A Swedish textile designer known for a confident, fashion-aware approach to rugs shaped by color, pattern, and technical precision. Her work brought a modern, expressive energy to Scandinavian textile design while remaining deeply grounded in craft.
Gunilla Lagerhem Ullberg was a Swedish textile artist and designer born in Stockholm in 1955. She became one of the most important creative figures in contemporary rug design through her long association with Kasthall, where she served as Head of Design from 1987 to 2015. Over nearly three decades, she helped shape the company's modern design language and built a body of work that remains central to its identity.
Working closely with Kasthall's factory in Kinna, Lagerhem Ullberg developed ideas directly at the looms, experimenting with yarns, colors, and weaving techniques. Her designs are recognized for their assured use of pattern and color, balancing bold compositions with strong structure and a distinctly contemporary sensibility. Kasthall credits her with shaping many of the collections that define the brand today, while other design references note that her work drew inspiration from fashion, nature, and travel. She died in 2015, leaving a lasting legacy within Swedish textile design and the broader world of contemporary interiors.