Flair Magazine British furniture brands
Timothy Oulton is personally one of my favourite British furniture brands, it’s authentic, edge, and sophisticated. I am super excited to share with you the thoughts and reflections of the founder and creative director of the Timothy Oulton. Timothy shared with Flair his inspiration, and future plans as he answered our questions.
By Kate Dannies
Timothy Oulton’s unique style continues to evolve with it’s growing collection of daring, authentic handcraftsmanship. Its portfolio now includes furniture, hand-finished leather bags, premium bedding, kitchens and vintage one-off pieces. Four new collections are introduced for 2014; Jet, Adventurer, Age of Elegance, and Coastal Drift which brings out a lighter, more laid-back side to the brand.
Timothy Oulton is known for its reinterpretation of classic designs through modern eyes, repurposing them into something fresh and exciting. A respect for the old is balanced with a healthy streak of innovation to create pieces relevant for today’s lifestyle. Only the finest materials are used, from South American leather to century-old wood reclaimed from English distilleries.
The brand’s handcrafted bedding collection, Perpetual, proves an unrivalled concept in both quality and innovation. Designed for supreme comfort, rejuvenation and energy, each bed is tailor-made for those who know that being rested and recharged are essential for the challenges of a full life. Generous amounts of the world’s best pure materials are used including New Zealand wool, Mongolian horsehair, silk, flax and birch to ensure a totally natural bed.
What is your brand identity?
It’s a very modern, daring viewpoint, heavily infused with heritage. There’s character and soul to what we do, the materials we use – whether it’s 100 year old timber from an English distillery or Argentinian leather we distress by hand – it’s about authenticity. It’s sophisticated but relaxed around the edges.
Art reflects our inner spirit, what kind of connection do you have with your furniture?
I only make pieces I love, I don’t follow trends – it’s never been about the mass market. I’m very passionate about what I do, the pieces we make. If you happen to love it too then great, if you don’t that’s fine too.
What inspires you?
Inspiration can come from anywhere. As I think Paul Smith says, if you can’t find inspiration in something, you’re not looking hard enough”. It can come from a flea market, from a friend’s bag. Leather finishes have come from cowboy chaps.
Tell us more about your clear influence with the British Army and the drums, what is the story behind it?
Before my dad got into the antiques trade he was a major in the British Army, so during my childhood I was steeped in the pageantry that comes with that, and it’s stayed with me. The Drums collection is inspired by 19th century British military drums, crafted in the traditional materials like wood, brass, vellum, and repurposed into tables, shelves and lighting.
Your furniture is clearly a mix between the past and the future, tell us more about that? And how did this blending idea first come to mind?
I was in the antiques industry for many years. I loved the antiques; the stories, the craftsmanship, that timeless quality, but I wanted to make pieces that were relevant for today, that people could use in their daily life. We collide vintage with modern, like the Westminster Union Jack – it’s a traditional Chesterfield silhouette but we’ve updated it in cool, distressed denim with a giant Union Jack.
What are the vibes you want your furniture to send?
Our collections are really about a certain mind set, they’re red-blooded, daring and authentic. We want to create spaces that inspire people, to make their home a launch pad for their next adventure.
What comes first, the materials or the design idea?
It can be either. The materials definitely come first for some pieces – like the Axel collection. We bought this fleet of decommissioned junk boats and used the timber from the hulls, beams and decking. We took all the nails out by hand and cleaned the paint off, but preserved the character of the wood; the weathered texture, the cracks, the oil marks – it’s those signs of life that make each piece unique.
How do you choose your materials?
We take a long time sourcing the right, quality materials, so they come from all over the world – wherever we can find the best. We use driftwood collected in France, aniline leather from South America, reclaimed wood can come from old Chinese doors or disused English buildings. We only use authentic materials.
What part of the process excites you the most?
I’m really fortunate that my lifelong passion – or obsession – has matured into the life I lead today and I’m very grateful for that. It’s a great feeling to bring that initial concept or inspiration to life, to see it in the flesh. Stories and history are very important to us, the process of bringing a design into being has to have some meaning.
Why do you think the brand has been so successful?
We have our own way of doing things, we stick to our values and we don’t compromise. It’s never been about the mass market for us, we don’t want everyone to love us, and this is actually part of our appeal. Our customers want authentic, handcrafted pieces that are unique, that push the boundaries, and that’s just as true for people in Los Angeles as it is for people in Amsterdam.
What do you regard as your greatest success in your career to date?
When we opened the showroom that was a real milestone. It’s the heartland, it’s where the designers create, where we entertain guests, where we showcase the full collections. It’s 40,000 square feet of a totally unique, immersive world, unlike anywhere else you’ll experience. It was a collaborative effort between a lot of different people, the interior architecture and design is completely bespoke.
From all your pieces which is your favourite and why?
The Mars chair is still one of my favourites. There are elements of Art Deco in there mixed with this slightly futuristic feel. It’s just a classic, timeless design that still will look great in 20 years.
Being successful in what you do, do you think it is necessary to reinvent yourself, and why?
I don’t think you necessarily need to reinvent yourself but you should always strive to be better and better. I don’t believe in standing still, I always have the next big goal in my mind.
There are many young talents out there, how would you advise them?
The tradeshows are a good place to start, they’re a great way of connecting with other designers and getting a feel for what’s out there.
What should we expect to see from Timothy Oulton in the future?
We’re busy working on the 2016 collection at the moment so lots of new pieces will be revealed early on next year. We’ve also got some other exciting projects coming up so you’ll have to watch this space.
