Will Worsp has always had a creative bent. After graduating from art school and spending time working on film sets, he transferred his skillset to project managing interior fitouts for notable brands in London including Selfridges and GAP.
However, it was after travelling in Europe that his mindset changed and he realised rural New Zealand was where he felt most at home, and where he wanted to set up his own business working with natural materials.
Ten years ago, in an old abandoned surfboard factory in Raglan overlooking the estuary, WRW & Co. was born. Fast forward a decade and Will’s brand, headquartered in Matakana just north of Auckland, is a highly regarded bespoke furniture design offering with a distinctive aesthetic of clean lines and elegant simplicity.
“I’ve always wanted to be able to educate people about the design process and materials so our showroom in Matakana is on the same property as our workshop, which means we can welcome clients into the workshop and they can see how their pieces are made,” Will says.
Being based in Matakana, Will says a key aim of the business is to look at sustainability holistically, using local craftspeople and ensuring any offcuts are crafted into other products such as door handles and soap holders.
“We only use FSC-certified timber to ensure that the forests are managed sustainably, and the pieces we design and craft are solid. They are made for life.
“It’s a lovely experience having people come into the showroom and experiencing our furniture. Often, I think, people are used to veneer tables for example that don’t have that natural smell, texture and solidity of oak.”
WRW & Co. predominantly makes pieces to order, allowing for custom designs, sizes and materials, while offering a small, curated range of pieces that are available for purchase from the Matakana showroom or online.
