ON THE DOG AND BONE WITH...WILKINSON RIVERA
It was love at first sight when I first laid eyes on the handmade wooden furniture from Wilkinson & Rivera. There is a very clever merging of modernity and tradition going on that is THRILLING for the eyeballs and I’m sure even more thrilling for your kitchen or lounge or whichever lucky room it is that your new chair, stool, table or all of the above end up in. I have found that furniture with details of a spherical nature i.e wiggles and circles are often photogenic and complimentary to the space around them and these are no exception. The duo have hit the nail on the head and, as is often the case with great design the concept is simple yet feels radical. It is undoubtedly the fusion of ancient tradition, artistry and craftsmanship (they make the chairs by hand themselves in their studio in Walthamstow) juxtaposed against fresh forms that create a playfulness that is energising the design world and furniture as we knew it.
The studio specialises in the design and in-house manufacturing of hardwood timber furniture.
They design and make their pieces in their East London workshop with slow manufacturing principles in mind.
The husband-and-wife duo Grant Wilkinson & Teresa Rivera launched only a year ago in February 2021 when they quit their day jobs to follow their passion for furniture design… I was chuffed when Grant and Teresa agreed to take part in our first ever 'On The Dog and Bone' Q&A at Rag and Bone. Enjoy!
What’s a GOOD breakfast for a great day?
We try to start our day with something healthy - a smoothie or yogurt with fruit and grains. We do like to throw in a guilty pleasure (read: almond croissants) now and then.
You guys launched only last year - How would you say the year has gone?
It’s been a whirlwind! We started making our first design December 2020, so for us its been a two-year journey. We’ve had amazing opportunities, all of which were highs - our first exhibition in London with Fels, our first time showing at Milan. There have been stressful times, having to learn from missteps and quickly bounce back.
What are your biggest challenges?
There just aren’t enough hours in the day! There’s always a lot to do, between work life and home life. Finding the balance has been challenging.
What does a typical day look like for you both?
Well, it’s always a 6am start. Our son is our alarm clock, yelling for us to collect him from his crib. We sit ddand have a coffee first thing, then it’s a scurry to get everyone ready for the day.
We’re in the workshop for 8:30am. We try and organise our day in the morning - looking through emails and any to-do’s. Our days are so varied, as business owners we have to wear so many hats. Sometimes we’re just makers, getting a project finished. Other times we’re fulfilling shipments, crating work. There’s often some marketing to be done: interviews, studio visits, guest journal entries. It’s always something different.
We’re out the door at 5:30pm to collect our son from nursery. Then it’s playtime, dinner, bath, and bedtime for the little one. And then back to it the next day!
The Welsh stick chair (below) is the best chair I’ve ever seen (and it’s not because we live in Wales). What’s your favourite piece/s at the moment (at WR)?
Thank you! We really enjoyed designing it. We’d toyed with the idea of working with twists for a while, but had steered away from it because it’s so technically complex. But we’re glad we eventually took the plunge.
We have a few pieces launching this year at London Design Festival with SCP, and we really feel we’re making our best work. We’re excited for people to see them.
What artists / writers / poets / product designers have made you go ‘WOW’ and stopped you in your tracks lately?
We’re so inspired by what our contemporaries are up to. We’re a British-American partnership, which has made for an expansive network and diverse influences. There are so many designers, makers, artists doing insane things at the mo - Bradley Bowers, Minjae Kim, Mac Collins. We love what they’re doing. We also find ourselves looking towards the traditional side of the craft for technical insight – makers like James Mursell of the Windsor Workshop, and Genki Nishiyama are a constant inspiration.
Where have you been recently that you loved?
We were in Milan for Salone del Mobile in June. It’s such a beautiful city. Equally, we visited Margate for the first time in May. We’re both love the seaside and have romantic ideas about living by the sea one day.
What have you been pleasantly surprised by recently?
The fact that anyone is interested by what we’re doing is such a pleasant surprise.
What’s on your studio playlist?
Come on Home – The Lijadu Sisters
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight – Richard & Linda Thompson
Tadow – Masego
Amor de Conuco – Juan Luis Guerra y 4:40
To name a few!
What’s on your calendar that you’re most looking forward to?
We have a nephew due late October! That trumps anything we have going on. We’re so excited to meet him.
Congratulations! With thanks to Grant and Teresa for chatting to me and welcoming my curiosity (nosiness) with open arms. I highly recommend you check out their beautiful handmade pieces: www.wilkinson-rivera.com and follow their instagram for beautiful behind the scenes workshop images: @wilkinson_rivera