Emily Thurman
Emily Thurman born in the San Francisco Bay Area is a Salt Lake City – and New York – based designer whose practice bridges interior, furniture, and sculptural design. After a decade of conceptualizing bespoke interiors for clients, the inheritance of family heirlooms right before founding her studio in 2022 prompted her to toward a hands-on practice, giving shape to her own creative language.
Her work privileges collaboration over authorship and intuition over predictability, marrying technical expertise with a material-led approach. She works closely with international fabricators and artisans while maintaining a direct, physical engagement with materials like bronze, glass, and wood. This collaborative making – a dialogue between mind, body, and material – embraces the inherent unpredictability of the materials themselves and the dynamic alchemy of her partnerships, allowing ideas to evolve into tangible form. Emily’s furniture and lighting embody a deeply personal inquiry: a practice that gives form to her own visions and integrates her intimate narratives within each piece.
“I explore the connection between the natural world and our daily rituals. The way we live with furniture and objects leaves an imprint on our lives, shaping how we move, rest, and relate to our surroundings. Spending long stretches alone in the desert strips life down to what is real and tangible. In that vastness, I feel both deeply alone and profoundly alive. It reminds me that humans need a direct connection to the earth. My objects and furniture are rooted in that principle — grounded, elemental, and honest. In my meditative practice I see forms and concepts that have no reference or past inspiration. They are not replicas of what I’ve seen, but visions I bring into physical existence for the first time — each piece a kind of new birth.”
Emily’s furniture practice works in direct tandem with her interior projects, allowing custom pieces to be conceived alongside the spaces they’re designed for. This integrated approach makes room for one-of-a-kind works within her interiors and opens the door to collaborations with artists and designers on commissions specific to each project. With residential work spanning coast to coast, Emily continues to expand her architectural range, encouraging clients to slow the pace of curation in favor of thoughtful, layered environments—ones shaped by vintage finds and custom elements that carry personal meaning. As she puts it “nothing of value is rushed”.
Past Exhibitons
April 2024 Vibrazione D’insieme- Salone di Mobile
September 2024 Collectible Fair New York
May 2025 Hundō Exhibition- NY x Design Week
October 2025 “The Bells” Contributions- Paris Art Week
