Sarah Ellison is a celebrated designer whose journey has taken her from the world of fashion to styling for leading magazines and ultimately to establishing her own furniture and homewares brand. Known for her sculptural designs, bold proportions, and innovative use of textures, Sarah has carved out a distinctive space in the design world.

We are delighted that Sarah will be speaking at the 2025 Seminar Series at Decor + Design, at 10.30am on Thursday 17 July! Sarah will be in conversation with Owen Lynch on ‘Creating Design Alchemy’; or how creative vision, strategic thinking, and strong brand identity combine to produce truly spectacular design.

In the lead up to the event, we spoke to Sarah about her journey and what visitors can expect to learn from her session at the show.

Sarah, your career has taken you from fashion design to styling for magazines and then to launching your own furniture and homewares brand. How has each stage of your journey shaped your approach to design?

Each stage of my journey has played its own part in shaping the designer I am today, from the early days of fashion I learnt a deep knowledge of the history of design through the different eras, I still draw on this knowledge today. The magazine world taught me about relationships, working in a team and about the importance of marketing and PR. As a stylist I honed my own personal style through hundreds of photo shoots. Each stage has been important in its own way, adding to the alchemy that has made me what I am today. The journey does not end here though, as I move into my new business Sarah Ellison Creative everything keeps evolving, moving forward, adding to the path untraveled.

You spent eight years as Style Editor for Real Living What did you learn during that time about design trends and the furniture market that influenced your own brand?

I learned that trends come and go but if you don’t lean into them too heavily and give them your own spin then you can use them to your advantage. I’d prefer to be “influenced” by a trend and then work out a way for that trend to feel Sarah Ellison. That way you are flipping it on its head and making to your own.

Your designs are known for their sculptural shapes, bold proportions, and mix of textures. What inspires these elements, and how do you ensure each piece remains both beautiful and functional?

I’m inspired by design that is visually strong but also has a simplicity to it, I like to create forms that are loud in a sculptural way and then I like to strike that balance by making sure there’s an overall minimalistic feeling to it. It’s all about duality. Hard and soft, sharp and round, shiny and textural. I always start with aesthetics but then I work hard with my team to make sure there’s an equal amount of function. A design isn’t going to be successful if it looks good but isn’t comfortable, so the balance is important.

Can you share any exciting projects you’ve been working on recently?

I have just completed Light Years restaurant in Perth alongside Studio Plenty and I am working on some exciting interior design product collaborations that shift outside of my usual furniture practice. We are currently fitting out a new design studio in Byron Bay where I live, focusing on product design and custom interior design pieces.

Your session at Decor + Design explores the journey from creative spark to final execution What are the key parts of your process for taking an idea and turning it into a finished product?

• Leave plenty of time in the creative process to sit with ideas and let them marinate and evolve. You can never rush good ideas, they need time.
• Remember that the product is only part of the process, how you present the design, market and publicize it is equally as important. Think about this early in the process.
• Be strong in your vision but make sure you have a well trusted and highly regarded group of peers you can lean on for different opinions (brains trust) take what you need from these opinions, quite often they can reinforce things you were already thinking.
• Try not to get to stuck in the details, if you can, rely on other team members for this so you can stay focused on the big picture.
• Get the very best photographer you can afford to shoot the product, this will make your job so much easier when it comes to marketing and publicity, great images sell products.

What can attendees expect to take away from the session?

I hope to inspire attendees to find their own unique creative point of view and give an insight into mine!

Don’t miss Sarah Ellison in conversation with Owen Lynch, Day 2 of Decor + Design, Thursday 17 July 2025. Register here for the show and reserve a place.