Different Styles of Amish Furniture

That Amish made furniture is of the highest quality and built to last generations and not just years is a well known fact; almost a given. The Amish are master craftsmen who are so skilled as to be artists of the pieces of furniture that they produce. Made the old fashioned way, using a minimum of mechanization, Amish handcrafted furniture has the dual qualities of stylish good looks as well as durability. Many of the pieces are able to be customized as per the particular requirements of a buyer, so Amish furniture is the sort that you just cannot throw away. Amish made furniture follows several different and fairly distinctive styles.

The chief styles of Amish Furniture are the Mission style, Shaker style, Queen Anne style, Southwestern, Rustic, Cottage, and Beachfront. Of these, the first three mentioned are the most popular:

Mission Style Furniture: This is one of the most popular styles of Amish Furniture. Mission Furniture is characterized by straight lines and exposed joinery. It has clean, uncluttered lines and is considered to be more modern and spare in design. The design elements of the American Arts and Crafts movement are also often referred to as the Mission style which also forms the inspiration for this style of furniture.

Shaker furniture: The Shaker style of furniture is quite distinctive and was initiated by the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing (or the Shakers). This was a religious sect from Manchester England and founded by Jane and James Wardley. They came to America in 1774 led by Mother Ann Lee. Shaker furniture is widely admired for its simplicity, innovative joinery, quality, and functionality. Shaker designs were inspired by the ascetic religious beliefs of the Society. Shakers crafted furniture for their own utilization, and also for sale to the general public.

Now the Shaker tradition of furniture has been carried on by the Amish who are known for making such popular items as Shaker tables, chairs, rocking chairs, cabinets, and bedsteads. Pieces of this furniture have become collector’s items and grace many private and public collections as well. This old fashioned style of furniture, because of its aesthetic appeal is very popular even in modern times and provides the inspiration for much of the modern pieces of Amish handcrafted furniture.

Queen Anne Style: This style of Amish made furniture is more ornate and less Spartan in design than the Shaker and Mission styles. This style of furniture sports a more traditional look rather than a contemporary or modern look and this style is characterized by elaborate moldings, distinctive foot details, and carved ornamentation. This kind of furniture creates a more ornate look and so that gives a wider choice and more design and stylistic options when you want to buy high quality Amish Furniture.

The skill to make Amish handcrafted furniture is a legacy that is handed down from generation to generation; from one master craftsman to the next. Similarly, pieces of Amish Furniture that you buy, whatever be the style, can become almost a family heirloom for reasons of both the timeless and classic aesthetics of the pieces of furniture as also for their remarkable durability and longevity.