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Creating a better life through design
We are a highly intelligent group of designers that will take care of you every step of the way (and bring some pretty incredible design to your space).
Our Story
Lauren & Matt Collander
As most of you know, my husband Matt is an Emergency Room Physician and the pandemic was the catalyst for a career shift. Matt has retired from medicine and has come to join me as my right-hand man. He is our #1 fan and has been supporting me behind the scenes for 10 years. Matt has always had an extremely keen business sense, and in addition to his MD from Christ Medical College, he also has a Business degree from UNC. With his true passion for the growth of Lauren Collander Interiors, he is the perfect match. It’s so fitting as we celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary we enter into this new stage in our life.
Please welcome Matt Collander as the new Director of Business Development. I am so excited to have him, his support, and his mind.
Founding Partner & Creative Director
Lauren Collander
Our Founding Partner, Lauren Collander, established Lauren Collander Interiors with a global yet local flair and the belief that everyone deserves incredible design. She earned her Interior Design degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison including studies at Peking University in Beijing.
Growing up she had a clear passion for the design world and still has her first design project as a 6-year-old: her childhood bedroom design. The trifold poster board presentation she created, spare carpet remnant from the basement, sesame street wallpaper, and all. Fast forward through countless years of hard work to the unbelievable opportunities designing hotels all over the world for globally renowned design firms like HBA and Looney & Associates.
Wanting to bring the luxuries and details of hospitality design to the residential world, she moved back to her hometown of Naperville, IL, and opened Lauren Collander Interiors in 2014. Celebrating the opening of the studio in downtown Naperville was the start of becoming a household name in the area and encouraging everyone to experience incredible design. With the opening of the Lake Forest studio and expanding into the north shore, Lauren’s dream of better serving our clients became a reality.
Lauren is NCIDQ certified, LEED Accredited, and passionate about the power of interior design to improve your life. When she’s not designing, she can be found spending time with friends, wildly dancing with her husband and two young sons, or at the dog park with her silver lab, Violet.
Partner, CFO, Director of Business
Matt Collander
Matt was born and raised in Naperville where he fell in love with Lauren in the hallways of Naperville North High School. He is a proud graduate of the Keenan Flagler Business School at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received his BSBA.
After college and countless hours, Matt received his MD from Rush University in Chicago and completed his residency in Emergency Medicine on Chicago’s south side. Matt worked as an Emergency Medicine Physician for more than a decade. However, after supporting Lauren for years (yes, he is honored to be married to Lauren) and seeing the amazing work that she does, he saw an incredible opportunity to join the team at Lauren Collander Interiors.
Matt enjoys spending time with Lauren, their 2 sons, and their dog. He is a lover of all things White Sox and UNC Tar Heels. He’s the smartest person Lauren knows and was a three-time state champion Mathlete in high school. He volunteers frequently in the kid’s school and coaches multiple sports teams. When the schedule allows, he enjoys traveling the world with Lauren. He’s the life of the party so be sure to stay after your design meeting for all his fun stories.
Design Director
Jessica Johnston
JJ holds a BA in Interior Design from Harrington College of Design and brings over 10 years of design experience to the team. Starting her career in the commercial and architectural field she transitioned into the residential design world, having worked on high-end furnishing, custom new home construction, and luxury renovations. Enjoying cooking, music, museums, hiking, festivals, her two dogs and cat in her free time, her personal life is just as well-rounded as her professional career!
Director of Operations
Tara Bosserman
Tara joins our team with over 15 years of management and design experience. As Business Manager, she uses her organizational skills to ensure smooth operations in a busy environment. Tara particularly loves being part of a creative team that knows how to have FUN! When she’s not planning the next step in the Lauren Collander Interiors business empire, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends.
Brand Manager
Danielle Chase
Being in love with beautiful spaces her whole life, Danielle entered the Interior Design scene in 2012. After earning her degree from Florida State University, she has been working alongside top designers and architects in both the luxury residential and commercial fields. She now manages social media and all things brand-related remotely from her new home in the Canary Islands. From time to time she jumps in on design projects and if you’re lucky she’ll show up on yours!
Senior Interior Designer
Alison Valentine
Alison earned her BFA in Interior Design from Iowa State University and has over 20 years of residential design experience including new home design, renovations, custom furnishings and luxury design materials. She brings fresh innovative design ideas to every project and believes her client’s spaces should tell the story of their lives. Alison keeps her life balanced with yoga, long walks, family and incredible friendships.
Senior Interior Designer
Larmy Gerousis
After earning her degree in Interior Design from Chicago’s Harrington School of Design in 2010, Larmy worked as a freelance interior designer, capturing her clients’ personalities and letting them shine through her work. Larmy and Lauren met over coffee and have been designing beautiful homes together ever since.
Interior Designer
Stephanie Montanari
Drawing wisdom from hands-on learning, Stephanie excels in architectural selections, bringing a unique touch to every project. She’s a seasoned interior designer with over a decade of experience. Her design philosophy, shaped by extensive travel experiences, embraces a global perspective. As a mother of four sons, Stephanie’s practical approach to design is rooted in creating spaces that stand the test of time, focusing on longevity and functionality.
Interior Designer
Maddy Kavanaugh
Maddy earned her BS in Interior Design from Illinois State University. She started her career in residential design working on projects that span from custom new builds, luxury refreshes to custom furniture.
Her favorite part of Interior Design is tapping into the mind of the clients and bringing their dreams to life by balancing functionality and aesthetics. She is able to bring unique ideas to help clients find their style and elevate it. In her free time, she loves to get creative whether it’s taking art classes, baking new treats, or getting outdoors and hiking with her dog.
Senior Interior Designer
Sally Whelton
Sally started her career designing high-end projects for Architectural Design firms in the city before transitioning into Residential renovations. Sally now brings her passion and design skills focusing on customized and thoughtful solutions for her luxury residential and commercial clients.
Sally gets excited about creating spaces for her clients that elevate the way they feel, live, and function in their homes. It is always about telling their story.
Sally is NCIDQ certified. When she is not designing, you can find her enjoying dinner and hikes with her husband, and spending time with her kids, friends, and 2 dogs.
Interior Designer
Marina Tolpin
Marina has been inspired by beautiful interiors from a young age. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from University of California, Santa Barbara and studied interior design at College of DuPage. Marina started her design career in Luxury Kitchen and Bath and quickly realized she wanted to be a part of a full-service residential design firm. She is thrilled to be part of the Lauren Collander Interiors team, where she is excited to guide clients to create beautiful and functional spaces.
Marina also has a background in dance, having studied classical ballet from a young age, and taught ballet at the Lake Forest Dance Academy for nine years. She still loves to take an occasional dance class and spend time with her husband and two kids.
Interior Designer
Maria Madalli
Maria is an Interior Designer known for her innovative and visionary approach to design. With a background in teaching and psychology, she brings a unique perspective to her work, blending aesthetic sensibility with a deep understanding of human behavior. Maria is particularly renowned for her mastery of minimalistic design, where she combines simplicity and functionality to create sophisticated and practical spaces. Her designs not only captivate the eye but also significantly enhance the well-being of the occupants, reflecting her profound comprehension of human psychology.
Purchasing Agent
Agnes Sodo
Agnes comes to us as a “Unicorn” as we called her when we first met. She has a strong background in logistics, freight, financials, and making things happen for her clients. She also has a degree in Interior Design and understands how marrying the creative world and the logistics world equals successful projects. In her free time, you will find her kickboxing and traveling to the best Florida beaches.
Office Manager
Beth Kolbe
Beth comes to Lauren Collander Interiors with a background in luxury furniture showroom serving Chicago’s top designers, couture retail management, and impeccable customer service for a leading home goods brand. Her incredible skills allow her to facilitate the design group’s projects from the office, keeping all on task. She truly cares that your dream project’s experience is exemplary. After business hours, you can find Beth exploring local forest preserves with her family or planning their next national park road trip adventure.
Interior Stylist
Lindsay Kaulen
Lauren’s best friend since childhood, Lindsay is something of an organizational wunderkind. Everything at Lauren Collander Interiors runs through her: Interior styling, photo shoots, purchasing. She does it all. When she’s not at work reading Lauren’s mind, she spends her time with her husband, three little kids and their golden retriever, Stella.
WE CAN’T WAIT TO BE PART OF YOUR STORY.
PROUD MEMBERS OF
