Hasta La Ideas

There’s at least one more Phloem Studio project I’ve got to draw your attention to, because I love the finished product and because Phloem designer/craftsman Ben Klebba has populated their blog with our favorite thing: Process photos and explanations.

It’s called the Laura Desk, and Klebba initially designed it for ShowPDX, a biyearly Portland-based furniture design competition. While the finished product is done up in the customer’s choice of ash, cherry, walnut or white oak, Klebba first worked it out using plywood and maple scraps for the top and legs, respectively.

The tabletop of the finished desk retains plywood as the core component, but as it’s mean to be a writing desk, it’s covered with a thicker-than-usual hardwood veneer.

“Even high-quality plywood with premium veneer has veneer that is only less than 1/32″ thick,” Klebba writes. “On a writing surface, this absolutely will not wear well over time. We choose to hand cut and stitch 1/16″ thick veneer and lay it up over a solid plywood core. This produces an heirloom-quality writing surface. You’ll never see it nor be able to tell, but it’s one of those very important hidden details that truly matter.”

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