Tollgard Design Group is a creative and collaborative interior design studio and a respected curator of international contemporary design.
With three London showrooms and a dedicated commercial contracts team, our aim is to add value at every stage of a design journey: for our clients, for architects, for interior designers and design aficionados around the world.
We combine experience, passion and dedication
Founded in 2005 by partners in life and design, Staffan and Monique Tollgård, our practice has grown from a design studio into a multi-disciplinary practice that employs some of the brightest minds in our industry.
Meet our team"After 15 years in the industry, it might be said that the duo finds themselves in a sweet spot which captures both youth and authority. With their portfolio of hushed luxury, the studio enjoys the industry clout which comes with such tenured experience whilst retaining the dynamism of a studio which is barely getting started."
Leading 100 Designers, 2020We add value at every stage of a design journey
From a strong foundation in interior design we have brought together a curated selection of brands from around the world. Three London showrooms allow clients to experience this design quality first hand. Our Contract Sales team work directly with the trade. Our Product Design team work with world-leading brands and on our own projects.
"We have a strong, shared belief that the best interior design journeys are the shared ones, and that thoughtful, responsible and collaborative design can and should make people's lives better."
Harpers Bazaar Feature, April 2020
Studio
The Design Studio offers an award-winning architectural interior design service for an international clientele. We work creatively and collaboratively to create bold, contemporary interiors that are eminently liveable.
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Contracts
Design-led and commercially-focused: the Tollgard contracts team is run by a group of passionate creatives who are ready to help with every stage of the design journey – locally and internationally.
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Product Design
Product design allows us to tell the story of the piece instead of the story of the space. The direct, focused narrative of each piece offers an answer to a question of living that our interior design work has uncovered.
Find out moreThree London destinations for design
We believe that great design deserves to be experienced. Our three London showrooms bring together some of the most exciting brands in the world. Set in the heart of the Pimlico and Chelsea Design District, with experienced interior designer sales people to help trade and private clients, we look forward to welcoming you.
"Tollgard Design Store is a treasure trove of interesting pieces of furniture, lighting and accessories"
Belgravia
Tollgard Belgravia, our flagship showroom in the Pimlico design district curates the best and the bold of international design.
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Chelsea Harbour
Tollgard Chelsea Harbour introduces exclusive brands in the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.
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Ceccotti Collezioni
Ceccotti Collezioni – also in the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour – showcases the craftmanship and quality of this world-famous atelier.
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Partners in life and design
Born out of a shared passion for design, the Design Group is run and managed by Inchbald-educated, husband-and-wife team, Staffan and Monique Tollgård. A background in feature film and documentary production characterises our work: a commitment to the power of story-telling, to the narrative that our clients bring, to the history of the buildings in which we work and the shared stories of the design objects we curate in each interior.
Since 2005 Tollgard Design Group has grown from strong, shared principles. Add value. Be honest, humble and kind. Exceed expectations.
As Creative Director, Staffan has crystallised his design ethos into two principles: the search for the Scandinavian notion of the distinctive ‘Red Thread’ or creative DNA in each project, and the commitment to the creation of ‘functional sculpture’.
Monique leads the interior design arm of the company. Comprised of small teams of architectural interior designers, technicians and support staff, Tollgard Studio works on a variety of projects for private and developer clients, from large-scale new builds, listed refurbishments to decorative projects around the world.
Our clients are at the heart of what we do
While winning awards always feels fantastic, we have understood that our commitment – first and foremost – is to the clients that have placed their trust in us. We strive to go beyond their expectations, to answer their questions of living with meaning, integrity and creativity. To help them create homes that will nurture and protect their family life.
Read more testimonials"They demonstrated a unique understanding of our lifestyle and taste, as well as being wonderful and inspiring people to spend time with. We continue to work with Tollgard on our London residence."
Danish Summer House
Our philosophy has been shaped over three hundred design journeys and through our shared background in film-making and story-telling.
We ask ourselves mindful questions that effect positive changes
How can we shape the world around us to allow for better relationships, better and kinder environments that will help us, our clients and our colleagues be the best versions of themselves?
We keep coming back to a quote from Alain de Botton:
“Belief in the significance of architecture is premised on the notion that we are, for better and for worse, different people in different places – and on the conviction that it is architecture’s task to render vivid to us who we might ideally be.”
We come from a film-making background
The background we have in story- telling, feature films and documentary production characterises our design work. We think about designing a room in terms of a film script: what kind of story are we telling? How many hero pieces can a room accomodate? What can the budget stretch to? What’s the establishing shot? What do we cut away to for the close up?
Our design approach (much like a film script) starts with, and is centred on, understanding and expressing their clients’ sense of identity. Every client has a unique story. We tell it with the language of design.
What's the Red Thread?
“Röda Tråden” or the Red Thread is a phrase used across Northern Europe. It’s used to describe the guiding principle of creative endeavour, whether it be a piece of art, literature or music. The familiar thread – or trail of breadcrumbs – scattered through the work by the maker that takes you back to the heart of the piece.
In the context of design, it’s what we are always looking for in each project we undertake. It’s the design DNA that we strive to find and then express in each project. Within the client, architecture and environment are clues to a distinctive and powerful narrative: a unique red thread that we use to tell a new story using the language of design.
Our people are amongst the brightest and the best in our industry
We strive to find and keep 360-degree designers: obsessed with design, adept with technology, passionate about people and storytelling. Our designers and consultants have a range of backgrounds and education, but we see a red thread between them. Their attention to detail and the amount they care about their projects. Design is not a job, or a career. It’s a calling.
Get in touch if you would like to be part of our team
Look who noticed us
We are always incredibly proud when our talented industry recognises our work. Take a look at some of our recent awards and publications our work has featured in.
See all our recent press & awards
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Max Pilbeam
Contracts Director
Max has an exceptional pedigree in contract sales, having worked for several years for Habitat and Conran over the course of his career. The cornerstone of his ethos has always been to provide a personal, thoughtful service that allows designers to maximise their creative potential and best serve their clients. He brings a wealth of commercial and international experience to Staffan Tollgård and is delighted to be spearheading their brands and contracts division.
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Giorgi Liveson
Studio Manager & Head of Operations
With a decade’s worth of experience in top luxury brands and a background in financial administration, Giorgi capably steers the operations of the Tollgard Design Group. Both intuitive and process-orientated, he ensures our teams are able to function effectively to meet their project commitments, whilst looking strategically at how to improve our business activities in the long term.
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Oscar Fernandez
Technical Director
As Technical Director Oscar oversees our deliverables & technical information. Having worked on a wide range of project types for both private and public clients and with many successful clients and high-performance global teams, Oscar has a particular expertise in running projects from inception to completion, with an emphasis on the top prime residential and leisure sectors. On our UK projects Oscar often acts as Lead Architect and lead consultant and oversees coordination work between design disciplines and construction team.
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Peter Phan
Showrooms Director
As Showrooms Director, Peter manages all three Tollgard showrooms across Belgravia and Chelsea. This includes the Ceccotti Collezioni showroom in the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. As part of the UK Interior Designer Community for over 25 years, including 12 years as manager for Andrew Martin International, he has an enduring passion for promoting and selling quality interior design products.
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Faaizah Rafiq
Head of Marketing
Striving for the perfect balance between creative thought and strategic balance, Faaizah’s foundations began at King’s College London where she earned a BSc (Hons) in Business Management. Passionate to develop a well-rounded skillset across a range of mediums, she has worked for global brands within the retail and advertising sectors. Turning to interiors in recent years, Faaizah has gained an in-depth industry education working on global campaigns for market-leading brands. She prides herself on her ability to look at the big picture and craft stories that captivate and engage audiences.
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Ariadna H. Conejero
Senior Interior Designer
With a BA in Interior Design from ESDI in Barcelona, Spain, Ariadna has worked on large high-end residential projects both in the UK and internationally. Additional experience in the commercial world has come from time working at the Maybourne Hotel Group design team, for Claridge’s Hotel. Her excellent technical skills and Iberian flair have endeared her to colleagues and clients alike. While her design ethos is summed up by Mies van der Rohe’s dictat that “Less is more”, the same cannot be said for Ariadna’s strong work ethic and commitment to her projects.
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Sharon Cheuk
Senior Interior Designer
Sharon gained a BA in architecture at the Kent School of Architecture. Through her experience working in the high-end residential industry she has found that her passion is truly for interior architecture and design. Being sensitive to a client’s needs, she looks to ensure that she creates a space that works as well as it looks. She believes that the key to good design lies within the consideration for spatial quality which in turn dictates how a space is perceived. “The details are not the details – they make the design.”
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Andrea Perugini
Senior Interior Designer
With a BA in Industrial Design from Venice, Andrea is a passionate designer. He believes that at the beginning of a project there’s always a story, a scenario which brings new inspirations and ideas. The skills he has developed at university and the experience he has gained within the workplace have given him the opportunity to combine the qualities of both Industrial and Interior Design. Passion and positivity are his strengths and these are reflected within the work that Andrea creates.
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Olga Gavrilenco
Interior Designer
Olga graduated with a BA in Architecture from Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest, Romania. Having worked in Shanghai for a Sino-French boutique architecture firm, Olga moved to London to concentrate on combining her architecture skills with interior design. She is an adept of the minimalist style which blends function with aesthetics to provide a clean, modern and organic setting to any space.
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George Gardner
Senior Interior Designer
George graduated with a BA (Hons) in Architecture from the University of Lincoln with a growing range of experience within residential and commercial design. The finesse George gained at university and Architects practices has allowed him to transfer this knowledge into Interior Design. With George’s deep understanding of spatial design and detailing, he believes the key aspect of design is creating a three dimensional space that provokes emotions.
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Esra Tekagac
Interior Designer
Upon completing her BA in Architecture, Esra gained experience in residential and hospitality projects at an architectural practice. Whilst also working on volunteering projects, she further studied MA Interior Design to hone her design flair and continue her approach from the exterior to the interior. She believes that the design journey is as important as the final result because it creates the identity of the building.
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Dyna Dreer
Interior Designer
With a BA in Interior Architecture and a background in business, Dyna brings a client-focused design approach along with a deep-seated understanding of the power of narrative in creating compelling interior spaces. After an internship with the studio in 2019, she spent two years working on a range of residential projects with studios in London and across Europe. She brings a sense of calm, thoughtfulness, and diligence to the studio.
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Lily Hayhurst
Interior Designer
Lily graduated university with a BA(Hons) in architecture, before gaining experience in commercial interior design, working on a wide variety of hospitality projects. She has worked with many well-known brands, helping clients to develop a strong design identity. Lily believes in the importance of the journey and story that lead to the final design. She is passionate about creating environments which have a lasting positive impact on individual experiences.
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Dominique Lucas
Contracts Project Leader
Dominique has a background in design spanning over 10 years in fields from luxury jewellery to artisan furniture, and has worked across the globe in Italy, Mexico, and the UK. She brings this broad experience to the contracts team, along with a fine attention to detail and a love for all things about furniture. Her client centred approach combined with exceptional organisational skills are the key ingredients to her project management success.
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Tatiana Vedmediuc
Showroom Design & Sales Consultant
Tatiana is a recent graduate from the KLC School of Design. She brings with her with a foundation education in product design at the Technical University of Moldova. Tatiana’s firm belief is that good design persists above all trends and should make a lasting impression.
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Janice de Villa
Contracts Operations & Logistics Manager
Janice with 15 years’ experience managing FF&E procurement, logistics and installation, Janice combines industry knowledge with a strong focus on bringing value. She has worked on a diverse range of projects across the luxury residential, commercial & hospitality sectors with world’s leading design practices.
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Philip Howe
Showroom Manager - Chelsea
Philip’s wealth of experience in the contemporary furniture industry is the result of a diverse and exciting career. Working directly for the manufacturers of Italian furniture, for fabric houses and finally through managing luxury furniture showrooms he has gained a holistic understanding of the worlds of production and retail. This wealth of knowledge allows him to understand and meet his client’s objectives and budget and deliver a truly personal level of service.
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Laura Shrimpton
Showroom Manager - Belgravia
Laura trained at the prestigious Chelsea College of Arts, where she gained a BA (Hons) in Textile Design. Laura’s design background includes several years working as a Fashion Print Designer, where she further developed her flair and sensitivity for colour, composition and natural attention to detail. Bringing these complementary skills and experiences with her to the Showroom Interior Design team, her work is underpinned by enthusiasm and energy for people, storytelling and space and essentially, a deep interest in the overlap of these.
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Claudia Franceschi
Sales Consultant
Claudia’s passion for creating characterful designs that pay homage to history and culture began during her BA (Hons) in Interior Architecture and Design. Her subsequent professional work blends aesthetics, practicality and character. Known for her detailed eye, calm manner and organised approach, Claudia is well versed in delivering projects on time and on budget.
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Filippo Castellani
Head of Product Design
Filippo Castellani was born in Pisa, educated in Florence and trained in Milan. Creative consultant and product designer for leading international design brands, his experience has seen him work from high-end and limited production items, to mass-produced and globally retailed products. Informal – balanced – unconventional – figured – detailed… these are the keys to his concept of design.
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Howard Sherbourne
Bookkeeper
Howard is AAT qualified & has worked in Accountancy for over 25 years both in Accountancy Practice & in Industry. His background is varied. He has worked for a large American company that explores natural gas as well as at Merrill Lynch in London. Howard is responsible for the smooth running of the accounts department at Staffan Tollgård, having been with the company since 2007 he is more than familiar with the needs of a successful Interior Design business.
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Rosie Sheridan
Finance Assistant
New to the design industry, Rosie brings with her over 25 years of financial experience within a wide variety of sectors including Retail, Construction, Hospitality and Charity. Proactive, approachable and a keen eye for detail are just some of the skills she brings to the Tollgard Design Group. The knowledge she has gained throughout her career enables her to support the Finance function in providing a smooth and efficient service.
