Danish-Designed Sofa Beds
Rooted in the enduring principles of Danish design, Innovation Living Melbourne is a study in how global design heritage can be thoughtfully translated for a local audience. Shaped by a distinctly Melbourne sensibility, the brand has spent the past 15 years redefining what a sofa bed can be.
Founded in Denmark in 1971 by Flemming Højfeldt, Innovation Living began creating beanbags before evolving into a globally recognised name in contemporary sofa sleepers. The Australian chapter began in the early 2010s when Neil and Tom Lancashire discovered the brand at a furniture fair. At the time, Neil operated Compleat Interiors, a furniture-leasing company working with corporate apartments.
Recognising the ingenuity and appeal of the Danish designs, the pair opened a dedicated Innovation Living store in Hawthorn in 2011, later relocating to Carlton North in 2015. The early, select range of designs has grown into an expansive collection, offering premium comfort and quality backed by a five-year warranty and an extensive range of design and fabric options.
“All of our sofa beds are designed with consideration of being used daily and to be gathered around.”
Tom’s partnership with Rose Willis – who joined the company in 2016 while studying interior design at RMIT – marked a new era. United by a passion for design and community, they embraced the changing landscape of retail, modernising operations and deepening customer engagement. Now together at the helm, Tom and Rose remain hands-on: in the showroom, the warehouse or delivering pieces themselves. This is a family-run business with a global backbone and a local mindset.
At its core, Innovation Living Melbourne embodies the defining values of Danish furniture philosophy: functionality and simplicity, durability and quality, human-centric comfort and an atmosphere of hygge. Designs are pared-back yet purposeful, removing excess to focus on ergonomic needs and everyday living. “All of our sofa beds are designed with consideration of being used daily and to be gathered around. They are not meant to be tucked away or resented for being uncomfortable,” Rose says.
All Innovation Living’s factories – in Denmark, Ukraine and China – are owned and operated by the company and run to Danish standards. The main manufacturing operation in Beijing is a factory focused on reducing waste and maximising material efficiency. FSC-certified timber, recyclable components and detachable, washable covers reinforce a circular approach to design.
Customers are encouraged to renew parts rather than discard products, extending life-cycle and reducing landfill. Each year, the company plants more than 10,000 trees, while OEKO-TEX certified fabrics such as Vivus and Argus utilise post-consumer recycled polyester. “Our materials are chosen for their robust and high-quality nature,” Rose explains, “and each product is designed so if an issue arises it can be isolated and then repaired so as not to contribute to landfill.”
Designed for daily use, Innovation’s pieces are not hidden away solely for guests but integrated into the rhythm of home life. Like the elegant three-seater Malloy, where soft functional arms and large back cushions create an ideal family sofa that transforms into an exceptionally comfortable sleeper. The Dublexo Fabric Arm has a 210-centimetre-wide seating surface and divided back cushions that offer three steps of elevation, while the cozy Cone features Pocket Spring Dual comfort and a storage compartment. For more compact spaces, the Neah 80 Slim presents as an ultra-comfortable armchair in the daylight and a sofa bed with advanced mattress construction when night falls.
Innovation Living Melbourne highlights how Danish design – beautiful, functional and accessible – can elevate everyday living. It’s a brand built on respect; for people, progress and the planet, and for the simple idea that great design should improve the way we live.
