Furniture ‘Designed with our future in mind’
The opportunity
Grand Designs is the UK’s most loved property programme and is widely recognisable as the pre-eminent series on modern architecture and design in Britain. It charts the in-depth process of ambitious design projects, from initial intricacies of blueprints through to the challenging task of turning those concepts into a spectacular and practical living space.
We identified an opportunity to bring one of the UK’s most respected design authorities into the furniture retail space in a way that felt credible, aspirational and commercially strong. By partnering with Grand Designs, we aimed to translate bold architectural thinking and contemporary living into a sofa collection designed for real homes.
The audience
The collection was created for design-savvy customers who are inspired by architecture, innovation and modern living. They’re people who value statement design but still need comfort, functionality and durability for everyday life. Sustainability is something this customer is conscious of, and they actively seek to make positive steps for the environment during their purchase decisions.   Â
The potential
Grand Designs is one of the UK’s most recognisable and trusted contemporary design brands. With a loyal, highly engaged audience across television, print and digital platforms, we knew the collaboration would benefit from the brand’s strong national visibility and authority in contemporary design. There’s a clear style category to play with, and the exciting opportunity to incorporate concepts to enter new territory on the shop floor.
Key brand stats
How we made an idea reality
We partnered with Fremantle and their BAFTA-winning brand Grand Designs, to produce a range of furniture that embodies the brand’s values of sustainability and inspiring design. We developed an exclusive upholstery collection for DFS, translating Grand Designs’ progressive design ethos into a range of sofas that balance innovation with accessibility.
We saw a natural fit for DFS and Grand Designs - both leaders in their fields and both committed to making great design achievable for a broad audience. DFS’s scale and expertise in upholstery provided the perfect platform to bring Grand Designs’ architectural DNA into homes across the UK.
From the onset of the project, we set out to produce a range that was accessible, affordable and attractive to the design-conscious demographic that were typically fans of the show. Above all, we set out to design a range that held the same ethos as the Grand Designs brand, the promotion of using sustainable materials and the reduction of consumer waste.
Project Highlights
The result was a range of sofas and beds that are stylish, super comfy and beautifully made from innovative and sustainable materials, including FSC hardwood frames, family friendly fabrics free from harmful chemicals and fillings constructed from recycled plastic waste.
