Celebrating five years of original design, the founder and creative director of Timothy Oulton picks the top 5 emerging trends from the fair
A master at blending traditional craftsmanship and pioneering design, Timothy Oulton’s story dates back to his childhood days in Manchester. Soon after joining his father’s antique business, Timothy found himself captivated by the exquisite quality of the antiques that came from meticulous, time-honored handcraftsmanship which characterizes many of his collections. Timothy Oulton’s pieces combine the best of traditional, authenticity with daring amounts of innovation in design, resulting in a product that is authentic and totally unique.
Timothy Oulton picks the top 5 trends that are emerging in 2018:
Earthy materials Quartz or rock crystal has started to make its way into furniture design- it comes straight from the ground so there’s this ancient geological feeling about it; but once it’s carved into a piece of furniture it becomes very sleek and modern owing to its mesmerising translucent quality. We’ve created a finish called Carbon stone which is made using reclaimed shards of quartz.
Furniture that gets better as it ages Furniture made from pure materials like hand-finished leather, reclaimed timber and marble will develop their own patina over time and still look great in 20 years, if not better. I think people appreciate pieces with character and soul – because that’s what makes them timeless.
Sofas You Can Live On Big sectional sofas that you can sink into and stay in all weekend. Low profiles, deep seats, simple lines, in natural fabrics like linen or leather.
Wabi-sabi Wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection, it’s a philosophy that values authenticity above all else. The cracks in weathered timber, the scars and blemishes on leather, the welding marks left on a piece of metal – “imperfections” that give a piece character, because they speak of its provenance and the passing of time.
Bridging the past with present Antiques and vintage materials never die, you just need to make them relevant. A traditional Chesterfield sofa looks lonely on its own, but put it next to a modern, acrylic coffee table and it becomes something else entirely. It’s about borrowing ideas from the past but adding your own point of view, it has to be relevant.
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