Thomas Pheasant (born 1955) is an American

interior designer Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. With a keen eye for detail and a Creativity, creative flair, an ...

based in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

He is known for his design studio and

collaboration Collaboration (from Latin ''com-'' "with" + ''laborare'' "to labor", "to work") is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. The ...

s with furniture brands like Baker and McGuire Furniture.

Early life and education

Thomas Pheasant was born in

in 1955 and raised in

Adelphi, Maryland Adelphi is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Per the 2020 Census, the population was 16,823. Adelphi includes the following subdivisions; Adelphi, Adelphi Park, Adelphi Hills, ...

. He attended the

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the Univ ...

, where he initially studied architecture before transitioning to interior design. During his studies, Pheasant gained early professional experience working as an assistant to

designer A designer is a person who plans the form or structure of something before it is made, by preparing drawings or plans. In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, products, processes, laws, games, graphics, services, or exper ...

Victor Shargai for four years.

Career

In 2013, Pheasant founded Thomas Pheasant Studios in Washington, D.C., producing limited-edition furniture. The initial collection launched in 2013. He has undertaken residential and commercial projects in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

, including work for the Hay-Adams Hotel and projects for BET co-founder Sheila Johnson. He was commissioned to decorate and design parts of the

Blair House Blair House, also known as The President's Guest House, is an official residence in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The President's Guest House has been called "the world's most exclusive hotel" because it is primarily used ...

, the guest house for the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

. Pheasant was hired in 2012 by the Blair House Restoration Fund to refresh the wear and tear of its interior. Pheasant was named "Dean of American Design" by the US edition of

Architectural Digest ''Architectural Digest'' (stylized in all caps) is an American monthly magazine founded in 1920. Its principal subjects are interior design and landscaping, rather than pure external architecture. The magazine is published by Condé Nast ...

in 2005 and received an award from Andrew Martin International. He was reportedly the first American designer to exhibit at the ''Pavillon des Antiquaries et des Beaux Arts'' in Paris. Pheasant has worked on Georgetown's Rosewood Hotel, designing the interiors of six townhouses associated with the property.

Collections

Baker

Pheasant launched a furniture collection with Baker Furniture, a luxury brand, in 2002. Titled ''The Thomas Pheasant Collection'', it was described by Sheffield Furniture as utilizing "simplicity, bold silhouettes and clean finishes." The collection incorporates neoclassical influences, reflecting Pheasant's concept of "bridging the past to the present." Exceptional Living described the collection as having a "modern, elegant and distinctive" style.

McGuire Furniture

Pheasant has collaborated with McGuire Furniture on two collections: ''The Thomas Pheasant Collection'', focusing on indoor furniture using materials like rattan, leather, bronze, glass, and stone, and ''The Thomas Pheasant Outdoor Collection'', which includes pieces designed for outdoor use.

Style

Pheasant's design style has been described as applying a "contemporary dimension to classical design." He has stated that his style is inspired by traditional architecture. ''Taste of Life Magazine'' has characterized his design philosophy as "classic minimalism, tradition, and vision with a balanced tranquility.”

Publications

Books featuring work by Thomas Pheasant include: * Mirror by Design: Using Reflection to Transform (1996) * Showcase of Interior Design (1997) * Eclectic Style in Interior Design (1998) * American Designers' Houses (2004) * Spectacular Homes of Greater Washington (2006) * House Beautiful Colors for Your Home (2008) * Regency Redux (2008) * Robert A.M. Stern, Buildings & Projects 2004-2009 (2009) * Simply Serene (2013) - With Victoria Sant, published by

Rizzoli International Publications Rizzoli Libri, formerly Rizzoli Libri S.p.A. and RCS Libri S.p.A. is an Italian book publisher and a division of Mondadori Libri, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arnoldo Mondadori Editore. RCS Libri was a former subsidiary of RCS MediaGroup, but ...

. * Decorating with Carpets: The Stark Tradition (2015) * Jonas: The Art of Fine Upholstery (2015) * Interior Design Master Class (2016)

Awards and recognition

Pheasant received the Design Icon Award at the Las Vegas Market in 2016, and the Andrew Martin International Designer of the Year Award in 1997.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pheasant, Thomas Living people 1955 births People from Washington, D.C. American interior designers American company founders American furniture designers American non-fiction writers