THE HAND: OUR FOUNDATION FOR MEANINGFUL, TIMELESS DESIGN
No. 022 Entry Hallway
Before a sketch is drawn or an art piece is hung, there is a pause. A moment to consider what an environment needs, not just stylistically, but structurally. What will support you as our client and what does the space ask of us? At Studio Thomas, we call this foundational moment The Hand. It’s the first pillar in our creative process and the basis of all our projects. It’s the skilled, principled start of design that allows projects to cohesively come together. It’s grounded. It’s deliberate. It takes time to understand rules well enough to use, and break them, with intention.
Our Founder and Principle Designer, Kristen Thomas, has been in the luxury interior design space for over a decade and has since crafted a unique process in designing environments for our clients. Her philosophy is built on three pillars: First, The Hand, rooted in classic interior design principles and craftsmanship. Then, The Eye, an artistic perspective. And finally, The Heart, where emotion and depth shape the soul of an environment. These elements working together create timeless interior spaces that impact your wellbeing and truly feel like you. The creatives at Studio Thomas have a deep understanding that before creativity, there has to be an inherent understanding of the foundational principles that make up design.
“You can’t know where to start if you don’t understand the fundamentals of design.”
The Hand represents the foundation of what design is built upon. It’s the starting point and the study of what works and why. It's a metaphor for the foundational design elements, ones that the untrained eye might not notice right away, but an expert will catch onto immediately. A skilled designer knows when something’s off - when the balance of a room isn’t quite right or when white space is missing its breath. Because design isn’t instinct alone, it’s instinct that’s been honed through study, repetition, and experience. It’s tried and true. This phrase matters to us. Tried and true means we respect the rules before we reinvent them. The Hand doesn’t ask what will look good, it asks what will hold up aesthetically, functionally, and emotionally.
Before we create a new design, we look back to the architecture and design patterns that have lasted centuries, like the quiet strength of marble, linen, diamond patterning, and the golden rules of balance and rhythm. The work of The Hand is intentional and exact. There are rules, and we’ve learned them. We’ve memorized the way certain materials wear in time. We’ve taken notes from centuries of design history, not to repeat it, but to build on it. A solid stone countertop. A wall of windows is placed just right. Millwork thoughtfully placed on a wall. These are the kind of choices that endure.
“We are analyzing and assessing the principles of that home - bringing in timeless materials that function well.”
No. 028 Hallway
We asked some of our team how The Hand shows up in their work: what principles they reach for first, what design rules they choose to honor or bend.
ERIN | STUDIO THOMAS SENIOR DESIGNER
Here are some of her thoughts about The Hand:
What "tried and true" materials or concepts do you find yourself consistently returning to?
Wood and Natural Stone are materials I always try to prioritize in all designs. They are materials that have an array of qualities, which allows them to be used in almost any space.
How do you balance design principles with the emotional/personal needs of a client?
A way I think of this is like a coloring page, where the principles are the lines within which we are working and the structure of how we design. The emotional/personal needs of each client are then however we choose to color within those lines. This gives such a unique and personalized design for each client.
CALEE | STUDIO THOMAS SENIOR DESIGNER
Here’s The Hand through her eyes:
How do you balance design principles with the emotional / personal needs of a client?
The principles of design are really rooted in how people live. Our design prioritizes not only beauty but function.
How do you use historical references / classic design elements in your work?
Millwork is a timeless design piece that we often use. We also study classic silhouettes in furniture design.
What "tried and true" materials or concepts do you find yourself consistently returning to?
Natural materials forever and always, things that will age gracefully but will show love and use with time: Marbles, Leather, unlacquered brass, etc.
Have you ever found yourself breaking a principle intentionally? And what led to that decision?
Good design comes in the juxtaposition of historic principles with intentionally broken rules, the tension of the two is what makes a space stand out. That's where the principals of “heart” come into play.
When we understand the foundational rules of design, we gain the freedom to create something deeply personal for you - designed to last through the decades. By tediously balancing the importance of precision with the intricacy of emotional design, that space truly becomes meaningful. The Hand might be the starting point, but The Eye and The Heart are what makes an environment uniquely yours.
Let’s begin the journey toward a home that reflects who you are, together.