BoConcept: Miami vibes and Scandinavian sensibilities at Casa Palma

When a Norwegian investor placed a brand-new 20-million-dollar villa on the real estate market in Miami, it could have been fitted out with the most exclusive luxury furniture in order to impress buyers, yet he prioritised infusing the house with a Scandinavian atmosphere, above all.

‘The interior really had to evoke the feeling of "hygge" – this was very important to the client’, says Senior Design Consultant at BoConcept Miami, Daniela Contreras, ‘And with the BoConcept interiors, we were able to fit out the house with furniture and accessories that all shared the same taste and feel.’ The investor came across the BoConcept store in Miami somewhat by chance, while out on a walk. ‘Seeing the furniture and going through the possibilities with our design team, he quickly became convinced that this was the right match and directly put us in contact with the architects of the house. “This is the brand I want,” he told them.’

BoConcept was far from unknown to the architects, Borges + Associates, however. In fact, the company's Imola swivel chair had already been placed in one of the renderings of the project, and most likely, the choice of this piece of Danish design, with its natural curves, clean lines and strong expressions of comfort, had made a lasting impression on the client. ‘We worked closely together with the architects here, as we were dealing with a unique and high-end project, not something we come across every day,’ explains Contreras, ‘These extraordinary volumes had to be given careful attention, making sure that the architectural concept would work together with the interiors.’

One of the most important priorities was to maintain a sense of open perspectives in relation to the villa's large interior spaces as well as to its relationship with the outside. This was accomplished with deep, low-profile seating, set within simple, airy layouts. ‘The colour tones and materials chosen were kept as natural and calm as possible, hanging on to the idea of a Scandinavian ambience, while matching the surfaces of the building,’ says Contreras, ‘At the time, BoConcept also had the license to sell lamps from the Danish mid-century designer, Verner Panton, which were then used to emphasise the overall idea.’

In the US in particular, when investors build and sell real estate at this level, it is common practice to pre-decorate interiors to offer potential buyers a fuller, more rounded experience than they may alternatively have stepping into an empty space. The furniture, though, is most often the same – stocked in a warehouse and used over and over again for various different properties. ‘The involvement of the investor was quite rare in this case; he really had a clear idea of what he wanted to propose to potential buyers,’ adds Contreras, ‘He gave us a lot of freedom in the design process, but his brief was clear and specific. And he invested in all the furniture, making sure that all aspects of the project were thought through and well-paired.’

BoConcept designs are conceived to create a sense of quality, warmth and charisma, no matter the size and scale of the project, and Villa Palma demonstrates exactly that. ‘Even though the house didn’t have an owner yet, it had to reflect a certain lifestyle and the Miami vibe,’ concludes Contreras, ‘We are usually involved in different-sized projects, but here we were offered the chance to indulge in the potential promised by many more square metres than usual, by the light, by the views, and so had the opportunity to build up a complete and comprehensive BoConcept scenography.’

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