Interior designer and star of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Dress My Nest Thom Filicia has benevolently aimed his queer eye at the W San Diego as part of his design partnership with W Hotels. This October, he'll unveil the redesigned street-level lounge Living Room, the sun-kissed pool Wet, and the poolside Veranda Bar. They were designed to reflect San Diego's “comfort couture” with bold prints, organic materials and intimate interior cabanas lined with wood louver paneling. But what about the man behind the leopard-print curtains (as if)? What kind of car does he drive? Where does he like to relax? Where does he cap his nights? Answers after the jump.

Where did you come from, and how did you get here? I come from Syracuse, NY, specifically the historic neighborhood of Sedgwick Farm. How did I get here? Volkswagen Jetta, complete with a fraternity sticker on the rear window and a Nantucket sticker on the side.

What do you do, for love and/or money? Where do you do it, who do you do it with, and how do you like it done best? What I do for love and money isn’t that different. It’s all about concept and execution. Where do I do it? Have fabrics, will travel. Who do I do it with? With whomever does it best. How do I like it done? Efficiently and from the heart. What have you done in the past -- businesses you've owned or run, works you've accomplished, programs or companies you've started, artistic milestones you've achieved? I have a BFA in interior design from Syracuse University. I worked for Parrish Hadley, Robert Metzger, and Jeffery Bilhuber. I opened Thom Filicia Inc. in 1998, and we’re celebrating 10 years this September. I started hosting/designing on television in 2002 as the design doctor on Queer Eye and currently Dress My Nest. I have an Emmy Award, a book called Thom Filicia Style, two dogs, and a boyfriend. And I’m about to launch the Thom Filicia Home Collection. Not bad for an old lady.

Where do you like to travel or relax and, what gives you the most pleasure or satisfaction in your daily life? I own an apartment in SoHo in New York City and a lake house in upstate New York, and I frequent them frequently. I love to relax on Harbor Island in the Bahamas. What gives me the most pleasure? My friends, and falling asleep with my two dogs and my boyfriend.

Filicia's redesign of W San Diego.

Who are your friends, neighbors, partners, enemies? Who do you respect and admire? My friends are famous, infamous, and obscure -- that’s why we’re friends. I respect people who are respectful, interested, and authentic, therefore I admire them. Neighbors and partners fall into the same category as friends. Enemies on the other hand are generally sad, jealous people who supply me with hours of entertainment. I look at life as an ongoing collaboration at every level, and design as a constant dialogue. With this philosophy, the better question is who don’t I collaborate with? See enemies (above).

What are your plans for the future, and for tonight? Of all of the things that I’m doing right now, from television, to products, to design, to family, friends, and relationships, my favorite plan for the future is the one that is not part of my current business or social plan; it’s what life holds for me and reveals like a great movie, keeping me in suspense and on the edge of my seat. What I will do next is exactly what I’ve been doing, anything that sparks my interest and feels right will be added to the already overwhelming list. As for tonight, drinks with a client at my apartment, dinner with friends, a birthday party for a recent mother, and a nightcap at the Norwood.