Today we’d like to introduce you to Timothy Oulton.
Timothy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My dad had an antique shop near Manchester in England, and when I left boarding school I went to work with him. About 3 months in, I just got obsessed. I loved the way the things were made – the British craftsmanship. I was restoring antique furniture for many years, that’s when I learnt everything about craftsmanship and materials. I later started designing and we opened the first Timothy Oulton gallery in 2008 in L.A. We now have over 35 galleries worldwide from New York to Hong Kong, Amsterdam and at Harrods in London.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been plenty of challenges for sure but that’s not what I focus on, it’s about learning along the way, dusting yourself down and asking what’s next. It can certainly be a challenge being across the globe and keeping the experience consistent for customers – it’s something we work extremely hard at. I’m very passionate about giving people the best experience possible when they visit a store – that’s why we offer champagne. We don’t want to be just an ordinary furniture store – in fact we don’t even see it as just furniture, it’s beyond that.
Please tell us about Timothy Oulton.
We’re a handcrafted furniture company, known for our unique leather upholstery and original, creative designs in furniture, lighting and accessories. I always say to people come to the gallery, have a glass of champagne and experience it for yourself. The experience is important to us, we don’t see it as just furniture – we see it beyond that.
My mantra is “Be relevant or be dead”. We borrow ideas from the past but we put our own modern twist on it, we have our own viewpoint. Everything we make has a story to it – it could be the inspiration or the reclaimed materials we often use, but the process of bringing a design into being has to have some meaning. What we make is authentic, it’s unique and it’s all made by hand – that’s what gives the collections real character and soul.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least about our city?
I’m a very casual person so I love that relaxed atmosphere in Los Angeles. I still spend a lot of time scouring vintage markets and you have some great ones, I’ve picked up a few favorite pieces in the past – especially Art Deco. In fact, one of the dining chairs in our collection is called Angeles because it’s inspired from a piece I found at a flea market here.
I’m not sure I have a dislike as such – although having grown up on a traditional northern diet in England I’m always reminded in L.A. that I should be leading a healthier lifestyle!
Contact Info:
- Address: Timothy Oulton
HD Buttercup
3225 Helms Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90034 - Website: www.timothyoulton.com
- Phone: +1 310 945 5423
Image Credit: www.timothyoulton.com
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