Interiors profile: Senior Designer at DFS Rob Ellis
Rob Ellis is Senior Designer at DFS. Here he speaks to about his role.
I completed a master’s degree in industrial product design at Coventry University. When I graduated, I started my career in a consultancy designing a range of consumer products, before I began working for a DFS supplier.
I designed upholstered furniture including sofas, chairs, beds and ottomans across a wide range of styles. After three-and-a-half years I moved to DFS to work in the DFS design studio in Nottingham. I’ve been with DFS for six years as a senior designer, leading on the design of our exclusive French Connection range which offers a mid-century modern look, and for our Capsule Collection, created with small space living in mind.
I am based at our design studio, where I and our other designers work on the design of a wide range of upholstered furniture.
We have a wood mill, upholstery room and sewing room onsite, so our craftspeople are able to make prototypes of our designs right next to our studio, which is fantastic.
We frequently attend design shows, such as Salone del Mobile and the Proposte Expo in Italy, to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and gather inspiration for our new ranges.
We also regularly meet with fabric suppliers to ensure we find the perfect match for the look we have in mind.
Our ranges are very diverse, so you’ll usually find one of us nipping off to gain inspiration or a visual reference for one of our new designs.
Abstract and geometric forms were popular at Salone 2018 and I’m looking to incorporate a nod to these shapes into a couple of my latest projects.
The designs play with shape and colour to create statement pieces that are still comfortable and practical.
My designs are based around what I would call understated style.
I avoid over-designing wherever possible and instead opt for sleek, clean shapes and lines that let the materials do the talking, from beautiful fabrics and soft leathers, to engineered metal finishes and natural wood grains.
I like to look at current interior design and style trends to get inspiration as to the latest colours, textures and materials, and then use these as subtle cues in my upholstery design for our customers
We’ve been seeing loose-cover furniture with a lived-in feel making a real comeback at the latest design shows, with pieces featuring soft linens and cottons in muted shades and with soft feather-filled cushions. I really like this look — it’s stylish and inviting, plus it’s very easy to live with!
My mountain bike — I’m a keen cyclist and really enjoy escaping for a bike ride after a busy week. I find that cycling helps clear my mind and design ideas will often pop into my head whilst I’m out in the hills.
Le Corbusier, a Swiss-French architect, painter, writer and designer, and one of the founding fathers of modern furniture design. His designs are an absolute masterclass in the use of steel and leather and look as good today as they did when he created them in the 1930s.
I’ve always had a passion for all things automotive.
I’d absolutely love to work on a design collaboration with a prestigious British automotive brand such as Bentley or Aston Martin and create a range of inspired chairs and sofas!
As a commercial designer with a broad range of customers, my biggest challenge is to design a variety of pieces to appeal to different tastes, even if they may be slightly different to my own.
A good designer must be able to empathise with the intended consumer and design something they’ll really love.
I believe it’s really important to keep an open mind and be flexible.
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