BLACK #MAVERICKS::::Meet this London born, Nigerian furniture upcycler, Yinka Ilori

Passionate, is an appropriate term to describe London born, Nigerian furniture maker Yinka Ilori. A young talent, his vision is to create a bespoke yet sustainable design collection. By sourcing used, vintage or discarded furniture, or in his words ‘pre-loved’, he is changing the way we view design.  Upcycling, not often synonymous with the design industry, is the starting point for his process, as you won’t find any sketchbooks or drawings scattered about his workspace. For Ilori, the beauty of upcycling comes from the using an existing furniture frame to guide his thought process and to shape his ideas. The results are revived, one-off designs that have his signature; vibrant painted wood, an infusion of a delicate pattern, striking fabric cushions.

Every piece is very different. All have their own personality and character. Each piece has a story to tell.’

- Yinka Ilori

A graduate of London Metropolitan’s Product Design and Furniture degree program, just one – year post graduation launched his own furniture label, Yinka Ilori in April 2011.  He attributes this tenacity to his parents; who grew up in Nigeria and their strong work ethic as a big motivating factor in getting his venture off the ground. This past year has been a whirlwind for the newcomer, his designs have already been shown with the British European Design Group at New York’s annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair, with plans to increase his presence on the interior fair circuit with presentations slated at Maison & Objet (Paris) and the Bargehouse (London) this Fall.

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