Bold. Fearless.
A Little Mischievous
Summer Thornton Design is a Chicago-based interior design firm known for creating bold, colorful, and beautifully layered interiors that are as fearless as they are timeless.
Founded by principal designer Summer Thornton, the 20-person firm blends classic design principles with a spirited, modern sensibility—bringing personality and soul to every project. The design firm’s work spans North America, with current projects including a modern new build in Miami, a historical residence in Charleston, a private club in New York, a modern vacation home in Cabo, a traditional lakehouse in Lake Geneva and a new construction mountain house in Aspen.
Summer Thornton
Principal & Interior DesignerKnown for interiors that breathe life into every room, Summer’s work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Veranda, Traditional Home, The New York Times, House Beautiful and more. She’s been named one of the top interior designers in the world with inclusion on the Elle Decor A-List, honored among the Top 50 interior design firms by 1stDibs, and chosen by Sotheby’s as one of the Top 20 Designers to Watch.
Her approach is deeply personal—no two clients are the same, so no two homes should be either. Summer layers color, pattern, and texture in ways that feel fresh yet timeless, often weaving in unexpected details and one-of-a-kind finds. The result: interiors with soul, personality, and a touch of mischief.
The Team
The talented team who brings every project to lifEWe are a multidisciplinary team united by a shared love for great design and the craft of making it happen. Deeply talented, incredibly hard working, and with a dose of Midwestern kindness, we bring design dreams to life.
Summer Thornton – President & Creative Director
Whitney Mersman — Senior Designer
Tony Filippo — Designer
Samantha Statz — Designer
Carol Middough — Designer
Nicole Ross — Designer
Morgan Van Hoof — Junior Designer
Olivia Doty — Junior Designer
Brooke Peterson — Junior Designer
Ella Barton — Design Intern
Josh Thornton – Owner & Managing Director
Josie Pickett — Director of Project Management
Catherine Allen — Project Manager
Emily Menges — Project Manager
Hillary Kennedy — Project Coordinator
Zoe Zook — Project Coordinator
Nora Annunziato — Project Coordinator
Carolyn Masters — Office Manager
Mary Winslow — Finance Manager
Haley Paszkiewicz — Marketing Manager
What We Do
Interior DesignWe are first and foremost a full-service interior decorating firm, providing end-to-end interior design solutions. We design homes that are layered, colorful, and deeply personal, with each project tailored to the client. Our firm enjoys collaborating with world-class architecture firms and landscape designers, working as a team to create highly detailed and thoughtful custom homes for clients.
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNIn many cases, clients ask our firm to work across multiple disciplines and serve as the Design Architect on projects, leading all creative direction and architectural design work. With a strong technical background, our team regularly produces extensive technical drawings for interior architecture, millwork, architectural details, and more, that bring a home’s character to life. We then partner with an Architect of Record locally to execute the permitting process & local code requirements.
Custom FurnitureWe source and design custom furniture and furnishings. These pieces are made to perfectly fit the space, elevating the interior while reflecting the personality of the homeowner.
Wonderland —
Adventures in Decorating
Now in its fifth printingCurioser and curioser—Summer’s first book is a visual feast, whisking readers into a world of technicolor interiors. It showcases her most daring, romantic, and joyfully over-the-top spaces. It debuted from Rizzoli in ‘22 and was an immediate Amazon best seller.
Summer’s Advice
