Jason Thompson
Founder & Design Director
Jason Thompson is the founder of J.THOM, a firm providing luxury kitchen design and residential remodeling focused on delivering exceptional design services and high quality cabinetry and materials selections to create extraordinary kitchens, baths and interiors.
Jason has always married a passion for design with a strong personal vision and the commitment to deliver beautiful, successful projects. He is known for taking cues from the project site, listening intently to clients, and conducting thorough research before putting pencil to paper, resulting in designs that are an honest reflection of the client and the space.
Jason graduated from Philadelphia College of Textiles & Sciences, America’s first textile college established in 1884 which later became known as Philadelphia University. Recruited to play Division I soccer and study Architecture was a win-win but ultimately, he pursued Architecture with the same intensity he devoted to competitive sports.
After receiving a Bachelor of Architecture in 1999, Jason identified a short list of firms that fit his yearning desire to work with a firm that was a modernist at heart and landed a position at Sandvold Blanda Architecture+Interiors located in the former Architect's Building at 17th & Sansom. His impact was felt quickly by implementing AutoCad as the office standard and using it for his first project Iron Hill Brewery (Media). He went on to collaborate on designs and produce construction documents for other notable projects as Drexel University School of Architecture & Nesbitt Hall Art Gallery, Iron Hill Brewery (Wilmington), Pine Forest Camp and numerous residential projects throughout the city and mainline.
After several years of wearing many hats at the boutique Architecture firm of Sandvold Blanda, Jason ventured out on his own and co-founded Rissay Design Build in 2004. It was during this period that Jason honed his craft being ‘hands-on-in-the-field’ constructing projects he designed with his partner and lead carpenter. From 2004 to 2010, the team designed and built kitchens, bathrooms throughout the city of Philadelphia and the notable Art In The Age flagship store in Old City. By 2008, Rissay was constructing more than they were designing and it became evident to Jason, he was yearning to fully commit to interior design with emphasis on kitchens, and use his construction background to create J.Thom Cabinetry which he founded in 2011.
The concept for the showroom was a modern classic with a vintage feel. The large window with the nostalgic J.THOM logo, a drafting table with industrial factory chairs and gorgeous bronze glass globes was the allure and wanted to be a place so inviting that you had to walk-in and ask, 'what is it that you do'. Over time, the showroom filled out with curated kitchen displays and vignettes of Jason's favorite materials for the next design meeting or potential walk-in. Known as the go-to kitchen design studio in Washington Square, he continued to expand the brand and reputation into other nearby neighborhoods like Society Hill, Queen Village, Graduate Hospital, Fitler Square and Rittenhouse Square. It started with kitchens and bathrooms but later expanded into whole home renovations providing custom cabinetry for every room while keeping a toe in commercial design for projects like Art in the Age’s, Tamworth Lyceum located in New Hampshire.
Jason slowly assembled a team of experienced lead interior designers with a wide range of skill sets and knowledge for managing projects start-to-finish. As the team grew, the showroom became the revolving door for inspiration, design meetings, and a curated space for J.Thom events . In 2016, Jason brought on a partner and managing director for J.Thom to focus on refining the J.Thom Signature Brand and directing the design studio with creative projects ranging from custom built-ins to whole house interiors. Jason and his team have led with the mindset that ‘Great design creates connections between you and your home’. With each passing year on Pine Street, they become even more connected to the fabric of the Philadelphia design community and continue to serve neighbors and clients up and down the East Coast.
Our Team