Thom Filicia, the New York interior designer, made famous by reality TV, recently launched his first collection of home furnishings.
The pieces are “comfortable, stylish and fun,” says Filicia, host of “Dress My Nest” on the Style Network. He also was a style expert for five seasons on Bravo’s “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.”
His designs have “historical references and traditional elements, but done in a modern way,” Filicia says. “They could go in an urban loft or Federal-style home, a home anywhere from Florida to California.”
The Thom Filicia Home Collection is manufactured by Vanguard Furniture of Hickory, N.C. At his official launch, the designer also signed copies of his decorating book, “Thom Filicia Style.”
Signature pieces in his collection include a massive console with eagle base, a dining table with forged-iron base and solid-oak top, and a variety of low, deep armchairs and sofas Filicia describes as “updated classics.”
“I like to blend refined details with raw edges, industrial with organic, Asian with African with American,” says Filicia, who was stylishly dressed for his launch party in Levi’s jeans, an orange-check shirt, taupe Miu Miu blazer and blue-suede bucks — a mix of styles and textures reflected in his furniture.
As a member of the Sustainable Furniture Council, he is also interested in furthering eco-friendly design.
“It’s getting easier because there are more options now,” he says. “Wherever possible I’m using certified woods, organic foams, recycled springs (and) low-VOC finishes.”
Before opening his own design studio in New York 12 years ago, Filicia studied interior design at Syracuse University, then worked for high-profile design companies. He has created many individual pieces of furniture for clients over the years, but this is his first collection.
“It’s the difference between taking care of one child and a whole room full of children,” he says.
About 18 months ago, he sent a book with a dozen furniture designs to Vanguard.
Filicia’s collection “has a unique sense of design,” says Dixon Mitchell, Vanguard’s president. “It has the functionality and versatility to speak to many audiences.”
The “eclectic, transitional look” of the designs should resonate with homeowners who favor a “metro- urban” look, says Bill Griffin, a furniture industry merchandiser.
“It’s fresh,” Griffin adds. “There’s nothing like it on the market.”
Purchasing furniture can be challenging, says Filicia. “The question I get asked most often is, ‘Where do I start?’ ” It’s the same with decorating: People don’t know how to get the ball rolling.”
His advice: “Trust your instincts. Isolate your aesthetic — what makes you comfortable. Your furniture, your interior design, should be an extension of your lifestyle and personality.
“Don’t do beige if you prefer bright colors. If you love something, go for it. Don’t chicken out.”
His next projects include writing a book about the renovation of his country home in the Finger Lakes district of upstate New York, and shooting a new Style Network show, “Tacky House,” which debuts in April.
“It’s a kind of intervention for people carried away with crazy ideas,” he says.
And of course, there’s always the next Thom Filicia Home Collection to design.
