THE JOURNAL
TIFFANY DUGGAN
Working with a team of seven from her Notting Hill studio, Tiffany Duggan divides her time between her interior design practice and her shop, Trove. Expect bold colour and a mix of old and new in her work.
What’s the thread that runs through every scheme, regardless of the aesthetic? There’s always a varying degree of eclecticism, a little old and new, a touch of the unexpected and a bit of drama, rather than any one style.
Is there any business advice you wish you’d known when you started out? Get as much experience as you can. Design courses are great but there is no substitute for on-the-job experience in this industry. Start under the watchful eye of someone more experienced and trial out different design studios to see what set-ups work best for you. I didn’t do this and absolutely wish someone had given me this advice at the beginning.
What do you obsess over in your work? Proportion, colour and quality.
What’s your latest discovery at the Design Centre? The team and I popped in last week to start the sourcing process for two projects and collated a ton of samples – thank you Colefax and Fowler, Turnell & Gigon and Schumacher! I also loved the suzanis that Julian Chichester has in and Paolo Moschino at Nicholas Haslam Ltd was looking especially wonderful… I have fallen in love with the green ceramic crab and lobster ornaments there.
SARA COSGROVE STUDIO
Originally from County Mayo, Sara Cosgrove worked with top names including Allegra Hicks, Helen Green Design, Candy & Candy and Harrods before setting up
her own business in 2014. She works on both large-scale commercial projects and one-off private homes, each with the same attention to detail.
What inspires you? I’m quite old fashioned – I love old things, and I grew up in a very old house. In my own house, it’s a real mix of classical and contemporary, and I love art, too. Clients also really inspire me – I love working with fun, trusting, imaginative people who challenge you, but who are willing to listen and go on a journey.
M STUDIOS LONDON
Alan McVitty started his practice in 2002. Working with a dynamic team of eight from his Design Centre East studio, he has a hands-on approach, creating luxury architectural interiors in the UK and worldwide.
What have you become known for? We’re a practice that sits slightly below the radar. We do yachts, cruise ships, hotels, residential and offices…the team has come from different backgrounds, so the speciality is there. If clients come along and ask if we can do it, generally we can!
What’s your design DNA? We have a strong architectural style, and foremost, the spaces have to work. It’s all about getting the right flow on every level, from residential right through to big commercial projects, a restaurant or bar. People can create beautiful spaces, but if they don’t work we have not done our job properly.
What projects are you working on at the moment? We’re working on the guest room and suite upgrade refurbishment at the InterContinental Porto, as well as a large residential house in Berkshire.
What’s your latest discovery at the Design Centre? The Design Avenue exhibitions I find really inspiring – it keeps the Harbour fresh. I loved Artefact and it was great it was here on our doorstep.
Is there any business advice you wish you’d known when you started out? I think that there is no such thing as an overnight success. Design is an apprenticeship and a vocation – you can’t trump experience.
What do you obsess over in your work? At the moment, we’re really trying to deep dive into our supply chain. We have a lot of purchasing power and we’re tasking our suppliers to take steps such as reducing single- use plastic as much as possible. We’re trying to root out and work with people who understand that we’re looking at the whole process, not just the end product looking good. It’s all about deep design: thinking not just about the beautiful, glossy photo, but all the layers that go into it.
What’s your latest discovery at the Design Centre? I’m obsessed with the Peter Marino collection at Rubelli. We are using the fabrics in a development of nine boutique apartments on the sea. There’s a fresh, nautical vibe and the charitable element means it is going towards saving and rebuilding Venice.
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