Finding Filicia: Thom Talks Design Philosophy

AS ONE OF the Fab Five on Bravo's "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and host of the Style Network's "Dress My Nest," interior designer Thom Filicia, 39, helped transform the dull, cluttered homes of countless dudes into chic abodes. Now he's sharing the secrets of his design philosophy and his go-to techniques in "Thom Filicia Style: Inspired Ideas for Creating Rooms You'll Love" (Atria, $35). We spoke with the decor guru, who's also done projects for clients such as Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, to learn how to embrace the unexpected and create spaces that truly reflects a space's owners and occupants.

»EXPRESS: Why do people find it hard to inject personality into their living space?
»FILICIA: Instead of looking to their wardrobe or favorite colors or interests or what makes them happy or putting things in their living room they really like, they tend to use inspirations from catalogs and magazines and other people's homes rather than their own inspiration. It's great to take initial concepts and ideas from other places to understand the process and what you want to accomplish. Your home should be a reflection of you, your lifestyle, point of view, interests. It's your past, present and future.

»EXPRESS: In the new book, you advise people avoid being too matchy. But sometimes it's intimidating to try to mix pieces together on your own. Any advice?
»FILICIA: "Too matchy" means you don't want to overly match; it doesn't mean you don't want to coordinate at all. You want it to look good, in the same way you coordinate clothing, but you don't necessarily want it to look like you bought it all at the same time and same place. You want it to have a little more personality to it.

»EXPRESS: What are your tips for decorating small spaces?
»FILICIA: A big tip for a small space is this: Don't under-furnish it to try to make it look bigger. And don't use small furniture. A small room with a small amount of small furniture is a big letdown. There's nowhere to sit and nowhere to entertain.

»EXPRESS: How can you create a great space on a not-so-great budget?
»FILICIA: You can run to a very inexpensive store and pick up some great accessories, then mix and match with things that are more expensive, something your grandmother gave you, something that you bought at a vintage store. All of a sudden, you have a great, smart look that's very personal and tells a story. If you're a young person, you shouldn't have a space that feels different from your demographic or point of view.

»EXPRESS: You write about how we sometimes let our homes boss us around. Can you explain?
»FILICIA: If you don't entertain in the dining room, why do you need a dining room? Don't put a table in the room and put chairs around it and let it sit stagnant. Turn it into a media room or turn it into a home office if that works for you. Make the dining room into something that works for your lifestyle. Think about the way you like to live.

»EXPRESS: Your new book lists "Thom's Ten Tips." One of your rules is to give every room an element of surprise. What are some ways to add that?
»FILICIA: If you have a rubber ducky collection that you started when you were a little kid, a fun thing to do is to put it on brackets behind the sofa. A huge exaggerated painting on the wall is really dramatic and a lot of fun. If you're really into the stock market, have four TVs in the same room mounted in a really great grid. Really fun ways to add surprise are interesting art, any bold pattern, an exciting rug. Add anything that has a lot of personality that feels interesting. Bring beautiful outdoor lighting into an interior space. Those surprises are what give your house a personality.

»EXPRESS: With the state of the economy and housing market today, it can be tough to think about putting money into your home. When is it worth the investment?
»FILICIA: The most important thing people ever purchase in their lives is their home. It's where they go; it defines who they are. You want to be comfortable in your home, and you want others to be comfortable, too. Putting money into your home is putting money into yourself and your lifestyle. [Investing in] your home is probably the safest place your money can be that I know of. Proceed with caution; be thoughtful and smart about how you invest money in anything. But if you have money to invest and something you think is a smart thing to do, I would say enjoy your home. In a good economy or bad economy, home really is just that; it's your home base. It's the place where you're going to ride the wave or ride it out.

Written by Beth Luberecki/Express
Photo Courtesy of Atria