“We make things that are designed to last a long time,” said owner of Treeform Woodworking Eric McClelland during our recent phone interview.  (That becomes clear after glancing at these beautiful Treeform kitchens, above and below).

I first saw Eric’s work in 2006 while on the Build it Green! Tour of Homes and was impressed with the handcrafted wood cabinetry in the remodeled homes. I was curious about the man behind the wood.

After exploring a bit more (and two years later), I learned that Eric started Treeform, located in Portland, Oregon, in 2001. After arriving in the City of Roses in the mid 1990’s, (with a degree in Sports Medicine and Nutrition), Eric found himself working with wood. He purchased his own wood working machines and started his business.

Eric’s passion and perseverance have paid off; Treeform is very busy working on several projects.

Eric works alongside his team in a local shop and invites his clients to stop by at any time and check-in.  And some do just that. As a result, they feel part of the process and as Eric reflects, “It’s the experience that people want in the process of working together on the remodel project of their home. They want to have an active role in how their project shapes and they want to be fairly hands on with me. They like to see that real people are working hard to make their home a beautiful place.  And that is distinctly different from buying cabinets from a salesperson at for example, Lowes.”

Eric’s dedication to sustainable building is evident. “I’m imposing environmental building practices and educating my clients, he says.” He agrees that Portland is a great place for sustainable living and admits to being conscious of the products he purchases.

The bowling alley countertop (shown at left) is unique. Eric  pulled this out of the dumpster at Hollywood Bowl and salvaged it himself; they were going to throw it away as part of their remodel.

When I asked Eric how he would describe his work, he answered, “I come at this as a craftsman primarily. I really value being paid to build stuff and to practice my craft.”  Simple, sweet and very inspiring.

For on on Treeform Woodworking, visit the website: www.treeformwoodwork.com