Wilkinson & River create handcrafted wooden furniture in their east London studio. Their pieces require tremendous woodworking skill and feature locally sourced timber, often combined with handwoven cane. The result is an intricate design that’s beautiful and tactile.
Wilkinson & Rivera is the husband and wife team of Grant Wilkinson and Teresa Rivera, he hails from the UK, while she is from the US. They quit their day jobs last year to follow their passion for furniture design.
They first met while studying Fine Art at Camberwell University, part of the UAL in London. Teresa was on a study abroad scheme, taking a term away from the Tyler School of Art & Architecture in Philadelphia, where she was studying painting and sculpture. Coming from quite a regimented and strict academic environment in the US, she was surprised by the relaxed and informal atmosphere of studying in London. As Grant says, “Camberwell is a good time”. Teresa explains “I ended up just taking the opportunity to make friends, and learn London, and I caught the bug and fell in love with the city.”
They founded their studio at Blackhorse Workshops. For them, it has the right mix of workbench facilities and studio space, allowing them to get their hands dirty, while also taking their first steps as a creative business.
