Interior designer Thom Filicia is our guest today at Home and Living and we are thrilled to have him stop by.
Q.: Home and Living welcomes you Thom! Wow, this must have been an adventurous life from when I first saw you on Queer Eye, tell us how far you’ve come.
T.: Very — life is full of adventure! Since Queer Eye, I have been keeping very busy with numerous projects. My interior design firm is in its 12th year and I have been working on a variety of residential and commercial design projects. I also have a book called, Thom Filicia Style, out on shelves now. Most recently, I have been working on the launch of the Thom Filicia Home Collection, which is made up of artwork, rugs, bedding and fabrics!
Q.: How did you hook-up with the Style Network? Please talk to us about your project there.
T.: I love the Style Network and helping out with their interior design shows and am currently the host/interior designer for two of them. Dress My Nest is about people who have a distinct personal style, but need help expressing it. Tacky House is a fun “design intervention” for people with tacky houses. We really help transform their homes!
“Savvy comes from experience and exposure to different designs.”
Q.: Readers may not know you have such sophisticated style and are one of what—House Beautiful’s Top 100 American Designers and a House and GardenTastemaker. What is the view like from up there? You must be honored.
T.: Yes! I am very honored and thankful for accolades, but the awards are just one part of what I do. Working at my design firm has kept me grounded and helps me stay in-the- know of what’s happening in the design world while gaining new perspectives. I continue to have new appreciation of design especially from the work I have put into my own line of furniture. My goal is to keep my message of merging high end and accessibility clear: exceptional and accessible. I just love what I do and I’m looking forward to what comes up next for my career!
Q.: We’re told you are a fan of repurposing. Can you explain what that means and tell us about a project or two?
T.: Repurposing is really important to me. It’s one of the three R’s: recycle, repurpose and reuse! Repurposing is great for the environment, but that is just one way to look at it. Sometimes people are tempted to get rid of pieces because they are going for a “new look,” but repurposing helps give new life to furniture people love. A change can be as simple as a new coat of paint, a new fabric or a new way to look at lighting. People are thrilled to be able to keep the pieces they treasure—it adds a level of comfort to their living space.
Q.: Thom, you really have an exquisite portfolio on your website and all the rooms have something in them that is a huge bold statement. Where do you get that kind of savvy? And how many mistakes have you made along the way?
T.: Savvy comes from experience and exposure to different designs. This empowers you and gives people the confidence to style and take risks. The key is to incorporate dynamic pieces that have a sensibility—this is what makes spaces vibrant and captivating.
Everybody makes mistakes now and then, but you have to look at the bright side! Sometimes a room that is overly planned can feel stuffy and uninviting. Some of the best designs come from spontaneity; flaws can give a room character.
Q.: Do you love menswear gray, classical beige and large pieces of furniture?
T.: Yes, I love gray and beige in furniture! I am inspired by menswear and take design cues from crisp, clean and tailored looks to create sophisticated and masculine looking rooms. I also get a lot of inspiration from women’s designs too. Women’s wear is feminine and colorful with details that I find are aesthetic and edgy.
Q.: Are you a spokesperson for SYLVANIA? What’s it all about?
T.: I have partnered up with SYLVANIA to spread the word about their new halogen SUPERSAVER light bulb. When people are working on the design of a room, they are so focused on the furniture pieces that they often forget about one very important design element, lighting! I love to create moods using light and I always make sure to use eco-friendly light bulbs. A lot of people immediately think of CFLs, but what I’m loving right now are halogens—the SUPERSAVERs look like incandescents, are very affordable and provide great energy-savings. Even better, they deliver excellent quality and are dimmable so you can create different ambiances around your home.
Q.: What is on the horizon for you?
T.: My biggest project is to continue working on the launch of the Thom Filicia Home Collection and expand the line and distribution. I am also currently working on another book which is due out next year while balancing exciting design projects and new media opportunities. I hope you will all see more of us in the future and get inspired!
Q.: Is there anything else you would like to tell Home and Living Readers?
T.: We are in a very dynamic and interesting time in the world of retail and design. People are constantly pushing the boundaries of great products from major retailers to tradeshow rooms. We hope that people who are interested in design are excited by the work that is out there and enjoy it!