How Philippa Thorp built a global design legacy

Adele Cardani

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As the design company Thorp reaches its 40th anniversary, its founder Philippa Thorp reflects on four decades of creativity and global growth.

When Philippa Thorp looks around her Sloane Street studio, she sees four decades of relentless creativity, craftsmanship and global influence. Thorp, the interior, architecture and art curation firm she founded 40 years ago, has become synonymous with bespoke design at the highest level, serving some of the world’s most discerning individuals and families, and breathing new life into their homes and estates. From Cap Ferrat and Lake Como to London and the Hamptons, the studio has built a reputation for exceptional design delivered with the utmost discretion. 

Yet the origin of Thorp was far from calculated. “I came into the design world rather by chance,” Philippa recalls. While studying fashion and textiles, she shared a room with someone studying interior design. Watching her friend work, Philippa felt a persistent tug: “That’s what I should be doing.” Years later, when another friend announced she was starting her own interior design company, Philippa seized the moment. Selling the gold her mother-in-law had given her as a wedding gift, she invested it in the fledgling venture. Forty years later, she has never looked back.

A sunny view of a luxurious villa terrace with white umbrellas, surrounded by green gardens and mountains in the background.
A stylish and elegant living room featuring intricate ceiling designs, a plush beige sofa, decorative objects on shelves, a vibrant artwork on the wall, and a mix of modern and classic furniture.
Thorp designed this new-build Lake Como property to evoke the sense of a home that had existed for generations (Images courtesy of Thorp)

The studio’s ethos has remained remarkably consistent. Philippa describes the work as part design practice, part adventure. “The joy of this work has always been the mix of creativity and problem-solving, meeting wonderful people, and finding ourselves in beautiful surroundings. Working in the arts quickly stops being just a job; it seeps into every corner of life.” From sketching concepts to wandering galleries or discovering craftpeople’s workshops, inspiration is woven into the fabric of daily life at Thorp. 

“The joy of this work has always been the mix of creativity and problem-solving, meeting wonderful people, and finding ourselves in beautiful surroundings.”

Philippa Thorp, founder of Thorp Design

Growth came organically. For the first few years, Philippa and a partner ran the studio together; when her partner left, she hired an assistant, and slowly the team expanded to meet increasingly complex projects. Architects, designers and technical specialists joined, evolving Thorp from a tiny outfit into a full-service studio. Challenges existed, of course, but in those early days, the absence of endless paperwork and red tape allowed creativity to flourish. 

Modern living room with a coastal view, featuring beige sofas, a coffee table, and decorative plants, with large glass doors leading to an outdoor patio.
A substantial coastal property in Phuket, Thailand designed by Thorp (Image courtesy of Thorp)

Looking back on four decades, Philippa is effusive in her gratitude. “I’ve had the best career imaginable. To spend 40 years doing something you love, surrounded by beauty, creativity and remarkable people, is the greatest privilege.” Her daughters have been involved in the studio, and Philippa says she has cherished watching the next generation engage with the work. She also notes that her relationships with clients and collaborators have been central to Thorp’s journey, singling out Simon Fry and his wife Karen as particularly transformative figures, offering projects that allowed Thorp considerable creative freedom – from private homes to the private members’ health club KX.

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Among Thorp’s landmark projects is a barn-style extension in Henley, a pioneering take on modern living; a compact coastal retreat in Devon, a masterclass in spatial ingenuity; and a sprawling rural estate in Connecticut, designed to echo the contours of a lakeside setting. Perhaps most emblematic of the studio’s ethos is a private villa on Lake Como, conceived during lockdown to evoke the sense of a home that had existed for generations, despite being a new build.

“We used timeless materials and details that reflect the home’s Italian surroundings. Bronze metalwork was handcrafted into an elaborate staircase handrail, carefully chosen marble from the region forms a bespoke mix for the terrazzo flooring, and the garden is raised to accommodate the boathouse tucked beneath the kitchen terrace,” says Philippa, likening it to “a James Bond house.” 

A cozy room featuring a patterned armchair, vibrant green curtains, and a bookshelf filled with books.
A neatly landscaped garden with a path flanked by tall trees and trimmed hedges, leading to a small structure at the end.
A Hampshire country house property designed by Thorp (Images courtesy of Thorp)

Despite these diverse projects, Philippa is adamant that Thorp does not adhere to a fixed aesthetic. “Our job is to tease out the client’s own aesthetic,” she explains. Each project is bespoke, unique, and rooted in the principles that have guided the studio since its inception, which Philippa describes as “living in the details, bespoke design, and investing well, once” – alongside prioritising timelessness and craftsmanship over current trends.

Art is central to this philosophy. From Van Gogh to bespoke Dale Chihuly installations, Thorp integrates art from the earliest stages of a project, allowing pieces to anchor spaces rather than merely decorate them. Philippa likens art to fine jewellery: “It tops everything off and gives a project its identity. Just as the spaces we create reflect the individuality of each client, art says something unique about them too.”

Cozy interior of a bright room featuring a patterned ceiling, large windows with curtains, a comfortable chaise lounge, a glass coffee table, and a desk with a chair.
Vintage lighting and bespoke furniture in a house overlooking Lake Como by Thorp (Image courtesy of Thorp)

The studio’s approach has adapted to contemporary challenges, too. Rising property costs and smaller footprints have necessitated inventive spatial solutions, while clients are increasingly embracing the value of thoughtful, long-term design. “Good design isn’t about money; it’s about care and attention,” says Philippa, noting that the focus is creating spaces that inspire relief and comfort the moment one enters – a sanctuary as much as a showcase.

“To spend 40 years doing something you love, surrounded by beauty, creativity and remarkable people, is the greatest privilege.”

Philippa Thorp

Looking ahead, Thorp continues to expand internationally, with upcoming projects in the United States, Switzerland and France. A hotel remains a yet-to-be-realised aspiration, but the studio’s path is already lined with outstanding work. For Philippa, the most profound professional pride stems not from individual accolades but from the foundation that shaped her: her father, her family, and the community of collaborators and clients she says she has been privileged to work alongside.

A spacious and elegant living room featuring tall arched windows, a large coffee table at the center, gray patterned rug, various seating arrangements, and stylish decor.
Thorp created a modernist-infused apartment inside a deconsecrated London church (Image courtesy of Thorp)

As Thorp celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, it stands as a testament to steadfast principles, abundant creativity, and a rare capacity to transform lives through design. “The growth is cumulative, not dramatic,” Philippa reflects. “Each project builds quietly on the one before. That’s the nature of interiors done properly – steady, determined, and always evolving.” After 40 years, that evolution shows no sign of slowing.