In a world of convenience and rushing technology seems to dominate our life. There is comfort in paying attention to some finer parts of living.
Hand-fitted, sanded, and finished by skilled Amish craftsmen, solid hardwood is a resource prized by anyone who has ever experienced it’s beauty.
The Amish lavish their devotion to quality products as they do to their faith. They build their furniture to last decades and use only solid woods and hydraulic and pneumatic or hand powered tools. There is no particle board and no laminates used in Amish built furniture. It is valued for it’s sustainability.
Each piece of wood is hand selected to match the requirements of the furniture in mind. Great attention is paid to the grain of the wood, not only in gluing pieces together, but also in the finished look of the product.
Amish furniture gained popularity in the 1920’s when American folk art was discovered. The furniture is produced mainly in Ohio and Indiana. What began as German styled furniture with bright colours and much detail had been streamlined to an undecorated and plain style which has become the standard of these products.
Although the main attraction of Amish furniture is quality, the unassuming style makes the furniture fit well with most decors.
Two designs of Amish built furniture include the Mission and the Shaker styles. Mission is characterized by straight lines and exposed joinery.
The Shaker style is plain yet elegant and designed for durability and functionality.
Woodworking is a trade that is passed down from generation to generation with very little allowance for change or adaptation to modern methods. Every piece is different because every grain is different and the attention to detail highlights those differences.
Amish furniture is a staple to the community through it’s sales. Lately it has been offered online but the Amish are prohibited from operating their own websites. Furniture retailers often attend Amish furniture expositions in Ohio and Indiana to see the furniture on display and meet the craftsmen that built it.
Relationships often develop and the retailer becomes the middle man between the two cultures. Amish are very careful who they let represent themselves. They will only deal with reputable business people who reflect their own love for the product.
