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Friday Five with Benjamin Klebba of Phloem Studio

Benjamin Klebba is the mastermind behind the Portland, Oregon-based Phloem Studio, which he founded in 2009. Growing up in Michigan, he lived in a house his father built (he also built the furniture inside it) which fostered his love of hand craftsmanship. His designs are handmade treasures, focusing on natural materials and traditional joinery, that will stand the test of time, through their design and solid construction. You’ll notice that each piece has a story to tell. For this week’s Friday Five, we dip inside the mind of this master craftsman to check out the things he loves.

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1. Vinyl records
I’ve been collecting records for years. CDs are going the way of the phone booth. Buy vinyl. In a former life, I was a used record buyer at a record store.

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2. The Oregon coast
It’s beautiful and essential to replenish my reserves, but cold, rainy and stormy – so so nice.

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3. My chisels
My dad was the original owner of this set. He made them more practical and manageable by cutting the blades and handles down years ago. I use them almost every day.

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4. Fender Stratocaster
Mine is horribly hit after years of playing, but what a simple, functional, satisfying design. Nothing feels better than plugging into a beat down amp and playing power chords with a beer after a long day. Nothing.

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5. Laura Buchan’s studio space
Laura Buchan is my partner and an amazing wood sculptor. Every time I go visit her shop space, the day fades away and I remember why I love woodworking – the patience, the learning, the craft, the struggle, the reward. And her shop is waaaaay calmer than my shop.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.