ABOUT PIERS THURSTON INTERIOR DESIGN
Founded by Piers Thurston, our studio is shaped by his multi-disciplinary background spanning Film, Marketing and Project Management. Now, with a Master of Arts in Interior Design and over five years in the industry, Piers brings a richly informed perspective to the field.
Upholding a design philosophy centred on lived-in comfort and the undone beauty of characterful imperfections, Piers aspires to marry these qualities with the high-grade, ‘neat as a pin’ finish our clients have come to expect. Every detail is considered and no stone left unturned. Anchored by technical expertise and a constant dedication to continued professional development, the methods of Piers Thurston are a natural consequence of his inherent perfectionism and prior experience, most notably as Senior Designer for celebrated design studio, Emma Wood Interiors.
Offering both private client and business-to-business services, Piers continues to extend his expertise to other independent design studios on occasion as an expert consultant, developing a unique and nuanced understanding of the diverse range of interior design methodologies.
Piers is vigilant in establishing positive client-designer relationships, and advocates a collaborative approach for all, designing spaces that are uniquely responsive to each property, but all with a common thread - our meticulous approach that values clarity of vision, open communication and thoughtful execution in equal measure.
"For me, luxury isn’t always found in glossy marbles or smooth silks, but instead in the sense of ease you find only in your own home. Our comfort-first design philosophy helps clients balance their everyday routines with a timeless interior, creating homes of layered warmth and unique character; beautiful in both form and function".
EVERY HOME BEGINS WITH A CONVERSATION
We always start by looking beyond the Pinterest Boards, to ascertain a comprehensive understanding of our clients. We want to know what is and isn’t working in the current space, how our clients’ might spend their time and what they want their home to feel like. We ask about the practical things as much as the aesthetic ones – where people sit, where they entertain, what they collect, whether they have children or pets, how they use their evenings and what they need from the spaces around them.
In our opinion, a successful interior should marry the beauty with the functionality, so we always prioritise space planning; building an understanding of the everyday patterns of a home. If clients regularly entertain, for example, we’ll give consideration to how the kitchen, dining and living spaces interact with one another. If a room needs to work as both a family space and somewhere to entertain guests, the design needs to accommodate both without compromising either. The aim is to create homes that work as beautifully on a Tuesday evening as they do when entertaining at the weekend, delivered with a practical understanding of how such a scheme can be executed.
Fortunately, our studio provides a considered design process alongside technical knowledge, detailed documentation, sourcing and project coordination, so our clients are in safe hands, accompanied by a decision process that feels purposeful rather than overwhelming. The resulting homes should sit beautifully, whilst catering to everyday life. We don’t design with the intention of creating a home that looks exactly as it did on installation day, we leave room for life to happen – for furniture to acquire character, for collections to grow and homes to evolve alongside the people within them.
DISCOVER OUR INTERIORS
DESIGNING HOMES AROUND ARCHITECTURE, NOT TRENDS
At Piers Thurston, we treat any existing architecture as the starting point, rather than an afterthought. This doesn’t mean to say every period property needs to exhibit a traditional interior, nor that a contemporary home needs to remain minimalist, but rather exhibit an understanding of how qualities such as proportions, materials and details can inform the design.
For example, a Georgian house in London will typically feature high ceilings, tall windows, panelled walls and elegant architectural mouldings, which provide a strong framework for the interior. Rather than compete with such attributes, our team would work to complement them with carefully proportioned furniture, layered textiles, considered lighting and a sympathetic palette. In contrast, a Victorian Townhouse in Brighton may showcase eclectic proportions, bay windows and a mix of materials, the location of which lends itself to a more playful approach to pattern, colour and texture, whilst preserving the architectural identity.
CREATING COMFORTABLE HOMES WITH LASTING APPEAL
Our comfort-first design philosophy is centred on a lived-in quality that embraces the “undone beauty of characterful imperfections”. Of course, our work is polished and utilises high-quality materials, but there should be a common thread of informality, where beauty coexists with everyday life. There should be somewhere comfortable to sit, somewhere to put your feet up, and somewhere for a cuppa or the inevitable glass of wine (a cool Brunello Di Montalcino in our case!)
Playing on our knowledge of materials and fabrics, our schemes encompass a level of depth and tactility further enhanced with aged metals, handmade finishes and antiques, to introduce variation and character that mass-manufactured materials often struggle to replicate. Of course, this can vary considerably project-by-project, but this is why our projects often feature bespoke joinery, layered lighting, natural timber and stone, pattern-play, tailored window treatments and a layered palette.
EXPERIENCE THAT EXTENDS BEYOND DECORATION
Some of Our Common Scenarios
“We want to modernise the house without losing its character”
This a common feeling, particularly for the clients we work with across rural Sussex. In such cases, our team will identify the features that give the property character and use them as the foundation of the design proposal, balancing them with contemporary furniture, lighting and materials.
The aim is to make the house feel updated and relevant, without erasing the architectural identity.
“The rooms in our period property feel small and dark”
Despite popular belief, the solution here is not to reach for the bright white paint.
On the contrary, we would recommend embracing a carefully chosen colour palette of warm, earthy tones – something that will feel far more inviting than a stark pale neutral – and instead enhance any available light with reflective surfaces, considered mirror placement, correctly proportioned furniture and layered artificial lighting.
“We’ve extended the house, but the new space feels disconnected from the original”
Much of a successful interior relies on identifying a common visual thread that can be pulled throughout a home, whilst retaining a degree of individuality in each room.
This might be a repeated material, colour, flooring treatment or architectural motif, to help make any transition between an old space and new feel intentional and considered.
WORKING ACROSS BRIGHTON, SUSSEX & LONDON
Originally founded in Brighton, but now operating across Sussex, Surrey, Kent and London, Piers Thurston is an independent interior design studio working across a variety of residential and commercial projects.
In Sussex, this often includes period cottages, converted barns and Arts & Crafts homes, whilst London offers an entirely different architectural landscape, from Georgian and Victorian townhouses to contemporary apartments and extensively remodelled family homes.
This gives our studio a richly-informed perspective on the different types of home, and yet the common thread that we often see is not specific to any one architectural style – the desire for a home with character, warmth and individuality
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Yes, we can work as part of a wider professional team on listed and period properties, with the appropriate consideration given to the building's architectural and historic significance. Where planning, conservation or other specialist input is required, our team work collaboratively with the relevant professionals rather than treating the interior as a separate exercise.
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Absolutely. We do not restrict ourselves to a single prescribed style, and contemporary design can be just as warm, layered and characterful as a traditional interior.
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Yes. Renovations are often where an interior designer can add the most value, so we recommend appointing an Interior Designer during the early space-planning stages. This allows us to work alongside the appointed Architect and contractors where required, from concept, right through to the specification, sourcing and installation of the finished interior.
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Yes, we work throughout Sussex, including Brighton and the surrounding villages, as well as across Surrey, Kent and London.
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As early as possible. Ideally, we like to be involved before architectural decisions have been finalised, as this allows the interior and architecture to develop together as a collective and means important considerations such as lighting, joinery, storage, and room proportions can be incorporated from the beginning.
That doesn't mean you need to have every design decision made before contacting an Interior Designer though - quite the opposite. Bringing a designer in early means there is someone there to help make those decisions in the right order, as and when required.
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