Design That Tells a Story Q: What inspired the Phillip Jeffries Study, and how does the design tell the story you envisioned for the space? Q: When designing a study or creative space, what elements do you find most essential in fostering focus, inspiration, and thoughtful work? Q: Books often carry both aesthetic and emotional weight—how do they influence our approach to interior design? Q: What do you look for when styling a bookshelf to ensure it’s both visually compelling and functional? Q: We’d love to hear what’s next—can you share any details about upcoming projects or exciting directions you're exploring? Q: Are there three books that have significantly shaped your perspective as a designer? What impact have they had on your creative journey? The Hare with Amber Eyes The Architecture of Happiness The Goldfinch Arcadia Why do book collections matter? Book a consultation with a ~personal curator Contact Quick Links Follow us @ultimatelibrary Join our community
Designing the Ultimate Study with the Tollgård Studio
2 Jul 2025
Phillip Jeffries Study by Tollgard Design Group © Milo Brown
WOW!house returned for its fourth edition at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour—an annual design destination where tastemakers, aesthetes, and interior enthusiasts converge. Among this year’s standout spaces is the Phillip Jeffries Study by Staffan Tollgård, for which our team was invited to curate a bespoke book collection.~~Guided by a background in film and documentary production, Staffan and Monique Tollgård—co-founders of Tollgård Design Group—approach interior design as a form of storytelling. Their work is grounded in the Scandinavian concept of the red thread: a project’s distinct creative identity. In conversation, the Tollgårds share the inspiration behind the study, the emotional power of books, and the nuanced art of crafting a space that feels both elevated and deeply personal.
The inspiration behind this restorative retreat is informed by the concept of functional sculpture: each piece - be it furniture, lighting or architectural detail - is thoughtfully designed to serve its purpose while also standing as a work of art. The study immediately conjures a sense of introspection, intelligence, and quiet indulgence. ~ ~We saw it as an opportunity to create a retreat: a space that invites intellect and imagination in equal measure. This study is designed to serve multiple purposes, going beyond just a workspace, it is a place to think, create, dream, and unwind with something restorative in hand. This notion guided every design decision.
When designing the study, we stepped into the client’s world, considering not just how the space would look, but how it would feel. Our goal was to create a space that’s both thoughtful and visually compelling, where function meets refined form. ~ ~Functionality plays a key role: well-considered storage, a strong desk setup, and thoughtfully placed lighting to support focus and flow. But inspiration matters just as much. We like to incorporate personal objects, art, books, pieces that spark curiosity and reflect the individual’s world. It’s about designing a space that feels thoughtful yet stimulating, and a place where ideas can unfold.
© James McDonald
© James McDonald
Books are so much more than decorative objects, they are the guardians of stories. We see them as deeply personal layers within a room, grounding the design with a sense of history and identity. ~ ~Visually, they add warmth, texture and interest, whether stacked (seemingly) effortlessly on a coffee table or carefully curated on a bookcase. They create a lived-in feeling that invites pause and presence. Incorporating books allows us to design not just a visually striking room, but one that feels connected to the clients who inhabit it.
Styling a bookshelf is all about balance between form and function, order and spontaneity. Layering in objects, art, and personal pieces breaks it up and creates visual interest. ~ ~Negative space is just as important as what's on the shelf, it gives the eye room to breathe and keeps the overall composition feel clean. It’s also important to consider scale and texture, mixing materials like ceramic, wood, and glass to add depth. A well-styled bookshelf should feel effortless, intentional, and lived-in.
The Golden Cage and its curated book selection, as featured in the WOW!house Study, are still on display at the Ceccotti Collezioni showroom in the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour. Go take a look!
We have a number of exciting ongoing projects that are expanding our design horizons. A neo-Basque villa in Biarritz is improving Monique’s French as well as our understanding of this incredible architectural micro-culture. A contemporary villa for a lovely client in Riyadh is nearly finished with the accessories about to set sail for the third installation phase. And closer to home we are working on a challenging penthouse in Marylebone – we feel very fortunate to have some stunning projects on the design board right now. In the showroom side of things we are looking forward to welcoming Man of Parts, a design brand extraordinaire, this autumn for an exhibition lasting the rest of the year.
by Edmund de Waal
This
New York Times
bestselling memoir teaches the importance of collecting and of collections. Of passing objects with stories and memories from generation to generation
'How objects are handed on is all about story-telling. I am giving you this because I love you. Or because it was given to me. Because I bought it somewhere special. Because you will care for it. Because it will complicate your life. Because it will make someone else envious. There is no easy story in legacy. What is remembered and what is forgotten?'
—Edmund De Waal,
The Hare with Amber Eyes
by Alain de Botton
An exploration of how the built environment affects us. We shape it—but it also shapes us. Design impacts people’s lives, both positively and negatively.
'Belief in the significance of architecture is premised on the notion that we are, for better or 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.'
—Alain De Botton,
The Architecture of Happiness
by Donna Tart
We all need to understand how our belongings affect us and our lives—and this novel illustrates the hard truth that possessions can be both a treasure and a ball and chain.
'Caring too much for objects can destroy you. Only—if you care for a thing enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn’t it? And isn’t the whole point of things—beautiful things—that they connect you to some larger beauty? Those first images that crack your heart wide open and you spend the rest of your life chasing, or trying to recapture, in one way or another?'
—
Donna Tart,
The Goldfinch
by Tom Stoppard
This play shifts between two historical eras, both set in the same English country house—with the same tortoise on stage throughout. Stoppard offers insight into design, architecture, history, and fractal theory, and includes one of my all-time favourite quotes about possessions, discovery, and the inevitable passage of time.
'We shed as we pick up, like travellers who must carry everything in their arms, and what we let fall will be picked up by those behind. The procession is very long and life is very short. We die on the march. But there is nothing outside the march so nothing can be lost to it.'
—Tom Stoppard,
Arcadia
Thank you to Staffan and Monique Tollgård for discussing their creative vision, process and influences with us. For more on the Tollgårds and the Tollgård Studio, visit their
website
.
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We believe in the power of books to create a sense of place and new perspectives. Our bespoke book collections have a great impact on a guest’s overall experience of a hotel or resort. It’s small extras like books in rooms and library spaces that make a guest’s stay extra special, and many of our clients receive high praise for their book collections. For private clients they make a house their home.
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