| Amish mission furniture follows the strong traditions | | | | mission furniture is an age old one, the ways in which |
| of mission styles of furniture that have been around | | | | this furniture is crafted and created are also age old. |
| since the latter part of the 19th century. Mission | | | | For one the material used is none of the convenient |
| Style is a design that highlights the simple horizontal | | | | but soulless plywood or particle board that is so |
| and vertical lines and flat panels of the most elegant | | | | often used in modern furniture. Here solid wood, and |
| and timeless furniture styles. This design style tries to | | | | only solid wood is used! The wood chosen is of the |
| accentuate the grain of the actual wood that is used; | | | | slow growing variety, which makes for strong, long |
| which may be oak or other hard wood that is | | | | wearing and high quality furniture that will last, quite |
| preferred for the making of this kind of furniture. | | | | literally, a lifetime. |
| In Victorian times, there was more emphasis on | | | | Another point of import when you talk about mission |
| overly ornate and elaborate furniture varieties. The | | | | furniture are the techniques that are used to make it: |
| mission style of furniture has developed as and by | | | | the beliefs of the Amish themselves preclude modern |
| way of an answer to people who were looking for | | | | mechanized and automated methods of furniture |
| relief after the excesses of Victorian times. At the | | | | making. This furniture is made in about the same way |
| time there was also an influx of mass-produced | | | | that it was made more than hundred years ago! This |
| furniture from the Industrial Revolution, and people | | | | is handcrafted furniture made using tools of a bygone |
| were looking for something more individualistic and | | | | era, and techniques also of a bygone era. And all this |
| distinctive. The furniture maker, Gustav Stickley was | | | | in a mechanized age where we trust machines to do |
| known to be the progenitor of the Arts and Crafts | | | | all that we don't want to do by hand! |
| style furniture of the period. This kind of furniture | | | | It may be a contradiction in terms, but whether it is |
| was typified by plain and solid oak furniture that was | | | | Amish office furniture you speak about or the highly |
| handcrafted, with great attention to strength and | | | | prized Amish dining room furniture, is both functional |
| sturdiness rather than any elaborate ornamentation | | | | and a work of art as well. Because it is unique, |
| and unnecessary frills. | | | | exclusive and individually handcrafted rather than |
| Simple, sturdy and practical are the bywords when | | | | mass produced, each piece is a work of art. Because |
| you talk of Amish furniture, whether it be dining | | | | it is such good quality and so sturdily built, it both |
| room or office furniture or indeed for any part of | | | | practical and functional; it is a sensible investment |
| the house or the outdoors. Since the tradition of | | | | that will stand you in good stead for literally a lifetime! |