Timothy Oulton brings British flair to Chinese homes
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Union Jacks abound at Timothy Oulton's new store. Photos: Courtesy of Timothy Oulton |
Last month's royal wedding may have given people the wrong idea; British style isn't all elegant simplicity and restraint. In fact, Britain's best designers are frequently bold and creative and just tacky enough to be fun. Since last Tuesday, Beijingers have been able to get a taste of some of Britain's best furniture design at the new Timothy Oulton Gallery.
Oulton's furniture, which is also available at Crossover Center in Sanlitun, is unmistakably British, as his signature item is an absolutely massive Union Jack sofa. At the new lifestyle store at Easyhome Shopping Center near the North Fourth Ring Road, they're accessorized with shining crystal chandeliers and enormous trunks used as coffee tables and side tables. The Union Jack appears everywhere.
Oulton, who flew to Beijing for the opening of his sixth store in the world, said that all his products would bring the pure British style in a modern way to the Beijing consumers just like they did for people in New York.
"Leather sofas, Union Jack cushions, and so on … They best interpret our core philosophy: The world's finest furniture with a bit of fun, and the best craftsmanship. We want young people to buy it, not just old people," Oulton said.
Oulton began his career working for Halo Antique, where he spent four years "lifting and loading" and then worked as a craftsman. He said during that time he learned a lot and he now knows most of the steps in the process.
"I am sure that we have the best craftsmen in the world. The big sofa that you saw took four or five days to make, with 14 hours just for polishing. And that trunk took nine days," Oulton said. "I don't think any others in the world can produce the exact same products as we do."
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