Turkish design studio Km34 has unveiled the Leo modular sofa for Connection, the UK-based furniture brand owned by Flokk. The piece blends contemporary angular geometry with traditional comfort technologies, marking a premium entry into Connection's collection.
Leo centers on sprung seating that delivers responsive bounce and luxury underfoot. The sofa incorporates removable feather-filled arm cushions, a deliberate nod to classic upholstery that tempers the design's modern geometric vocabulary. This tension between old and new defines the collection's appeal.
Connection positions Leo within the high-end modular furniture market, where Scandinavian minimalism and European craft traditions intersect. Flokk, the Norwegian furniture conglomerate, has steadily expanded its UK operations through Connection, building a portfolio that competes directly with established players like Hay and Norm Architects. The Leo commission reflects this ambition, deploying a respected international design practice to elevate the brand's credentials.
Km34 brings particular expertise to this brief. The Istanbul-based studio has earned recognition for furniture that refuses easy categorization, often oscillating between brutalist severity and tactile warmth. Their approach here aligns with a broader industry shift away from purely minimal design toward what some call "layered modernism." Consumers, particularly in affluent European markets, increasingly demand sofas that photograph cleanly but deliver the sensory pleasure of high-quality down and steel springs.
The modular format carries its own logic within contemporary interiors. Flokk owns brands like Ekornes and Stressless, companies built on modular flexibility. Connection's adoption of this language signals the company's desire to serve design-conscious consumers who value both visual restraint and functional adaptability.
Leo appears in Dezeen's Showroom, the publication's direct partnership with brands seeking editorial amplification. This positioning matters. Dezeen's design audience spans architects, interior designers, and affluent consumers who commission custom interiors. By placing Leo here rather than through traditional advertising, Connection reaches gatekeepers who shape commercial interiors and high-end residential projects