Explore A Contemporary Oregon Woodworking Studio's New Showroom

Taking inspiration from the systems and patterns of the natural world, woodworker Benjamin Klebba found “phloem” to be the perfect name for his design studio, which he launched in 2009. “Phloem is the vascular structure of plants—it is what the nutrients flow through via photosynthesis, and in trees it’s just underneath the bark,” explains Benjamin, who often works with his father, Ron Klebba, to design and create the studio’s furniture pieces, most of which are carved from solid wood. This year, Benjamin and his wife, Coralie, decided to open a showroom in Hood River, Oregon, to showcase Phloem’s work—including their Neil Chair (pictured), Nadine Lounge (pictured) and Porthole Shelving System (pictured)—alongside handmade wares from other regional makers, like metalworker Jordan Hufnagel and Lynn Everett Read of Vitreluxe Glass Works. “Community is so important to us,” Benjamin says. “We wanted to treat the space like a gallery and highlight other colleagues we admire.” Located in a historic building also originally used as a furniture shop, the showroom features ceramics, glassware, textiles, books and a rotating selection of artworks by local creatives. As Phloem looks forward to launching a new furniture collection this fall, Benjamin hopes the showroom can be a place of inspiration for visitors from near and far. “I hope people feel a connection to what we’re creating,” he says. “Ultimately, it’s about human interaction and the care, craft and thought we put into designing these pieces.”