“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.”
— Coco Chanel
Our Philosophy
Hillary Thomas Designs represents a lifetime of compulsive obsession with design. From a major remodel to an overlooked objet d’art, we delight in bringing unexpected joy to life through great, attainable design.
It all starts with Hillary, the 8-year old little girl who stayed up well past her bedtime rearranging the family living room. This behavior followed her to college – within the first 24 hours of being on campus, she had completely decked and color-coordinated her dorm room (if we only had a picture of that…..).
This obsession with design finally found a home in Hillary Thomas Designs. Growing out of an LA-based traditional interior design business, Hillary Thomas Designs is an interior design, product and lifestyle firm that embodies a “Vintage Chic” style. This style is rooted in the 1950s which found a group of curious people with means and a fixation with style – the ‘Jetsetters’ – engaging new cultures like never before. They brought a deep respect for traditional manners and mores, which became infused with a layered, worldly, and sophisticated style. This juxtaposition of old and new brought about an entirely new design aesthetic and lifestyle that we just can’t get enough of.
To share our love of design with our friends, we’re connecting with the design community in many different ways. We hope you’ll have a look around our website, join the fun on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, and, above all, just drop us a line and tell us what’s inspiring you.
Hillary Thomas
Hillary is the inspiration and original founder of Hillary Thomas. Ten years ago, she “officially” took the plunge (but she’s been decorating her entire life!) and launched a traditional interior design business in Santa Monica, CA. The business has evolved from a successful interior design firm into a vibrant product and lifestyle company.
Hillary believes that good design isn’t something off-the-shelf or necessarily one particular style. Rather, it’s an eclectic mix of the high and the low, where inexpensive flea market finds and fine antiques can effortlessly coexist.
Originally from Locust Valley, Long Island, Hillary brings her passion for design and her open spirit to all her projects. Her goal is to bring out the inner-creative in even her most left-brained clients and friends. Rooted in her belief that life is multicultural, multilayered, and inspiring, Hillary loves nothing more than harmonizing different lifestyles, tastes, and beloved objects into a thoughtfully designed and highly individualized living space.
Favorite Paint Color? “Hale Navy” by Benjamin Moore
Style Icon? Jackie O.
Dream Client? Grace Kelly
I Collect… Vintage lamp finials
Favorite Spot in SF? The Presidio
Favorite Spot in LA? Sullivan Canyon
Words to live by… “I am going to make everything around me beautiful. That will be my life.” -Elsie de Wolfe