SERVICE
The Black Sheep of Design Founder of design studio Blacksheep, Tim Mutton talks disrupting, the need for change and why hotels need to catch up.
Words: Harry McKinley
A
s the founder of a studio called Blacksheep, it
“I just do not like the idea of using your surname to
somewhat stands to reason that Tim Mutton
name a practice after yourself. I think it’s really selfish,”
wouldn’t quite fit the old archetype of a designer.
he explains. “I never wanted to call it Mutton Interiors,
He doesn’t speak about his work in hallowed
because that sounds awful. But if it were that, clients are
terms and eschews the more lofty language that can
always going to be asking for me, and it’s not about me. If
sometimes pervade the industry. You might call him
I’m going to have a studio it should be about everyone and a
unfiltered even, dropping, as he does, swearwords liberally
particular way of thinking.”
into conversation and seemingly unafraid to call out the industry on what he believes to be irksome practices. Since establishing Blacksheep in 2002, Mutton has
had little to do with interiors. He was kicked out of school
increasingly been recognised as an authority on F&B, and
early, finding traditional learning difficult and spending
the studio has worked with the likes of Mandarin Oriental
more time “drawing and dreaming” than paying attention.
Hotel Group, Qbic Hotels, and Fairmont Hotels and
At 17, freed from the shackles of academia, his first job was
Resorts on large scale bar and restaurant projects – not to
working in a kitchen loading a dishwasher. When someone
mention high street stalwarts such as Wagamamas, Five
called in sick he got the opportunity to work behind the bar.
Guys and BrewDog. Mutton describes Blacksheep as a multidisciplinary
“I loved it for loads of reasons,” he recalls, drawing a connection, even now, to his design work. “Most creative
studio, and indeed its team don’t just craft a pretty
people are showmen. We like people and we like giving.
picture for diners, but help to develop concepts and realise
I think good designers have that quality. It was my first
them; everything from the menus to the branding, client
taste of hospitality and I thrived in that environment. It
depending. And the team is something that is important for
taught me a lot of simple lessons. One is if you’re having a
Mutton, who is quick to highlight that the studio’s work is
good day, you get good tips, and if you’re having a bad day,
a group effort. It’s a philosophy that partly informed the
you don’t. And I think that’s influenced how I work on the
name Blacksheep – that, and a desire to avoid one of his
culture at Blacksheep.”
foremost pet hates: self-titled companies.
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Mutton didn’t grow up expecting to enter the world of design. In his late teens and early twenties his ambitions
In his early twenties Mutton travelled, heading to Greece