Meet Ben
Before Wheels & Wood, my working life looked rather different. For 15 years I worked as a wilderness guide in Finnish Lapland, 400km inside the Arctic Circle, guiding everything from husky and reindeer safaris to snowmobile trips, skiing and Northern Lights tours.
During the summer months I travelled whenever I could, often by bicycle. Cycle touring took me across countries and continents and became a huge part of my life. Those journeys - together with a love of converting campervans - are where the Wheels in Wheels & Wood began.
When Covid brought travelling to a temporary halt, it gave me the opportunity to pursue another long-standing passion: making. I retrained at the Chippendale International School of Furniture in Scotland, learning traditional furniture-making skills and techniques ranging from fine joinery and cabinetmaking, to steam bending, veneering and woodturning.
That experience eventually grew into Wheels & Wood - designing and making bespoke furniture that combines traditional craftsmanship with practical, thoughtful design.
Living and working in Finland also had a lasting influence on the way I approach furniture. That influence can still be seen in much of my work today - understated, minimalist pieces with clean lines, carefully considered proportions and an emphasis on beautiful materials with an excellent finish.
Wherever possible, I use locally sourced timber, including wood supplied by a local tree surgeon. It’s a simple approach: use good materials, source them responsibly and make furniture that is built to last.
