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Women at Work: Freeland Spirits Distillery

Here at Hem, we love seeing our products in new environments. We’re excited to share a special project that features Hem items— the first brick and mortar location of Freeland Spirits, one of the few women-led distilleries in history.

Photography: Vic Garcia Interior Design: Open Studio Collective

A special project that features Hem items— the first brick and mortar location of Freeland Spirits, one of the few women-led distilleries in history.

Located in Northwest Portland, a city that celebrates craft, the first Freeland Spirits brick and mortar location honors women’s creative power. A collaboration between multidisciplinary architecture practice, Open Studio Collective, and many local female craftsmen, the tasting room is inspired by botanicals and machinery used to distil whiskey and gin. Its interior features several custom copper elements, which are complemented by Hem’s all-white Key Tables and a set of natural Udon Chairs.

A special project that features Hem items— the first brick and mortar location of Freeland Spirits, one of the few women-led distilleries in history.
A special project that features Hem items— the first brick and mortar location of Freeland Spirits, one of the few women-led distilleries in history.
A special project that features Hem items— the first brick and mortar location of Freeland Spirits, one of the few women-led distilleries in history.

Allison Bryan, OSC’s founder and creative director, was familiar with Hem before the project. “We have been fans of the brand for quite some time now. I remember that we initially saw some of the Hem products on a design blog several years back,” she recalls.

“The clean lines of Key Tables and Udon chairs let the eye relax when surrounded by the repetitive patterns of the wallpaper and the copper bar,” describes Bryan. “We had looked at quite a few other chairs, but we just love the way Udon represents a modern twist on a classic wooden chair.”

A special project that features Hem items— the first brick and mortar location of Freeland Spirits, one of the few women-led distilleries in history.
A special project that features Hem items— the first brick and mortar location of Freeland Spirits, one of the few women-led distilleries in history.

Open Studio Collective’s team, which is predominantly comprised and led by women, brought together a handful of local female creatives for the project. “We had a privilege of collaborating with some of the amazing women throughout the design process. Megan Arambul, the owner of Fieldwork Flowers, brought up the greenery in the space with large, beautifully composed planters, while the long mural depicting the story of the place was painted by the Fruit Salad Club, a collective of local female artists,” describes Bryan.

She adds, “Knowing that Jill was in the same boat in her field (hers being the first women-led distillery) made the project even more enticing, as we wanted to help lift other ladies doing amazing things!”

A special project that features Hem items— the first brick and mortar location of Freeland Spirits, one of the few women-led distilleries in history.
A special project that features Hem items— the first brick and mortar location of Freeland Spirits, one of the few women-led distilleries in history.

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