Philip Gorrivan Design

Philip Gorrivan Design Interior designer and stylist, textile, wallcovering and furniture design. Based in New York City

The best spaces remind you that interiors have always been about creating an experience. During my visit to St. John’s C...
08/20/2026

The best spaces remind you that interiors have always been about creating an experience. 

During my visit to St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Malta, I was struck by the extraordinary contrast between the simplicity and austerity of its exterior and the richness that unfolds within. The moment you step through the doors, you enter another world, layers of gilding, intricate detail, texture, pattern and artistry. A truly maximalist interior, created centuries ago.
With its extraordinary craftsmanship and two remarkable Caravaggio masterpieces, it is unlike almost anything I have experienced before. Centuries later, it still demonstrates the enduring power of design, artistry and storytelling. 

The most memorable interiors have always been those that tell a story, reflecting history, craftsmanship, culture and the people who create them. It is this connection between spaces and the stories they hold that continues to inspire my work and the ideas explored in Authentic Interiors: Rooms That Tell Stories. 

A reminder that the interiors we remember most do more than surround us. They evoke emotion, create an experience and leave a lasting impression.

There’s something special about a porch as a space between worlds; a place where the architecture of the home meets the ...
08/17/2026

There’s something special about a porch as a space between worlds; a place where the architecture of the home meets the garden beyond.

For this porch, I chose a green he has been obsessed with for many years, a color often referred to as Oliver Messel Green, after the celebrated English designer.

The woven shades bring that color into the space, creating a natural connection to the surrounding landscape while offering a little shade and privacy when needed.

It’s the kind of space that makes you want to slow down, settle in and take in the garden; a perfect place to relax during the warmer months.

The most successful interiors are rarely the ones that feel perfectly designed. They are the ones that feel deeply perso...
08/13/2026

The most successful interiors are rarely the ones that feel perfectly designed. They are the ones that feel deeply personal.

In my work, I want a home to reflect something of who the person living there is; their experiences, interests, memories and the things they have collected along the way

Antiques, artwork, books and personal objects can bring a sense of history and individuality to a space that simply cannot be achieved by selecting everything new. I enjoy bringing these elements together with contemporary pieces, allowing an interior to feel layered, collected and, ultimately, as if it belongs to the person who lives there.

My own home is an expression of this approach: a combination of pieces with meaning, objects collected over time and contemporary elements that work together to create something personal rather than prescriptive.

For me, the role of an interior designer isn’t to impose a particular aesthetic. It is to understand the person, uncover what makes them unique, and translate that into a home that feels entirely their own.

The most memorable interiors tell your story.

LET ME RE-INTRODUCE MYSELFIf you’re new here, welcome.I’m Philip Gorrivan, an interior designer based in New York, creat...
08/10/2026

LET ME RE-INTRODUCE MYSELF

If you’re new here, welcome.

I’m Philip Gorrivan, an interior designer based in New York, creating homes that feel as personal as they are timeless.

For more than two decades, I’ve had the privilege of designing residences across the United States and internationally, blending classical architecture with contemporary living. Every project begins with one simple belief: the most beautiful homes are those that genuinely reflect the people who live in them.

My work is rooted in thoughtful craftsmanship, layered interiors, and an appreciation for art, antiques and custom design. Whether it’s a city apartment, a country retreat or a family home, my aim is always the same: to create spaces that feel collected, comfortable and enduring.

Over the years, my projects have been featured in leading design publications, but the greatest compliment is when a client tells me their home feels unmistakably like them.

If you’re considering a renovation, building a new home, or simply looking for inspiration, I’m glad you’re here.

Let’s create something extraordinary together.

Here’s a kitchen I designed for an upper east side pied à terre - High gloss wood cabinetry pairs beautifully with shim...
08/05/2026

Here’s a kitchen I designed for an upper east side pied à terre - High gloss wood cabinetry pairs beautifully with shimmering teal mosaic tile and a lacquered ceiling , creating a space that feels both intimate and vibrant. I always find myself returning to this color, call it lagoon blue or verdigris or (or teal!) it’s been a favorite of mine since I started designing interiors over 25 years ago.it brings depth, energy and a timeless richness that never feels trendy. In a small kitchen, every details counts and this palette transforms the room into a true jewel box 💚

When my clients expanded this property to include a pool house, I saw it as an opportunity to create somewhere the whole...
08/04/2026

When my clients expanded this property to include a pool house, I saw it as an opportunity to create somewhere the whole family would want to return to, again and again.

The building itself is organised into three distinct spaces: a central seating area and wet bar that opens onto the pool through custom folding doors, a gym on one side, and a billiards room on the other. In the billiards room, my Eleuthera wallpaper, with its stylized ferns and fronds, climbs from the horizontal beadboard straight up to the ceiling, while a six-armed lantern lights the room after dark.

For the furnishings, I found willing collaborators in my clients. We travelled to Paris together, working through my favorite antique dealers and the flea markets, and many of the pieces we found there, a sculptural chair, an African chieftain stool, a woven Jacques Adnet armchair, now sit together in the living area, layered over a Moroccan tile floor in a sophisticated diamond pattern.

Outside, a bluestone patio wraps around a newly built Gunite pool, with wisteria climbing a crisp white pergola overhead. Over time, the cedar shake roof will weather to a rich driftwood grey, settling the building further into its surroundings.

I had heard about Villa Kérylos for years, and recently finally had the opportunity to experience it in person- It felt ...
08/02/2026

I had heard about Villa Kérylos for years, and recently finally had the opportunity to experience it in person- It felt like standing before a masterclass in design, one whose language I understood instinctively.

What an extraordinary source of inspiration! Every room reveals an incredible level of thought, craftsmanship, and refinement. The richness of the details, the perfection of the proportions, and the seamless integration of a remarkable collection of antiquities woven into the very fabric of the house create an environment that feels both timeless and deeply authentic.

Nothing feels staged or decorative for decoration’s sake. Every object has meaning, every surface has purpose, and every room tells a story. It is a reminder that the greatest interiors are those where architecture, collections, and craftsmanship become one.

Villa Kérylos is not just a beautiful house, it is a masterpiece of storytelling through design.

From the tree-lined reserve of Manhattan's Sutton Place to the industrial edge of Brooklyn's DUMBO, a mere six miles apa...
07/27/2026

From the tree-lined reserve of Manhattan's Sutton Place to the industrial edge of Brooklyn's DUMBO, a mere six miles apart, yet a world of difference in style.

When a young, entrepreneurial couple decided to trade their traditional uptown apartment for an expansive DUMBO loft, the brief was simple in spirit but ambitious in scope: create a home that reflected their fresh start, letting go of period tradition in favour of pared-back, quietly refined modern living.

The starting point was the view. With oversized windows framing the Manhattan Bridge, we chose simple roller blinds over curtains, letting the cityscape take centre stage, and drew the furnishing palette directly from what lay beyond the glass; the concrete, steel and cable of the bridge itself.

In the living room, crisp white walls form a quiet backdrop for two very different sofas; one curved and salmon-toned, one linear and striped in grey, brought together through glove leather, plush velvet and ribbed ottoman cloth, echoing the couple's fashion-forward sensibility and their easy, individual-yet-together dynamic.

A shared love of entertaining shaped the kitchen, fitted with a ceiling-integrated, restaurant-grade extraction system and generous stained-oak islands for serious home cooking, with a bar cabinet standing ready for evening cocktails.

In the primary suite, the mood shifts toward sanctuary: a curved soaking tub offers respite from city life, paired with a richly upholstered bed designed purely for rest.

And beyond the interiors, a generous terrace, developed with a Brooklyn-based landscape firm, brings lounging and alfresco dining together with planting and hardscaping, creating a private park in the middle of the city.

A home, ultimately, designed around a couple's fresh chapter, quietly refined, endlessly liveable, and completely their own.

As a designer, I was captivated by the Royal Palace of Naples because it reminds us that great interiors aren’t created ...
07/22/2026

As a designer, I was captivated by the Royal Palace of Naples because it reminds us that great interiors aren’t created overnight—they evolve over generations. Every room reflects changing tastes while remaining part of a cohesive whole. Rather than feeling staged, it feels lived in, and that’s what gives it such extraordinary soul.

One of the reasons it feels so intact is that Naples escaped the widespread destruction that affected many European royal residences during the 19th and 20th centuries. The palace also benefited from careful stewardship after the Bourbon monarchy ended, preserving much of its original decorative schemes and collections rather than replacing them with period reproductions.

Given your interest in authenticity and storytelling in interiors, I think the palace embodies something you’ve spoken about often: the idea that the most compelling rooms are those that accumulate history rather than imitate it. The Royal Palace of Naples isn’t impressive because it’s perfect—it’s impressive because it still tells the story of the people who lived there.

Every home has a story to tell.This recently completed residence in Washington, Connecticut is shaped by a lifetime of t...
07/21/2026

Every home has a story to tell.

This recently completed residence in Washington, Connecticut is shaped by a lifetime of travel, a love of design, and an extraordinary collection of art, Asian antiquities and handcrafted objects gathered over decades. Rather than simply filling a space, these pieces create a home with depth, character and a genuine sense of place.

For me, every project begins by listening. Understanding how my clients live, what inspires them, and the collections and memories they want to live alongside forms the foundation of every design decision.

As I wrote in Authentic Interiors, the best rooms don’t just look beautiful; they tell a story. I’m delighted to share the first glimpse of this one. Stay tuned for more!

Address

333 Park Avenue South
New York, NY
10010

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

Telephone

+12122288242

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