Amish craftsmen are known the world over for their beautiful and high-quality solid wood furniture. The Amish only use solid wood, and their creations are therefore strong and durable, lasting for many generations. In addition to using the best quality wood, their workmanship is without equal in the modern world, where most products on the market are mass-produced in factories. The Amish art of furniture making is not so much a matter of personal pride as it is a way of worshipping God through their actions.
The Amish take great care in choosing the right wood for the right project. Although they predominantly use oak and quartersawn oak, one can also find examples in cherry, maple, hickory, black walnut, cedar, and even pine. Oak’s beautiful grain lines and honey coloration make it popular in both the United States and Canada, but other styles call for different types of wood, such as cherry for Queen-Anne-style pieces. Another trend is the use of cedar for storage chests, which produces a lovely scent perfect for storing clothing and other linens. For other projects, a craftsman might choose hickory and maple for their extreme hardness and light coloring.
Amish furniture comes in a variety of styles—the most recognizable being Mission, Shaker, and Queen Anne—ranging from artfully simple to ornately curved. Other popular styles include: Traditional/Heritage, Contemporary, Bavarian, Bunker Hill, Carlisle, Hampton, McCoy, Modesto, Slat Mission, Shaker Hill, Spring Hill, Rio Grande, Royal Mission, West Lake, Southwestern, Rustic, Cottage, and Beachfront. Styles such as Mission and Shaker feature a simple square design, whereas others like Queen Anne and Bunker Hill have much more curve and ornamentation. Styles vary from area to area, although most Amish furniture comes from woodworkers in the Lancaster and Indiana communities. What’s nice about Amish furniture is that each woodworker adds his own individual touch, rendering each piece unique.
You can find Amish furniture for any room in the house, including living room, kitchen, dining room, home office and Amish bedroom furniture. However, the most popular pieces seem to be beds, dressers, and dining room tables. A matching set in any room will complete a distinctive room décor. For a more unique look, consider a heirloom-quality baby crib or rocking chair. The newest trend in Amish pieces is durable outdoor furniture for your patio or deck. Whatever you’re looking for, there is definitely something for everyone.
Although the Amish maintain their principles and remain free from electricity, they do take advantage of diesel generators to power pneumatic or hydraulic tools to mill and construct their fine furniture pieces. This correlates with their belief system, because while electricity is supplied and controlled by the outside world, the diesel generators are in Amish control. Furthermore, they allow more time for the final finish detail work to be done by hand. Each piece of wood is carefully selected so that the colors and wood grains work together to create a pleasing effect. After an older son finishes his formal classroom schooling, his father will then train him in all the intricacies of woodworking, and so the expertise passes from generation to generation.
Until recently, Amish furniture was primarily available in antique shops and in local stores near Amish settlements. Fortunately, today a large number of those stores offer online shopping to consumers and Amish furniture is now accessible to the world. “English” intermediate businessmen either buy directly from the Amish or work with them to establish and manage an online storefront.
Room decors should be made from organic materials not synthetic ones as much as possible.-:”