Niki
Cheng loves color. At home, at work, in life. “If I didn’t plan ahead, this
place would look like a kindergarten [classroom],” she jokes. But there is
nothing kiddish about Cheng’s elegant Flatiron loft—other than the presence of
her two children, four-year-old daughter Cienna, 20-month-old son Edin, with
husband Shaokao. —
Shaokao
and Niki Cheng are the owners of eight BoConcept franchises in New York City,
Long Island and New Jersey. BoConcept,
the urban furniture company founded in Denmark in 1952 is known for offering
modern, smart and sleek styles at affordable prices. How two bright, young 28-year-olds opened up
the first franchise of the revered European brand is the kind of story New
Yorkers never tire of hearing.
“I moved here from China to be
with my parents. I was studying at Parsons and working as a coat check girl at
Vong,” Niki smiles, adding that 1998 was a good year to be a coat check
girl—Vong is where she met Shaokao.
Though it was Shaokao who
originally spotted a “Help Wanted” sign in a furniture store window on 32nd and
Madison, it was Niki who took the job. “I immediately learned that I was very good at selling furniture. If the
store didn’t have what I wanted for a customer, I sold from catalogs. I
developed a sixth sense about what people were looking for.”
But it was when they were
renovating their one-bedroom on Madison Avenue that opportunity was born from
frustration. “There was a hole in the market. There was no quality, modern,
European furniture available at a reasonable price. But when we saw an ad for a coffee table in Metropolitan Home, it was exactly what
we wanted. . .$299. It was perfect,”
Niki explains.
Even better? The words written
below the ad—”franchise opportunity available.”
The Chengs approached BoConcept about opening a New York
store, but were initially turned down. “We were told rents were too high, the
margins too slim.” Undeterred, Niki managed to negotiate a reasonable price on
rent at an old carpet store on 30th and Madison—mere steps from where she first
sold furniture for another design house. Surprisingly, BoConcept said yes! Shaokao
quit his job at McKinsey Consulting, and six weeks later BoConcept opened its
first Manhattan store. “When I think back on that time I can’t imagine what I
was thinking. Now we plan for months just to change wall colors!” Niki adds,
with a whim of nostalgia.
The
Chengs two-bedroom, two-bath home provides a perfect backdrop for the modern
and spare aesthetic that has inspired Niki’s design sense. “I think Richard
Meier is a genius. His designs are so
clean and simple—never too much. Even I also admire Karim Rashid…the color!”
While
the apartment’s overall effect is chic, cool and utterly urban—with its
BoConcept Amari dining table in black-stained oak
veneer that seats eight, the polished walnut floors and striking views
of Manhattan, it’s the personal touches Niki has added that create a sense of
warmth and family. An oversized black and white crystal chandelier is hanging
above the dining table—it’s polished yet playful, and adds a dash of unexpected
sparkle. When asked where it came from, Cheng lights up. “Chinatown! Right on
the Bowery. So affordable.”
Niki’s philosophy of using
flashes of color to make a space unique—a decorating essential to her—is seen
in every room. An orange chair is
nestled in the corner of the dining area, and the living space features a
BoConcept sectional with a smattering of turquoise, cream and orange pillows. The
family’s sofa, the Nova—known as “the ultimate lounging sofa”—highlights the multi-function
signature of so many of BoConcept’s pieces. “I always tell clients you can do
magic with our designs. We have sofas that can turn into lounges, chairs that
turn into beds, and even an ottoman that turns into a single bed.”
The
streamlined styling continues even in the kids’ room. Cienna and Edin’s back
bedroom wall pops with Osborne & Little’s Grove Garden wallpaper featuring
exotically colored hummingbirds. The rest of their room is painted a gentle
yellow-green, perfectly balanced by all-white furniture—Edin’s classic Oeuf
crib, built-in cabinets along the window, and always forward-thinking, Niki has
hung a set of kitchen cabinets along the wall for further storage.
The master bedroom is peaceful but remains practical for
a busy family. “With these colors—white,
cream, grey—I can use any color linens and they’ll work.” Niki’s signature burst
of color isn’t to be missed. A Patrick McMullan photograph hangs right above
the bed in an explosion of bright purple. And another Bowery bargain hangs down
on each side of the bed— two all-white chandeliers.
The kitchen—centered on a large island—was designed with
entertaining in mind. Cool, white surfaces and cabinets from the Danish company
HTH, grey tiles from Artistic, and Bosch appliances are perfect for chopping
and chatting with friends and family. “We love to have friends over. . . Sometimes
we have theme nights, like Fashion Night.”
Big fans of style, Niki and Shaokao draw inspiration from
New York Fashion Week. “If I wasn’t in design—I’d be in fashion,” Niki says.
The Chengs even hosted a show at their Madison Avenue store for New York-based
designer Asher Levine who has dressed the likes of Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga.
And when they aren’t creating
a runway in their store: “I still love to interact with customers,” Niki
gushes. “In New York I have to learn to think smarter. How can we use the
space? How can we use the wall? I love how the city inspires people to mix
old and new pieces.”
When they manage to break away from the hectic life of
retail, the Cheng family can be found a few blocks away in Madison Square Park.
But they love Brooklyn, too. “We have a store in Dumbo, and the kids love the
playground there. We also love Jacques Torres ice cream, getting pizza…and
Almondine [Bakery]!”
As
for that coffee table? The one that started everything? Niki laughs. “Oh yes,
we still have it.”
For more information, visit boconcept.us.
Photograph By Heidi Green
With a reclining and a
sleeping function, the Melo Sofa Bed
flexes to meet families’ needs. Practical enough to sleep overnight guests of
all ages.
Available in white lacquer
or black-stained oak veneer, the sleek and sturdy Occa 2900 Folding Table provides a stylish extra surface for
dinners, craft projects or homework. 
The Imola Chair lets parents play with their kids in comfort. This low-slung piece comes
in a variety of different-colored fabrics and leathers—perfect for the
ever-evolving home.
