Timothy Oulton is known for its vintage-inspired designs, hand-distressed leathers and often rugged style, but this light-filled Sydney home showcases a surprisingly sleek, modern side of the British furniture and interiors company. Featuring interior design by Coco Republic, a stylish yet family-friendly interior was achieved for the client using an array of Timothy Oulton’s authentically handcrafted designs.
The Coco Republic Design Centre is one of the most dynamic and recognized international design showrooms in Australia. Timothy Oulton opened its first gallery in Australia at Coco Republic’s Sydney showroom in 2012, with two further galleries in Melbourne and Brisbane. Both companies are bonded by their shared passion for timeless yet innovative design and a quest to create unique, characterful interiors.
The client engaged Coco Republic’s in-house interior design service after moving into their newly built single-storey apartment in Five Dock, in the inner west of Sydney. As a young family with two boys aged 8 and 13, the brief required a striking space for entertaining guests while retaining a functioning family home.
Experienced interior designer Amanda Pocock from Coco Republic took her cue from the client when choosing Timothy Oulton products. The client gravitated towards the drama and luxury of the Timothy Oulton gallery and with quality a high priority they also appreciated the intensive handcraftsmanship that goes into each piece. Amanda says: “My vision for the space was a dramatic, entertainer’s paradise whilst also catering for the everyday lifestyle of a family of four with a dog. Timothy Oulton’s dramatic and elegant designs make them a perfect choice for entertaining, while their robust materiality makes them suitable for everyday use.”
Image Credit: Timothy Oulton
Working with the existing finishes of the property, a monochromatic scheme was realised with key statement features. The open plan kitchen and dining room offers a spectacular backdrop for hosting friends and family, anchored by the Zodiac dining table, handcrafted using individually polished pieces of marble laid in an eye-catching Roman mosaic pattern. Angeles dining chairs add more drama, swathed in lustrous Old Saddle Black leather and hand-applied stud detailing.
Image Credit: Timothy Oulton
In the lounge, comfort is effortlessly married with glamour to create an inviting space for both entertaining guests and kicking back with family. Chesterfield-inspired Westminster Feather sofas create a comfortable, lived-in feel, contrasted by the sharp angular lines of the Crystalline Baluster coffee table in acrylic and the bold Zodiac console in smooth black marble.
Image Credit: Timothy Oulton
The themes of vintage glamour and romance are reinvigorated in the master bedroom, featuring Cumberland side tables in leather and brass, directly inspired by an antique trunk from Timothy Oulton’s personal collection that once belonged to Prince William Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland and youngest son of King George II of Great Britain.
Image Credit: Timothy Oulton
The children’s bedrooms have been designed with the same sleek, meticulous detail as the rest of the house. A teenager’s oasis has been created in one of the bedrooms, featuring the rugged and industrial Aviator Blackhawk side table in riveted aluminium and a large framed Ace of Spades above the bed, an original Timothy Oulton design with playful overtones.
Image Credit: Timothy Oulton
Ceiling, wall and table lights handcrafted predominantly from K9 optical glass have been used to create further drama throughout the house, including Art Deco inspired Rex Diamond pendants and the powerful Crossglass pendant in the master bedroom, and the Paradise chandelier which shimmers theatrically above the dining table.
Image Credit: Timothy Oulton
Material selection in the interior design was a key consideration in order to fulfill the client’s brief. When curating the scheme, interior designer Amanda Pocock was very particular about creating a luxurious and impressive space, so the use of marble, acrylic, leather and the optical glass used in the lighting designs was incredibly important in achieving the impact that the client desired.
The project’s biggest challenge was to create an impactful design scheme whilst not visually overwhelming the smaller than usual footprint of the space. This was achieved through the use of a black, white, silver, gold, taupe and navy colour palette, layering the space with brass accessories and textured soft furnishings to create warmth and offer contrast to darker pieces.
On working with Timothy Oulton products, Amanda says: “The Timothy Oulton pieces have a fantastic feeling of luxury and glamour that a lot of my clients want, with a beautiful range of materials and finishes. The confidence in having a great quality product was key to being able to deliver on the design we developed for our client in this project.”
Timothy Oulton works with interiors designers across the world and offers dedicated support throughout every stage of a project, from the consultation phase through to installation phase.
About Timothy Oulton
Before he went into the antiques trade, Tim’s father was a major in the British Army. It’s from him that Tim got a taste for military pageantry (and a bit of a thing for drums). When he left school, Tim thought he might end up becoming a man in a suit, but in that first summer when he worked for his dad’s antique business he got the bug. He fell in love with beautiful old things that carry secrets and stories in the leather and the wood, and there was no going back. Years of scanning flea markets uncovered Tim’s instinct for finding the most beautiful pieces. He loves antiques, but recognises their limitations. The Timothy Oulton vision is bigger than simply trading in old beauties. It is a passion to make beautiful and practical furniture, inspired by the past but re-visioned to be relevant for today.
Quality craftsmanship really matters, there are no cutting corners. The best quality leathers from South America are hand tumbled to a soft worn finish. Individually hand-tied spring systems ensure a secure and comfortable seat. Hand-stitching, traditional joinery and hand-tufting all take time. Tim says, “If it takes 12 days to make it, I’m drawn to it. The more intricate and detailed it is, the more authentic and unique it will be.”
Timothy Oulton cares about the provenance of the materials as much as the skills of its craftspeople. Reclaimed weathered timber might come from decommissioned Chinese fishing junks or the century-old beams of an English distillery. Pieces are designed to celebrate the history of the materials and to give them a second life, with imperfections and ‘signs of life’ considered by Tim to be marks of authenticity and soul.
For all press enquiries, contact:
Gabriella Kwok
gabby@alexandrapr.com
+44 (0)207 371 9225
