice. I had been eyeing up the BoConcept Lazio fabric for some time. A beautiful textural bouclé fabric, it goes hand in hand with the sofa’s elegant aesthetic, bringing a warm tactility to the minimalist design. I tested out a few different colours in our space - beige, white and light green. While I loved the beige, it is a very grey-beige, similar to our previous sofa. Wanting a change, I decided on white, which is a lovely warm, slightly off-white colour.

I’m sure some of you will be thinking that’s a brave choice with kids, but they are getting older now and always eat meals at the kitchen island or dining table. I also swear by MicroSeal, which I booked in on the day of the sofa’s arrival, providing permanent protection against stains and sun-fading. 

Still not ready to let go of the greige completely, I chose to upholster our Bermuda footstool in the beige Lazio, and the two pieces make a gorgeous pairing. The ottoman provides a great place to put our feet up, and can even be used as a casual seat or coffee table.

As is customary whenever a new piece of furniture arrives, I end up doing a lot of rearranging. I also have a dark wood coffee table being custom made and planned on changing the artworks around when it gets here, but I decided not to wait. I felt that the wall above the new sofa needed more depth and contrast to balance out the white, and I love how it’s turned out.

If you’ve been following TDC for some time, you will have seen several BoConcept updates over the years, and the reason I keep going back is that their sofas and customer service are exceptional. There is always a design that resonates strongly and really speaks to what I am looking for at the time. They not only look beautiful and enhance our living space aesthetically but they are also designed with the utmost comfort in mind and always deliver years of enjoyment.

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford - Studio TDC 

AD / This is a paid partnership post with BoConcept NZ. I only work with products I love and all opinions are my own. For more information please visit my About Page.

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TDC x BoConcept Sofa Series | Part IV

Following on from part three of the BoConcept Sofa Series, I'm excited to be sharing the first look at our beautiful Carlton sofa in leather. BoConcept have an extensive range of leathers, and I took three different tan leathers home to test out. The final choice was the lightest colour - light caramel Oxford leather - and I'm so happy with the result. The leather feels luxurious and it pairs beautifully with velvet. Complimenting our Carlton sofa in grey Napoli fabric featured last week, it also provides a nice contrast and injects a lot of warmth into the room. 

The 2. 5 seater Carlton is the perfect size for this side of the room and together with the 3 seater provides ample seating for our family. We've brought the leather sofa forward a little to meet with the new Waza rug, which helps define the sitting area. The rug also adds warmth underfoot and brings more texture into the room. With our high ceilings and open-plan layout, the space still feels cosy and intimate. I'm also thrilled that there is space between the back of the sofa and String shelving. This was an important factor when making the decision to change from a modular configuration back to two sofas, and I love that I can still walk freely behind the sofa and get to the shelves with ease.  

That ends the BoConcept Sofa Series, but I'm sure I will be sharing a lot more of our beautiful new sofas on the blog and social media! 

Thanks again to those who have put in bids for the Charity auction of our Carmo sofa. There's still a week to go, so if you'd like to find out more about the sofas, which are currently available to be viewed at the Auckland showroom, take a look here. All proceeds are going to KidsCan. 

This post was created in collaboration with BoConcept. I only work with products I love and all opinions are my own. For more information please visit my About Page.

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TDC x BoConcept Sofa Series | Part III

In the last instalment of the BoConcept Sofa Series I revealed my choice of the Carlton sofas in two different fabrics. Our new sofas have since arrived and are absolutely beautiful. I thought I'd start by sharing the 3 seater today, which is in the light silver Napoli fabric. 

I mentioned last time how much the textural element of this fabric really appealed to me. A corduroy velvet developed exclusively for BoConcept, it is also very soft to the touch. A big change for us in terms of colour, the light grey hue has a slight greige undertone which I love. Understated yet uplifting, it enhances the airy feel of our light-filled open-plan space.

Needless to say I'm already having a lot of fun styling the new sofas. And because they are such a great fit for our living room in terms of colour and style, many of our existing pieces including cushions, throws and art prints work in beautifully. I'd been admiring the stunning selection of BoConcept rugs for some time, so I was thrilled to be able to pick one out for this Sofa Series.  With so many complimentary options on offer it wasn't an easy choice, but I couldn't go past the Waza rug in silver, which is one of the new collection designs. You can check them out in the BoConcept 2018 Catalogue.  

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford for TDC 

Be sure to check in for the final part of the series, when I share our second Carlton sofa in leather. 

Thanks so much to those who have put in bids for the Charity auction of our Carmo sofa. There are two more weeks to go, so if you'd like to find out more about the sofas, which are currently available to be viewed at the Auckland showroom, take a look here. All proceeds are going to KidsCan. 

This post was created in collaboration with BoConcept. I only work with products I love and all opinions are my own. For more information please visit my About Page.

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BoConcept Carmo Sofa | Charity Auction for KidsCan

As we embark on a new sofa journey with BoConcept, it's time to find a new home for our beautiful Carmo sofa. As mentioned in my new Sofa Series, we are holding a silent auction, with all proceeds going to charity. The charity I have chosen is the wonderful New Zealand organisation KidsCan, who provide Kiwi kids in need with food, clothing and health items at school, so they can get into the classroom in a position to learn. I'm so excited to get this underway today, but first here's a look at the sofa and all the details you will need to bid. 

Some recent photos of the Carmo Sofa / Styling and photography by Michelle Halford for TDC

If you've been following over the last couple of years, you will have seen that I love changing the configuration of the Carmo sofa for different styled set-ups, or just as the mood takes me! Incredibly versatile, our customised Carmo consists of five individual pieces as shown below. For more imagery and the full range of configurations, take a look at this post from my first BoConcept Sofa Series.

The sofas are upholstered in dark grey Lux Felt Fabric. Made from NZ wool, it is the most durable fabric from the collection, and I can assure you it has definitely lived up to the hype. With a no-food or pets policy around our sofa, they are still in excellent condition after two years. The Lux Felt also defines the shape and detail of the sofa beautifully, and has a distinctive Nordic look and textural feel.

Here are the sofa dimensions (cm). 

1 x Sofa dark grey Lux Felt fabric H70xW181xD233

This includes the following pieces:

Carmo basic unit: H70xW88xD93

Carmo sofa with lounging unit: H70xW140xD93

Carmo corner sofa: H70xW93D93

1 x Carmo sofa, dark grey Lux Felt fabric 2311/black lacquered: H70xW224xD93

The sofa is currently being held at the BoConcept Auckland showroom, located at 20 Normanby Rd, Mt Eden, and can be viewed during opening hours. The friendly staff will be able to answer any questions you may have. 

If you would like to bid, please click here. 
Simply fill out your details along with your silent bid.

The auction will run for three weeks, closing on Sunday 26th November at 10pm. The highest bidder will be contacted the following day to arrange payment and delivery.

All proceeds will go to KidsCan. For more information on this charity, please visit their website.

Update: The auction is now closed. Thanks so much to everyone who placed bids, we were thrilled with the response! 

This post was created in collaboration with BoConcept. I only work with products I love and all opinions are my own. For more information please visit my About Page.

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TDC x BoConcept Sofa Series | Part II

Continuing on from Part One of my BoConcept Sofa Series, I have now narrowed down my shortlist to three beautiful sofas; the Carlton, Adelaide and Osaka. Choosing from the diverse range on offer, I wanted the design to differ from our current Carmo sofa, while still maintaining the Nordic look I love. Though the sofas have three different and distinct designs, they all feature my 'must have' elements; clean lines, beautiful craftsmanship and superior comfort.

When choosing a sofa it's important to identify your own personal style and the elements you'd like to bring in to your space. If you need assistance, you can book in to see one of the BoConcept interior designers. This free service can be carried out in your home, or you can bring your floor plans along with any inspiring images you have collected to the store. The other tool which I personally find invaluable is the BoConcept Home Creator. By creating 3D design options for each of the three sofas, I was able to obtain a visual reference for each look, and accurately judge how big I could go in terms of sofa size. Although I had been leaning towards the Carlton Sofa early on, this step strengthened my decision by showing exactly how it would look in our open-plan living space. Wanting a change of configuration from our modular Carmo, I decided to go with the two separate sofas this time around. The Home Creator gave me complete confidence in choosing the right sofa sizes - a 3 seater and 2.5 seater. Here are some of the 3D Images created with my living room dimensions, and three sofas on my shortlist. Covering all bases, the options include a modular configuration and a sofa with armchairs. 

Next up, I need to choose the right fabrics. One of my favourite parts of the process, I love that BoConcept have such an extensive range and I'm really excited to be choosing two different variations this time around, one for each sofa. During the last sofa series, I brought home some of the leathers home to see how they looked in our space. While I didn't end up choosing leather, the look and feel definitely resonated with me and I've made the exciting decision to include a leather sofa this time around, for the 2.5 seater. 

To get started I head in to the beautiful Auckland showroom to check out the range. In addition to leather I keep coming back to the Napoli fabric. Soft to touch, it has a beautiful textural feel thanks to a distinct cord-like pattern. With a slightly vintage feel, the Napoli also works perfectly with the Carlton sofa  which was inspired by the atmosphere of elegant homes from the late 60s and early 70s. Choosing the right colour is also a huge factor, and I select a few different shades in the Napoli including a soft grey and warm brown. Armed with three different leather samples in different shades including caramel and a darker tan, along with some rug samples, I'm ready to see how they look in our space. Much like paint colours, I like to use large swatches and observe how the fabrics look as the light changes throughout the day. 

Creating a mood board with smaller fabric swatches is also a great idea. I find it helps me hone in what I am wanting to achieve for the space in terms of look and feel.

I am very happy with my final choices which include the light silver Napoli fabric and light caramel Oxford leather.  They compliment one another beautifully and will provide a nice change from our existing dark grey sofas. 

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford for TDC 

I can't wait for the new sofas to arrive! Over the next couple of weeks I will show you the outcome. 

As mentioned previously, I'll be running a silent auction in collaboration with BoConcept for our Carmo sofa, with all proceeds going to a wonderful NZ charity. Details will follow on the blog soon. 

This post was created in collaboration with BoConcept. I only work with products I love and all opinions are my own. For more information please visit my About Page.

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TDC x BoConcept Sofa Series | Part I

In 2015 I collaborated with BoConcept on a Four-Part Blog Series to showcase the process of choosing and designing a new sofa for our living room. An integral element of our home and my day-to-day styling, our striking Carmo sofa has provided our family with a lot of enjoyment over that time. Changes are now about to take place as I embark on the exciting journey for a second time, and I'm thrilled to be sharing the process with you all once again.  

As a starting point, I have been looking the beautiful new 2018 BoConcept Catalogue. Available to view as an e-version here, you can also order the catalogue online. Inside it showcases all the products and gorgeous imagery, providing plenty of ideas and inspiration.

In 2016 I had the pleasure of styling the Carlton sofa in our living room space and I loved how it looked. As with all of the BoConcept sofas, it is customisable in terms of fabric and configurations. Both very important elements to take into consideration, I  know the colour has to be something the family and I all love and want to live with for a long period of time, while the fabric has to be hard wearing. Likewise, the configuration must suit our space and the way we like to live. Luckily we've had the chance to live with both options, because our current Carmo sofa can be configured in many different ways. If you follow me on Instagram you'll know how often I like changing it around! We are lucky that our open-plan living room space lends itself to having both separate sofas and a modular configuration, but it also makes the decision that much harder!

A sofa that immediately caught my eye in the catalogue is the gorgeous new Adelaide sofa. Part of a stylish new collection of furniture inspired by the Adelaide dining chair, the collection extends the Adelaide’s Nordic expression of simplicity into other rooms throughout the home with a sofa, a living chair, a coffee table and a barstool. The collection, designed by Henrik Pedersen, also marks the recent 65th anniversary of the company.

“We have transferred the Adelaide dining chair’s simple lines and shapes to the entire Adelaide collection. Its design is quietly confident. It’s easy on the eye and has a natural form and expression. The Adelaide looks like something that is nice to sit in - and that is one of the most important parameters of an international design success.” -BoConcept designer Henrik Pedersen

Since its introduction, the Adelaide dining chair has been one of BoConcept’s signature products, taking classic Danish design heritage and mixing it with a modern Scandinavian twist. Pictured below, it pairs beautifully with the new Vancouver dining table. With its characteristic wings, the new Adelaide sofa is beautiful from all angles, with slim organic lines and an elegant form. Available in a wide range of fabrics and leathers, when covered in dark leather or heavy fabrics the sofa has a modern, softer lounge look. The same applies to the new Adelaide living chair which can be customised in countless colours and materials. In addition, you can choose from either fixed legs or a centre pin with swivel.

Now back to my decision on sofas! The Oaska sofa shown on the right hand page below, is the third contender. With a touch of 60s design influence, I love its light look and slim proportions. Shown here in warm leather, it also has the option of tufted seats which provide a classic look and visual softness. 

In the next couple of weeks I will reveal which of the three sofas I choose and I'll also share details of the customisation in terms of style, colour and fabric. 

In addition, I'll be running a silent auction in collaboration with BoConcept for our Carmo sofa, with all proceeds going to a wonderful NZ charity. Details will follow on the blog soon. 

Images 1,3,4-7 courtesy of BoConcept

Images 2-3,8 styling and photography by Michelle Halford for TDC 

This post was created in collaboration with BoConcept. I only work with products I love and all opinions are my own. For more information please visit my About Page.

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TDC x BoConcept | Part IV

We are getting so much enjoyment out of our new Carmo sofa from BoConcept. After an initial play around with the different configurations we settled on one that we loved, as showcased in Part III last week. Thanks to careful planning and expert help from BoConcept the sofa works beautifully in our space regardless of how we configure the modules, and we are loving the flexibility that it offers. To demonstrate its versatility I configured the sofa into a full modular set up that runs the length of one wall, creating a cosy yet expansive seating area in front of the television. It also provides separation between the living space and kitchen/dining areas - a great feature for our open plan space.

The corner piece of the Carmo Sofa provides exceptional comfort, and I love the open-ended look of this modular design. This spot creates a handy place to sit while talking to people in the kitchen, and as shown below, the final piece can be added to the end to create even more seating room. I also like how this arrangement keeps the space in front of the String Shelf clear.

As I mentioned in Part II, BoConcept provided images of our living room using their online 3D design tool Home Creator. Not only did these provide us with all of the options before making the final decision, they have been great to refer back to.

BoConcept Home Creator

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford for TDC

Thanks so much for following this series. If you have any questions please comment below or get in touch with your nearest BoConcept store. 

This post has been brought to you in collaboration with BoConcept

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