“Human needs are at the center of design. Concentrating on the essentials I often learn from the natural things around me. Their originality inspires me. Plus I always try to add a warm touch and nice feel to my designs as a counterpart to our stressful everyday life.”
Jannis Ellenberger was born in 1974 in Kassel, Germany. Before he started studying at the Academy of Design in Münster, he did an apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker where he discovered his passion for solid wood. In 2006 he established his own studio in Bremen, and has worked with many international brands since. Jannis Ellenberger also participated 3 years at SaloneSatellite, which runs concurrently to the Salone del Mobile and Milan Design Week. In 2013 he established his own furniture collection Ellenberger Design.
Ellenberger: Design, das aufregt.
For those who don’t know, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what do you do?
Before I started studying design I did an apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker. There I discovered my love for solid wood as a naturally growing material. In 2006 I started my design studio in Bremen and worked for many international furniture brands since. I started a second business in 2013 with my own furniture collection, all sustainably and regionally made in Oberfranken, Germany, which i exclusively sell through my own online shop.
How did the cooperation with Hans K start, and how is it going?
We first met on Salone Satellite as part of Milan furniture fair 10 years ago, but it took some time until we finally started working together on new designs. We have visited China many times and we also have had many meetings in Bremen so in the meantime we became good friends. This is a really fruitful relationship and I would say there will be lots of projects in the future.
Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
I often get inspired be nature, it is the natural things around us that inspire me. This is another reason why I enjoy so much working for a Swedish company. The roots of Scandinavian design are craftsmanship and the processing of regional materials which is again basically wood. With a historical view there is probably no other material that humans are culturally connected closer to than wood.
And sure another great source of inspiration is art.
Can you tell us a story about Racquet family?
Yes, the idea was to combine wood with another great natural material. This turned out to be rattan and the material mix now is the core of racquet furniture collection. I really like the name racquet for it. Not only that rattan may remind us of tennis racquets, it is rather a conceptual name, because a design process is always like a ping pong or a tennis game. Starting with an idea, first sketches, then renderings, first samples in the factory etc. The ball is always played back and forth between producer and designer until the product is perfect enough for the market. And we were playing the racquet game at great length…
What is the story behind the Bremen lounge?
Bremen chair is a modern take on a traditional Scandinavian design. It somewhere sits in between traditional Danish safari chair design and Finnish midcentury furniture, but sure with straight forward and up-to-date aesthetics and also high comfort. And again, it is the mix of materials that makes the design here: solid oak wood in combination with natural leather.
Do you have any tips for people to help them while buying furniture?
Grab a HansK catalog and visit your nearby furniture store ;-)
Well, I would definitely recommend to spend more money and purchase a piece of furniture that is well fabricated so it lasts for a long time. I would always prefer solid wood over engineered wood for example. It really pays off not only in terms of money. We spend so much time surrounded by furniture, for that reason you need to pay attention that a furniture is aesthetically long lasting which means that you will still like it after many years. Plus it has a nice side effect: think about environmental aspects! Growing a tree captures a lot of carbon dioxide which - in case the furniture has been done well enough so you can inherit it to the next generation - may not be released beyond a trees life time. I personally own some furniture that are few hundred years old.
What is Your thinking about future furniture development and consumer behavior?
Green living is one of the mayor current trends and sure there is a reasons for it. Longevity is just one aspect. Natural and environmentally friendly materials, regional production and short transportation are further aspects. Circular economy is the keyword here and solid wood (when being treated with ecological finishes) can always be returned into the biological cycle. I do observe that customers increasingly pay attention to such things and I strongly believe that a brand will be most competitive in the future when moving ahead as a pioneer.