Designer Spotlight: Rachelle Roberts
Meet Rachelle Roberts, one of our talented designers based out of Los Angeles. Rachelle has been instrumental in the design of Pivot’s new Los Angeles showroom, and delights in finding creative solutions for our Venture clients.
What is your background?
I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA – a Northeast girl at heart! I went to Ohio University for a degree in interior architecture, an accredited architecture program. After college I moved to Charlotte, NC to be near family and started my career at a residential interior design firm, then moved on to a commercial interior design company that repurposed and resold pre-owned office furniture. This was my first encounter with Herman Miller and Knoll furniture, and I was the sole designer for the company. I also handled sales, which was a tremendous help in understanding the both the furniture industry and the client side of the business. After this, I worked for a Herman Miller dealer in Charlotte, where I was a lead designer on one of their largest accounts, before relocating to Santa Monica and joining Pivot.
Tell us about your experience with Pivot, and what led you here?
Working at a Herman Miller dealer I heard great things about Pivot’s reputation, high profile clients and design-driven projects. I have been at Pivot now for about nine months, and it has been a great experience so far. I am a designer on Venture team, where my focus is on designing headquarter spaces for smaller companies that are projected to grow. One of the things I love about my role is the creative freedom I have within the design process, which is largely attributable to the support and trust that Pivot gives designers to lead with design and truly be a thought leader for our clients. It has been empowering to be surrounded by a team that trusts and values innovation and design.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by being in beautiful, unique spaces – and anything that draws from my love of travel. I had the opportunity several years ago to study historical architecture in Rome for a summer. I love seeing how historic architecture is mirrored in modern design. One of my favorite cities is Copenhagen, Denmark - my personal style at home draws from Scandinavian design.
I also find it incredibly rewarding to work with our clients to find functional solutions for challenges they might have in their spaces. Interiors can impact success in so many ways, especially when we spend so much of our time at work. I enjoy being part of the reason our clients succeed.
What industry shifts or trends have you seen in the design industry, given the last two years?
It’s been crazy time in the design world. Some of the trends I see involve incorporating restorative spaces in office design – like meditation rooms, or indoor-outdoor spaces that mimic a home patio and give the ability to step outside for some fresh air. We collectively learned so much about work-life balance over the past two years, and we need those breaks within our workspaces too.
Do you have a favorite furniture item?
Yes! I love (and own) the Eames molded plywood chair. It’s been the focal point of my living room wherever I’ve moved. I like that the chair represents an ode to Ray Eames, a female designer in what is often a male-dominated design world.
Do you have a favorite project that you’ve worked on at Pivot?
I’ve had the privilege to work on Pivot’s new Los Angeles showroom, which has been an incredible learning experience, not to mention very rewarding to create a space that I’ll eventually be able to work from. The showroom and design center will be a dynamic space for Pivot, our clients, and our vendor partners to showcase our talents, and I can’t wait for it to be completed.
What do you do in your spare time?
I love the beach, the LA food scene, biking and spending time outdoors! I live in Santa Monica, and enjoy that you can hike in the mountains in the morning and be at the beach by the afternoon – it doesn’t get better than that.