Customisable Comfort — Upholstery Range by RJ Living
Locally designed and inspired by the diverse experiences of Australian living, RJ Living’s new upholstery range celebrates the colourful individuality of its users. Customers are empowered to integrate the plush pieces in a way that serves and further shapes their lifestyle.
Melbourne-based RJ Living’s lively offerings are designed by a potent female-led design team. The designers exact their vision through creative collaboration while vigorously poring over user needs and latest trends. Working closely with RJ Living’s e-commerce data, insight into the experiences and desires of customers was gleaned to inform the latest pieces. Spearheading the design of the entire upholstery range was Milly McEwan, RJ Living’s head of Product Design and Development. “We’d gathered a lot of feedback from customers, which helped us narrow down which pieces to start with,” Milly recounts of the collection’s genesis. “Items they were having trouble finding for their homes were a big focus, plus ensuring that great product ideas we’d ideated across the past years could finally become a reality.”
Armed with a compilation of human-driven concepts, Milly and RJ Living’s designers set out to bring to life a range that would heartily answer the market’s needs for verve, versatility and customisation. Already well versed in fashioning distinctive designs from solid materials of timber, rattan, metal and marbles, RJ Living’s expansion towards sumptuous upholstery in the new collection felt a natural progression. The introduction of upholstered options superbly complements the brand’s signature products, affording the opportunity for living spaces to be entirely furnished with the complete RJ Living experience.
Encompassing a plentiful variety of pieces from sofas to beds, the launch puts forward the importance of infusing a sense of self into each item. “The individuality of a customer and their space is more important with upholstery than any other furniture category,” Milly asserts. “Whether it be a large living space that needs a huge sofa to fill it, or a study where an armchair has to be a certain colour and texture to work in the room, having options is super important.” The upholstery range champions customer choice with a simple three-step process to tailor the perfect piece. Users are prompted to personalise the design, fabric and, finally, colour. The customised designs are fortified with the individual’s essence, bringing their own version of Australian living to light.
Assuring that character and personality are realised in the final products, RJ Living’s launch encapsulates a selection of four unique materials that share the same style and durability while remaining distinctive in texture and tactility. “The versatility of the products we’ve designed needed a range of fabrics that could do the same,” Milly states. “We had different people and styles in mind when bringing the four introductory fabric types to life, whether it be a trendy orange velvet, or a subtle, hardwearing light grey.”
Thoughtfully designed, the range’s sofas, armchairs, beds, bedheads and ottomans offer snug shapes and lush lines. With its liberal depth, the bountiful Block Sofa beckons. A restful retreat, its handsome scale invites relaxation across its comfortable cushions, oversized arms or matching ottoman. Equally as enticing to sink into, the Jam Sofa charms with its cosy feel and captivating curves. When playfully paired with the rolling pillars of the Niche Ottoman, the pieces exist as a whimsical way to introduce intriguing shape into lounge spaces. Generously arched arms of the Bounce Armchair encircle users in a warm hug, while the rounded Plush Bed Head continues calming curves into the bedroom. Speaking of her standout piece, Milly says, “I love the Shift Bench the most; it’s a really different take on an upholstered bench design, with a funky shape that looks great in pretty much any space.”
Flexibility underlies the collection. Milly explains that “many of the sofas are modular and have pieces that also can work standalone as lounge chairs. All items have a wide range of fabric and colour choices too, so it’s easier for the customer to make their home the way they imagine it.” This versatility is highlighted in a recent shoot of the range by photographer Joel Noon. Presented throughout a stunning Malvern residence in an array of styles and palettes, the RJ Living upholstery range showcases the ability for each piece to convey a completely inimitable persona dependent on its unique customisation.
RJ Living’s upholstery range is designed to be effortlessly formed by the customer’s vision and their individual experience of Australian living. Exuding an ease synonymous with the laidback Aussie lifestyle, the extensive selection ensures a harmonious fit for any home.
