Amish Furniture: Handmade Masterpieces

Great care is taken in choosing the right wood for the right project. Although oak and quartersawn oak are the predominant types of wood used in the construction of most pieces, one can also find examples featuring cherry, maple, hickory, black walnut, cedar, and even pine. Oak is preferred because of its beautiful grain lines and honey coloration and is widely distributed in the United States and Canada, while cherry is used for the Queen Anne style. In addition, the lovely scent of cedar lends itself to making storage chests for clothing. The extreme hardness and light coloring of hickory and maple make them another popular choice.

The Amish are widely known for their beautiful and high quality solid wood furniture. Because they use only solid wood, their creations are strong and durable, lasting for many generations. Not only do they use the best quality wood, but their workmanship is without equal in our modern world where nearly every product on the market is mass-produced in factories around the world. The principle behind making high quality products is not so much one of personal pride, but more of a way of to worship God through their actions.

The most well-recognized styles of Amish furniture are Mission, Shaker and Queen Anne, ranging from artfully simple to ornately curved. Other 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. Some, like the Mission and Shaker, feature a very square and simple design. Others, like the Queen Anne and Bunker Hill have much more curve and ornamentation. Most furniture is made by Amish woodworkers from the Lancaster and Indiana communities and styles can vary from area to area. Also, each woodworker adds his own individual touches, so that each piece is unlike any other.

Amish furniture is available for every room in the house, including the bedroom, living room, kitchen, dining room and home office. The most popular pieces are beds, dressers, and dining room tables. Matching sets complete distinctive room décor. Unique pieces include heirloom-quality baby cribs and rocking chairs. There is definitely something for everyone. In addition, a new trend has appeared, making outdoor furniture an option as well.

While the Amish 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 does not contradict their belief system at all because while electricity is supplied and controlled by the outside world, the diesel generators are in Amish control. This allows more time for the final finish detail work to still be done by hand. Each piece of wood used in the making of a furniture item is carefully chosen so that the colors and wood grains work together to create an eye-pleasing effect. When an older son finishes their formal classroom schooling, his father will train him in all intricacies of woodworking, passing his expertise on to the next generation.

In the past, Amish furniture was only available in antique shops and local stores. Today, a very large number of those local stores offer online shopping to consumers, making Amish furniture accessible to the world. This is done through "English" intermediate businessmen who buy directly from the Amish or establish and manage an online storefront for them.