Exclusive: House of Black Launches – A New Luxury & Lifestyle Force Led by Toni Black
Design Insider is delighted to exclusively announce the launch of House of Black, a new luxury and lifestyle design studio emerging from the globally recognised hospitality practice Blacksheep. Led by director and newly appointed CEO Toni Black, House of Black marks a bold new chapter for the team that has spent the past many years quietly shaping elevated hotel, F&B, and branded residence projects around the world.
“House of Black is the new home for the luxury and lifestyle story we’ve been building,” Toni shares with unmistakable excitement. “We’ve created something truly special, and now it finally has its own identity.”
Toni Black, The Gathering Bar, WOW!House 2025
A New Chapter Born from a Growing Legacy
Blacksheep has built its reputation over more than a decade as a trusted specialist in F&B design. Under the leadership of co-founder Tim Mutton and long-time collaborator Brian Turner, the studio carved out a distinctive creative voice, one rooted in experience-led award winning F&B.
But in 2019, when Toni joined the team to deliver a hotel project, an unusual step for a practice so closely associated with restaurants and bars, the studio’s direction began to evolve. What began as a freelance engagement quickly transformed: within weeks Toni became an Associate, and within a year, a Director. Together, the leadership team formed Blacksheep Collectives, giving structure to a growing design universe.
Luxury Collection, Bar 1920, Prince De Galles, Paris
And as Toni began to build her own team, the luxury and lifestyle portfolio grew with her.
“From doing one hotel, we got more hotels, more elevated work, more international projects,” she explains. “But when I went out talking about it, people still said: ‘Oh, you’re Blacksheep, you do great F&B.’ They weren’t seeing the full spectrum of what we were doing.”
Despite operating with its own team, its own methodology, and its own creative voice, the market still perceived the studio as a single entity. The work Toni and her team were producing, concept creation, full branding packages, holistic hospitality strategies, needed a clearer voice.
An external business audit confirmed what had become increasingly obvious: it was time to create distinct identities!
Luxury Collection, Bar 1920, Prince De Galles, Paris
Introducing House of Black
The result is a new structure with a shared holding company and two specialist arms:
- Blacksheep: continuing its legacy as an F&B powerhouse
- House of Black: a new, dedicated studio for luxury and lifestyle hospitality
Toni will lead House of Black as CEO, supported by a team of interior designers, brand strategists, FF&E and Brand Designers.
“We’re launching a new baby, one that sits in the Blacksheep family,” she says. “It’s connected, but it also has its own structure and voice.”
Hyatt Regency, Nice, France
The new studio launches with its own visual identity, tone of voice, website, and strategic positioning, all crafted by House of Black’s brand team. A dedicated House of Black digital presence will begin rolling out following the official launch on 8th December 2025.
Crucially, House of Black launches with momentum: several major long-term projects are due to open in 2026 and early 2027.
“If we hadn’t launched now, everything we’ve been working on would fall under the Blacksheep name,” “But House of Black deserves its own platform, and it’s arriving with a global portfolio behind it.”
Hyatt Regency, Nice, France
A Studio That Designs the Whole Story
What makes House of Black distinctive is its 360° design capability, a rare combination in the hospitality sector.
The studio seamlessly integrates:
- Brand strategy
- Brand design
- Interior design
- FF&E expertise
- F&B concept creation and operational strategy
This allows the team to originate and deliver projects that begin with a narrative and end with a fully realised experience.
“Our sweet spot is when we create everything,” Toni says. “The concept, the name, the brand world, the interiors, and even the food philosophy. That complete journey, that’s our USP.”
Hyatt Regency, Nice, France
Even in projects where an external brand agency is involved, House of Black’s team is fluent in brand thinking. Their interior designers instinctively understand tone of voice, positioning and brand translation, ensuring design choices always connect back to core identity.
This holistic thinking has also made House of Black a powerful partner for branded residences. The studio has already contributed to Autograph Collection’s first branded residence in London, alongside new residential hospitality projects in Kenya, Uganda and further afield.
“With branded residences, the brand has to live in every detail,” Toni explains. “Because we understand both the spatial and strategic sides, we can create something deeply aligned and genuinely experiential.”
Luxury Collection, Akira Back, Prince De Galles, Paris
A Global, Culturally Diverse Team
House of Black’s work spans continents, and its team reflects that global outlook.
The studio’s designers come from a wide mix of cultures and backgrounds, bringing layered insights into local heritage, behavioural nuance, and lived experience.
“We’ve intentionally built a team of different voices,” Toni says. “Different cultures, different ages, different perspectives. It makes the work richer.”
Ceylan Splend’Or, Uludağ, Turkey
This diversity is paired with a commitment to being in the places they design for. Travel is a non-negotiable part of the process.
“You can’t understand a culture from a desktop,” she says. “We need to eat, sleep, breathe and live a place, even for a short time. That’s how we design authentically.”
From multi-stop hotel tours across Europe, deep cultural research trips across Africa, the team immerses themselves in each project’s environment to ensure a genuine sense of place.
Toni Black, The Gathering Bar, WOW!House 2025
Looking Ahead: Big Ambition, Bigger Heart
While House of Black launches with energy, the studio’s ambition stretches far beyond its first day.
Toni envisions global offices, deeper cross-cultural collaboration, and a growing collection of 360° hospitality concepts created from scratch.
“We love creating new spaces,” she says. “Helping operators craft new stories, new positions, new experiences. The more full-circle projects we can do, the better.”
Toni Black, The Gathering Bar, WOW!House 2025
But underpinning the ambition is a strong sense of responsibility, to the next generation of designers.
“For me, it’s about sharing my knowledge and bringing people up with me,” Toni reflects. “I love what I do, and I want to nurture the next wave of talent.”
And her ultimate dream?
“One day, I’d love to see a coffee table book on House of Black,” she smiles. “To be recognised for our storytelling, our design, our craft, that would be the ultimate.”
A Moment Worth Celebrating
The launch of House of Black is a milestone not just for Toni and her team, but for the wider hospitality design sector. It signals the arrival of a studio that thinks globally, operates holistically, and designs with cultural intelligence at its core.
And as Toni prepares to unveil House of Black to the industry, her excitement is infectious.
“It feels like the start of something extraordinary,” she says. “We’re ready, and we can’t wait to show everyone what’s coming!”