About us.
Loft Design Studio is a regional design studio specialising in display home styling for builders, along with bespoke interior design for private and commercial clients.
With a signature aesthetic that balances warmth, elegance and liveability, our spaces are thoughtfully crafted to inspire. We believe in the power of design to shift perspectives, spark emotion and influence decision-making - which is why the homes we style don’t just look incredible, they perform.
As a proudly local business, we’re agile, hands-on and committed to lasting partnerships. From mood boards to move-in, we handle every detail - so you can focus on what you do best: building homes.
Dearne Tuffey founded Design By Two in 2018 and has enjoyed curating beautiful, unique spaces ever since. Since then, she has joined forces with Michelle Azzi – and together they rebranded the business to LOFT Design Studio in order to reflect the broad range of services offered. They have expanded their team of go getters to help them keep up with the demand in the region. The Style Squad now includes Stan and Derek.
They inspire, balance, and bounce ideas off each other every day. They are two like- minded creatives that absolutely love what they do – and it shows in the detail of the bespoke spaces they create, and the smile on their client’s faces.
Meet the Style Squad
We are experts in our field
With over 30 years of experience and a carefully curated inventory of high-quality furniture and homewares, we know how to bring a builder’s vision to life. Whether your desired aesthetic is classic, coastal or contemporary, our styling enhances the layout, elevates the finish, and connects emotionally with buyers.
We stay across the latest design trends, but our focus is always on creating inviting, liveable spaces that align with your brand - and speak directly to your ideal customer.
We understand the display home is your biggest sales tool. We’re here to help it shine.
We love what we do
We’ve built our reputation on collaboration, creativity, and a genuine love of great design. From concept to install, our styling process is seamless and stress-free - so you can focus on building homes, while we focus on how they feel.
Our team is known for its fresh ideas, eye for detail, and ability to make every home feel like more than just a space - it feels like a lifestyle. One that buyers want to be part of.
We believe in the power of styling – and we know it works
Our display homes are styled with intention: to spark connection, create atmosphere, and make lasting impressions. Whether we’re delivering a full turnkey fit-out or working with your team to layer in key finishes and furniture, our goal is always the same - to make your homes impossible to forget.
Because when a buyer walks in and says “this feels like home” - we know we’ve done our job.
DEARNE TUFFEY – Founder & Creative Director
Through her passion and experience in design, Dearne truly understands the fundamentals of creating an elegant, sophisticated and inviting home.
With over 15 years’ experience in the industry, Dearne kicked off her design career in her early 20’s with her darling and extremely creative mum (her ultimate inspiration!) - starting a business called Design Deeds. She moved on to complete a Diploma of Interior Design & Decoration at Torrens University (formally CATC), attended the Interior Styling Enmore Design School / Coco Republic, ran her own market Interiors business in Echuca, as well as worked as an Interior Designer in Auckland.
Prior to starting LOFT, Dearne was a Design Consultant for Coco Republic and a Visual Merchandiser and Interior Decorator for Freedom Furniture. Add to all this Dearne’s considerable experience in renovating and selling properties with her builder husband Daryl – and it’s clear that she has a natural flair for transforming spaces into something breathtaking!
Every time Dearne finishes a project the result is always as special as the previous. The best part is seeing the client’s reaction – having been on a journey from transforming a complete blank canvas into a functional, authentic and aesthetically pleasing result – where they are typically completely overwhelmed (in a good way) and there is a display of happy tears (which means we all end up crying together!).
Dearne is currently loving the transitional design style, which is a blend of traditional and contemporary elements, with the living room being her favourite room to style as you can have so much fun with it. She loves nothing more than to style a traditional home with a mantled fireplace, balanced with a curved sofa, a neutral colour palette and organic texture - oh so divine….!
MICHELLE AZZI – Co-owner & Director of styling
With a love for beautiful things, Michelle takes pride in her own home and loves nothing more than pottering around, re-arranging furniture and homewares. Michelle brings a wealth of retail and customer service experience to LOFT – having run her own clothing shop as well as working at Pillow Talk for many years, before joining the LOFT team two years ago.
Previous years of working in the fashion and homewares industry enables Michelle to find elements of colour and styling in interior design and helps her thrive in the fast-paced environment of transforming spaces to create a cohesive feeling for our clients. Since creating the LOFT team with Dearne, Michelle has stepped up as co-owner and is now enjoying her new role as Director of styling.
Michelle’s experience in bespoke display home design and styling has given her an excellent eye for detail and a passion for creating beautiful spaces. Every time a client asks if they can purchase all the furnishings in a house that we’ve styled it warms her heart (and she does a little happy dance!).
When it comes to styling, Michelle is lover of the classic Hamptons / modern farmhouse because it is understated and exudes timeless luxury. Her favourite room to style is the master bedroom because it entails loads of beautiful layering of tones and textures to create a warm and welcoming space.
Michelle’s career highlight was recently when a property for sale was valued at $780,000 prior to LOFT working its magic, and then sold before auction for almost $300,000 over the asking price! Not surprisingly, the vendors were ecstatic with the result!
Why Builders Choose LOFT
At Loft, we believe good design is personal - and so is good service. That’s why builders choose us not just for our eye for style, but for how easy we are to work with.
We are local - and we get the local market
You’ll work directly with our friendly, experienced team
We take care of everything, from concept to install
Fast turnarounds, clear communication, no cookie-cutter packages
Every space is thoughtfully styled to suit your homes and your buyers
We’re not a big national company - and that’s our strength. When you work with Loft, you get a partner who cares about your project as much as you do.