10 QUESTIONS WITH TIMOTHY OULTON

Furniture and interior designer of the eponymous brand specialising in handcrafted leather furniture.

Furniture and interior designer of the eponymous brand specialising in handcrafted leather furniture.

1 What gets you out of bed in the mornings?

I love what I do, so starting the day is never a chore.

2 What gets you to sleep?

I’m not sure I’m the best person to ask! I never understood work-life balance, it’s all just life! And the human brain is an amazing thing, even when you’re asleep it keeps on whirring away. Sometimes the best ideas hit you at three in the morning.

3 Your favourite pet?

I had a lovely chocolate brown lab called Tallulah, which became the company dog. When we host visitors, Tallulah would always be there.

4 The most inspirational element in the world is...

I love the ocean; part of me would be quite happy to live on a houseboat. I also recently spent some time in a village up in the mountains of rural China – it was incredibly peaceful and the feeling of reconnection inspired my new Noble Souls collection.

5 Your fondest memory.

I went to a school called Ampleforth, which is in a Benedictine monastery. My house master, a Benedictine monk, was a great guy. I’ve lots of very happy memories, including this community ethos: It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you contribute.

6 A cause you support.

One that’s very close to my heart is the village primary school near our workshops in China . We sponsor the school basketball team, and host afternoon activities for the kids, and events where teachers can practise their English with some of our team.

7 Your personal design style.

I’m a very casual person so my home is the same. But I love antiques too – especially from the great historical periods of British handcraftsmanship. I like to incorporate pieces from different eras. I have a few antique pieces in my home, but I mix them up with something more modern; I like that collision of old and new.

8 One style you dislike is...

I wouldn’t say there’s a style I have an aversion to as such, but I think interiors that rely on one particular design trend won’t stand the test of time.

9 Your last meal on earth should be...

It would have to either be a good old traditional English roast or a beautifully cooked steak, with a bottle of red.

10 What’s the last picture you took with your mobile device?

I don’t take that many photos on my phone actually, but here’s one of the spaceship we built for our Milan Design Week booth. Everyone wanted to sit in it – at first, people were taking their shoes off and being really careful but, after a while, everyone just piled in, kicked their feet up and relaxed. It was brilliant.