Design for life - interview Eng Bo Kho

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C684 | Design Kho Liang Ie

Design for life

A father who bought the Artifort Oyster with his first paycheck in the 1960s. Or the comfortable F585 seat that is fought over every day at home. Since the start of Artifort, artistic and original design has been at the forefront, and this is embraced by many fans all over the world. Artifort is convinced that its furniture items deserve respect and care and emphasizes the importance of conscious consumption. With love and precision, our craftsmen create design furniture with a long lifespan that can be passed on from generation to generation. Just like the original C684 sofa by Eng Bo Kho that he received from his mother and his father, renowned designer Kho Liang Ie. One of the main founders and protagonist of the Artifort DNA.

Eng Bo Kho on his C684 sofa before the reupholstery.

A sofa with a story

“My father, Kho Liang Ie, can be described as a creative mind ahead of its time,” says Eng Bo Kho, who is also curator of the Kho Liang Ie Archives. “Artifort and he together introduced high-profile designs from the late 1950s up to the heyday of the mid-seventies. In 1968 he designed this sofa, the C684. A beautiful design with sober lines and timeless design language. When I got a bigger bedroom when I was 12, I said "I want that sofa!". Since then, the sofa has always moved with him. “I'm also really a person who bonds with stuff. I've sat on this sofa all my life and so have my kids. They even grew up with it. This sofa will never go away. My whole life has revolved around and on it.”

The C684 sofa (on the right) in 1987 with the second reupholstery.

Sustainable consumption

“When my father designed sofas and chairs, they often ended up in our house. That way he could experience them for himself.” In 1968, the C684 sofa entered the family's interior and has since been reupholstered three times by Artifort. “You feel like you get a new sofa every time.” Sustainable consumption is therefore very important to Eng Bo Kho. “I don't like to throw things away. I always try to choose things based on quality. I share that vision with my father. That furniture is both beautiful and timeless and that they are of such a quality that they last forever.”

For the third reupholstery, Eng Bo Kho has opted for the Ploegwool 38 from De Ploeg. “A beautiful deep brown colour that goes with everything and that I will definitely enjoy for years to come. I'm very happy with it!"

Reupholstery at Artifort Shop

In the Artifort Shop, furniture is restored and reupholstered. This applies not only to the models from the current collection, but also to heritage furniture that has been out of the collection for a while. The beloved model is checked for damage, the seat foam is supplemented and covered with the fabric of your choice. You can view fabrics and leather in the Artifort showroom in Schijndel and at Artifort sales points. And after the reupholstery, the furniture is like new again. Curious about the possibilities of having your beloved Artifort design reupholstered? Click the button below for more information.

Artifort Shop

About Kho Liang Ie

Kho Liang Ie (1927 Magelang, Indonesia) came to the Netherlands around 1949, where he trained as an interior designer and designer at the Rietveld Academy. In 1958, he was appointed aesthetic consultant and designer at Artifort. His vision, international contacts and extensive knowledge of design turned Artifort's image to a world-class design brand. Artifort and Kho Liang Ie introduced distinctive designs and together ensured that the name Artifort became a huge success internationally, both with architects and lovers of design. He attracted foreign designers such as Pierre Paulin and Geoffrey D. Harcourt RDI, which has made his influence noticeable right up to the present day. As an interior designer, Kho Liang Ie made his name with his design for Schiphol Airport in the nineteen-sixties. Through those designs, his influence continues to this day. His work reflects purity, warmth and freedom.

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