Elety Guest: Oliver Thornton

Hello everyone!

This is Elety Guest — a closer look at real men and their worlds. Every edition brings you a relaxed chat with someone new: how they spend their days, what drives them, and the style that makes them feel like themselves. Simple stories, honest voices, and plenty of inspiration for your own journey.

Today, please welcome Oliver Thornton.

My name is Oliver Thornton, I am a home furnishings designer, interior designer and actor. I performed leading roles for 16 years on the West End in London and across America. Throughout this time, I worked on a number of different interior design projects, including flipping property in London and New York. In 2017, an organic shift of focus led me to opening my eponymous interior design studio in New York where I was known for delivering a layered, British aesthetic. In 2021 I returned to the UK to become the creative director of a high end London design firm, working on luxury residential and hospitality projects.

At the start of 2025, I took a leap of faith and started working full time for myself on an idea that I’ve had for a new, luxury home furnishings brand called Oliver Thornton Home, inspired by British heritage and the Country House.

My life as an actor very much informs how I design because I think about interiors and product not as rooms and furniture but rather, opportunities to tell stories which transport us from the every day to the extraordinary. In the same way that going to the theatre presents a fully realised world in which you can escape, I think interiors have the power to open doorways to the life we want to live, to an idealised version of reality.

This is why I’ve always loved British Heritage. These magnificent buildings and homes are aspirational goalposts for a fantasy world of beauty and refinement. They’re so much more than bricks and mortar; they are a lifestyle, a dream we long to step into.

Oliver Thornton Home launches with a pre-launch capsule collection of five key pieces of upholstered furniture in Autumn 2025. It is a thrilling opportunity to reimagine and redefine the traditional British aesthetic for contemporary living.

I started dancing when I was around sixteen years old and loved expressing myself through movement. This led to discovering the theatre and finding a group of people who became my tribe. I also discovered the power of being a storyteller and how important fantasy is as a tool, not only to survive but to thrive.

I grew up in a tiny village in South Wales. As a gay, non binary child growing up in a rural part of the UK during the 1980’s and 90’s, my imagination and creativity was my only way of escaping school bullies and the constraints of my life. Although I was blessed with a very loving family, I wanted so much more than my little Welsh village could offer.

Outside of my formal training in theatre and design, this ability to escape inside of my own head to rearrange the world as I’d like it to be, or to constantly push myself to ask for more, has proved to be my greatest skill set. It drives home how much our early years inform our adult lives. There is a complexity which allows for silver linings to emerge from adversity.

Now I’m addicted to creativity and the freedom it allows us within our own imaginations. Oliver Thornton Home will be a celebration of this idea. It has been incredibly rewarding to become a business owner with the agency to decide what I want my business to stand for and how I think it can add value to the world.

When I moved to America and lived in New York, I was able to look back at the UK and find revived interest in its history and heritage. I was able to put myself in someone else’s shoes (who didn’t grow up here), and appreciate how much of a fairytale British culture, traditions, monarchy, heritage and design can seem.

Moving back to the UK, I became even more aware of how fortunate I was to live amongst so much history and incredible historical architecture in London, with easy access to some of the most idyllic villages and country house estates. This is where I draw most of my inspiration from; British heritage and the lives of the people who came before us. Architectural details, landscaped parks, classical gardens, vintage fashions, old school manners and a bygone era of refinement. I especially love the Country House interwar years; a last of shining moment of beauty and bohemian glamour before these houses became a noose around the aristocracy’s neck.

There is something incredibly romantic about that which is doomed to fail but pushes through for one last blaze of glory.

That said, I recognise that our history and the story of the Country House is complicated and full of injustices. As an LGBTQ, non binary person, I understand first hand the importance of telling all stories. I think this is why I want to find a way to re-contextualise and reimagine this genre of design. I’m interested in the fantasy of what heritage represents and I believe that this is for everyone. I’d like to rewrite the story of British heritage moving forward as an inclusive and modern tale.

As a designer, I would always say to follow your instinct over what you like and try not to be influenced by trends. Listen to what you like and follow that lead.

Then the trick is to learn to edit and consolidate those ideas into a story. For example, if you like modern furniture and lean towards clean lines, feel emboldened to follow that and not place a carved, ornate chair in the centre of the room because you saw something on social media that side-tracked your ideas. I believe that you can’t do everything in one space. You have to follow your heart, then pick a lane. If you do want to do everything, you might have eclectic style but that, in and of itself, is a story – so follow that idea through all of your home. Try to think of the design from the basement to the rafters. It should be one continuous and seamless story.

The palette is a great place to start. Whether it’s harmonious and monochromatic, or jumpy and vivid, place all of the colours and fabrics you like together and make sure that the palette for the entire house works. You can plan these schemes in advance, even if you don’t intend to decorate the room for months.

Lastly, my advice would always be to lean towards the more sophisticated, timeless option. As you grow older and live in a space for longer, you want the room to grow and evolve with you. If you have gone for something kitschy and camp, you’re likely to grow weary of it more quickly. I love fun, bold and quirky design but I’m always aware that it’ll be like a cheeseburger… you’ll enjoy it when it’s going down but a steak will fill you up for longer.

Learn how to make good cocktails and have a well stocked and chic bar cart/cabinet.

Whether you’re alone, with a significant other, or hosting friends, the evening will improve from the added glamour of a well mixed cocktail.

There’s something in the art of it, the sound of the ice in a shaker, the beauty of vintage silverware, the elegance of fine glassware that makes everyone feel magnificent. Non alcoholic options can be just as exciting – it’s about taking the time to make something extra special for yourself or another.

A gentleman is someone who is kind, considerate and takes time to enjoy, and place value, on the details.