Topographic Furniture! River Collection by Greg Klassen

Adding life to beauty is formidable. Doing it as effortlessly as Greg Klassen has, is simply unthinkable! Klassen’s River collection showcases the beauty of dying, discarded trees often viewed as imperfect. Their transformation into gorgeous pieces of furniture, each with a character of their own, has left us speechless. Well, almost.

Inspired by the genuine character of wood and the serene beauty of rivers in the Pacific Northwest where he lives, Klassen has created a range of arty topographical design. In the aptly named River collection, he combines live edge wood (either wholly or partially) with blue glass to create a single piece that serves both, the purpose of art as well as function.   

The River Collection focuses the uneven, natural edge of wooden slabs towards the center of the table rather than towards the outside as is commonly seen. With the live edge of two book matched slabs facing each other, Klassen creates a meandering river effect and completes it with the addition of a hand cut, tinted blue glass which unites the two edges.  

Being Live Edge wood slabs, each of his works is exclusive. In his own words, “Just like the Trees they’re crafted from, no two designs are ever the same.”

Klassen lets the wooden surface retain its natural patina by leaving small splits and checks untouched. We love the treatment of voids that are made to look like smaller water bodies, adding more character to the surface.

While in some designs the glass is placed on a rabbeted live edge - flushing it with the surface to create a continuous flat surface, in other designs they are fitted into a routered rabbet, making the ‘river’ flow at a lower level.

Klassen also uses whole wooden logs by cleaning up the rotten interior, rabbeting the inner support for the glass and (depending on the size) making coffee tables or side tables out of them. The blue transparency of the glass top combines with the inner textures of the log and is reminiscent of deep clear pools.

The River collection includes tables in different shapes, using various materials, displaying different forms and combinations in which the flowing river has been perceived. It includes not just dining tables and coffee tables but also console tables, wall art and sculpture.

Greg Klasesen’s works have won design awards, impressed the likes of Martha Stewart and has literally won our hearts. We love the effortless attitude with which his works stand, like they have always existed just the same way. And that, is partially true too.