Product – Interior Compatibility in Nordic Design: A Case Study of B&O in Hong Kong Market

This article studies how Nordic design values the product's compatibility with home interiors. Product designs value both form and function to fulfill users’ wants and needs respectively. Products were designed following the brands’ design philosophy, distinguishing brands in the same target market from each other. Product brands were focused on creating product uniqueness by different means, e.g., form, color, material, etc. This paper suggested another design focus which was product and interior congruence. Products and the interior should be considered as symbiotic instead of as separate units. One of the functions of interior design was to create an atmosphere. Any products with an exterior design unfit for the environment would damage the harmony of the interior space. Nordic design values the relations between products and the environment. Therefore, a case study is conducted based on a Danish brand, B&O. Data was generated through an interview and a survey to investigate how the brand generates emotion through product and interior congruence. A brand extension design was also part of the case study to show the implication of Nordic design philosophy. The result showed that the user’s lifestyle should be considered as a design criterion. It could be used as a reference for brands to develop products in different targeted regions.