Thom Filicia's sudden primetime success, first with "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," and now with his new show, "Dress My Nest," has overshadowed his long and prosperous career as an interior designer for private clients. Thom talked to Home Portfolio's Jocelyn Hutt recently about his new show, and how reality TV has informed his work for custom clients—and visa versa.

Congratulations on your new show, Dress My Nest. Can you tell us how the show came together?
Thom: The Style Network approached me with the concept, which I loved. The idea plays like this: we open up your closet, pick out your favorite inspirational outfit, the piece that best represents you. Then I use that as a springboard to get the interior started. We all do fashion everyday. We understand it. We're used to shopping for clothes; we're used to getting dressed. So your closet is loaded with information about what you like and don't like, and all that relates to interiors. It's interesting that lots of women dress really well in the business world, but their homes don't really have any connection to them or their sensibility.

One thing these shows are credited with is demystifying the design process. Is that something you do consciously?
Yes. It's one thing I love about working in television. It gives me the opportunity to really stay connected with what's readily available. If I'm working on a W Hotel, or Jennifer Lopez's house, I usually have an incredible lead-time. Before we even get into the decorative program, we look at toilets, kitchen cabinetry, flooring, door hardware and windows. Then we build or renovate the house. From there we look at furniture, have it custom made, buy antiques. I get on airplanes to go look at dining chairs that are in California or Europe.

The design projects for television don't involve all of that. I use the resources that are available on the Internet or at the mall. There's a wealth of resources now at the retail level. You can really do something quite beautiful. What I do on TV is help people navigate the options. Part of it is knowledge, part of it is creativity, and it's about opening yourself up to both. Doing TV keeps me in touch with the inexpensive to the more expensive range. I look at things now and think, "This is a great piece, but Crate & Barrel makes something very similar." I also know what's not available, so I know when I have to be more creative.

How important has the Internet become in the design process?
There's just more information. There's an incredible amount of product online, and it's there wherever you can open your computer. I can shop while I am stuck in traffic. I can also see where I'm going with my design projects, where normally I'd be doing it in my head. If someone says we have a problem with a light fixture, I can research ten more light fixtures without having to run back to my office.

Are your clients also more informed because of the Internet?
"Hey Thom, I found this window on the Internet the other night." And that's great. Consumers are more educated now about design than they've ever been, and they have more options than they've ever had. Because of this, they are demanding a better product, and they are demanding better service. I feel lucky to be a part of it.

Can you define a Thom Filicia designed space?
I love things that are timeless and classic and that stand the test of time. I take the client, the location, and the architecture very seriously—it's not just about making it look beautiful; it's about making it a smart space that works for that person. That's what I tried to do on Queer Eye, a hundred and one episodes later, and that's what I am trying to do on Dress My Nest. But whether the client wants a modern interior or traditional one, I'm interested in what makes it feel fresh and young, that doesn't overcomplicate it.

How do you incorporate the latest trends, if you're looking for an approach that will stand the test of time?
Well, trends are great. But, to use clothing as an example, as we do on Dress My Nest: if you have a great, classic suit everything you wear with it can be of the moment. That gives you the opportunity to be a part of what's happening in this moment, but not be rooted in it. For instance, those little glass tiles that were big for about two years. I don't think I ever used them. That doesn't mean I wouldn't do a wall of glass in a bathroom, like sheets of glass. Colored glass I think could be really beautiful. But those little glass tiles, they're just something that never appealed to me, because I looked at them and then I thought, "This has got about an hour." That's when you become a fashion victim. Or design victim.

You have so much enthusiasm. What inspires you?
I get this question quite often, and I have to tell you, I wish I were inspired by less! I look at architecture new and old; I am a car buff. I love classic boats and furniture design. I think you can really get inspired by going to the botanical gardens, or by going to museums, but I think you can also get inspired just going for a hike in the woods. But what most inspires me are people. I think that you get a lot of creative energy and lot of creative concepts from observing, listening, living, having fun with your friends and being with people in general.

Thanks, Thom.
You're welcome.