Bio

Thomas Throop is a furniture designer-maker and founder of Black Creek Designs, with over 30 years of experience creating bespoke furniture for high-end residential interiors. His work is defined by architectural clarity, refined proportion, and a deep understanding of material, developed through a practice that values both design rigor and skilled making.

Throop’s approach is grounded in the belief that the process and materials are as integral to a piece as the finished form. Each design responds carefully to its architectural and interior context, balancing visual presence with function and longevity. The goal is furniture that integrates seamlessly within a space while retaining a distinct, considered identity.

His path to furniture design combines formal study and hands-on experience. After undergraduate studies in economics and photography, Throop worked in house restoration, developing an early understanding of structure, precision, and craft. He later refined his design and making practice in Dorset, England, completing a two-year program at the John Makepeace School for Craftsmen in Wood. This training instilled a disciplined, material-led approach influenced by the English Arts and Crafts tradition, while firmly oriented toward contemporary design.

Since establishing Black Creek Designs in 1992, Throop has focused on custom, made-to-measure furniture developed in close collaboration with interior designers and private clients. His work spans tables, seating, casework, and built pieces, each designed and fabricated in his Connecticut studio to allow for a high level of refinement and responsiveness throughout the process.

Throop’s furniture has been exhibited internationally and is held in significant public and private collections. His work has received numerous awards, including the Wharton Esherick Prize, and has been featured in publications such as House & Garden, Wood Art Today, and Custom Furniture Sourcebook.

Black Creek Designs is based in New Canaan, Connecticut, where the studio and workshop support a collaborative design process. The practice welcomes ongoing relationships with interior designers seeking thoughtful, architecturally informed furniture for residential projects.