How Amish Made Furniture Became Legendary
How can you tell when a brand becomes so memorable, it can be called legendary? When it takes on the name of the category. For example, they called the first floor covering Linoleum. But the name got so popular, it became generic. Likewise, a facial tissue called Kleenex became so well recognized, every facial tissue is now a ‘Kleenex.’ And every adhesive sticker is now called Band-Aid. In a similar vein, solid wood furniture handcrafted by Amish cabinetmakers has become so well-received that Amish furniture and solid wood furniture are synonymous in many circles. Solid wood furniture is Amish furniture – and vice versa! How did this come about? Let’s explore how Amish furniture became legendary.
Who are the Amish?
Known for their separation from mainstream culture and their simple, rural lifestyle, the Amish broke off from the Mennonites in the 1600s. The Amish migrated from Europe to America in the 18th century and settled mainly in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Today, they live in many rural settlements in the USA, primarily in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio.
Members of the Amish community reject modern conveniences such as municipal electricity and automobiles. They use horse-drawn buggies for transportation and mule-powered machines for farming. Also, Amish folk are known for their plain garb and use of the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect. Due to their rural, self-reliant lifestyle, the Amish developed skills like farming and woodworking.
Why did the Amish start building furniture?
Living in isolation from the ‘outside world,’ the Amish started building furniture for their homes. Amish cabinetmakers pour their creativity into woodworking. They see their craft as a way of serving God and their community through the sturdy, comfortable, and beautiful furniture they handcraft.
Amish artisans use traditional woodworking skills handed down from their ancestors in the old country. These skills include sturdy dovetail and mortise, and tenon joints. Also, the Amish use traditional tools like chisels, hand planes, and hand saws. They also utilize modern pneumatic (compressed air) tools powered by diesel compressors. In addition, the Amish use solid hardwoods known for their toughness and durability. These hardwoods include oak, cherry, maple, and hickory.
Over time, the Amish set up woodworking shops that employ family members and began building furniture for people outside the community. Also, the 1920s saw a revival of folk art and the emergence of the Arts and Crafts Movement, which focused on handcrafted quality and simple designs. The movement developed an appreciation for the simplicity and craftsmanship of Amish furniture. This helped boost the image of Amish furniture. In addition, as Amish communities began attracting tourists, the popularity of Amish furniture increased even more.
Where do the Amish get their wood?
Amish cabinetmakers typically get their wood from local hardwood forests, and the Amish select woods known for strength and durability. These hardwoods include oak, maple, cherry, and hickory. Amish craftsmen routinely work with local sawmills. The dependence on local forests and sawmills results in reduced environmental impact.
In contrast, most of the furniture sold in big-box stores is made from manufactured woods like particleboard and medium-density fiberboard (MDF), plus veneers and laminates that are bonded to the fake woods. Manufactured wood furniture is typically mass-produced on assembly lines. The furniture does not hold up to heavy usage like solid wood pieces. Manufactured wood furniture cannot be repaired and refinished like solid wood. So, when manufactured wood furniture gets scratched or otherwise damaged, or when the joints get loose or furniture becomes wobbly, you are forced to throw it out.
Is Amish Made furniture assembled in factories?
No. Most Amish furniture is painstakingly handcrafted in small woodshops that employ Amish and Mennonite family members. In these woodshops, cabinetmakers use a mixture of traditional tools and modern machines to enhance the handcrafting process. In place of using municipal electricity, the Amish use pneumatic (compressed air) tools driven by diesel generators.
Careful attention to detail is a key component of every stage of the cabinetmaking process. Skilled hands and keen eyes inspect every inch of each piece, ensuring that it’s in immaculate condition before leaving the shop. Also, cabinetmakers painstakingly sand, paint, and/or varnish each piece to perfection.
In contrast, most of the furniture sold in big-box furniture stores is put together on assembly lines in factories. The raw materials? Manufactured woods like particleboard and MDF, plus veneers, laminated cardboard, brads, and nails. While manufactured wood furniture may be cheaper than solid wood furniture, it does not compare to solid wood pieces in terms of strength or durability.
What makes Amish Made furniture stand out?
Several factors, including superior craftsmanship, quality materials, enduring designs, customization, and sustainability, make Amish furniture not just stand out but become the icon of solid hardwood furniture.
Superior craftsmanship is the hallmark of Amish furniture. Skilled Amish artisans handcraft each piece using traditional techniques, including joining pieces of wood with durable dovetail and mortise and tenon joints. Amish artisans also pay meticulous attention to each piece. This includes lovingly finishing each piece by hand so it’s flawless when leaving the woodshop.
Quality materials.
Amish cabinetmakers use quality materials in every piece of furniture they handcraft. They choose top regional hardwoods like maple, cherry, and oak. People recognize these woods for their hardness and durability. Also, Amish builders use quality components such as Euro hinges, soft-touch door and drawer fixtures, deluxe hardware, and premium foam, fabrics, and leather. No wonder each piece of Amish furniture is so durable, it’s heirloom-quality!
Enduring designs.
Lovers of traditional and modern furniture alike choose Amish solid wood furniture because of its enduring designs, including Traditional, Shaker, Mission, Rustic, and Modern. Also, the Amish incorporate modern design elements into traditional pieces to create unique furniture styles. What’s more, many modern pieces of furniture incorporate elements like metal, fabrics, and wicker into designs. So, Amish furniture has something for everyone, irrespective of tastes in furniture.
Customization.
The ability to customize furniture is one of the top features that makes Amish furniture stand out. When you order Amish furniture, you can specify a large number of elements, including the wood species, finish, and hardware. Depending on the item you chose, you may be able to request options like the type of glass inlays, soft-touch doors and/or drawers, touch lights, mirror back (in hutches and curio cabinets), and a door in place of a drawer (or vice versa). Bottom line: customization enables you to order furniture just the way you like it!
Sustainability.
Amish furniture is made sustainably, which uses our natural resources wisely. This starts with building furniture with regional hardwoods, as well as working with sawmills in proximity to where furniture is built. Also, skilled craftsmen spray most finishes—oils or natural substances—and then hand-rub them into the furniture.
But the best way to determine how much Amish furniture stands out is to see it for yourself at a brick-and-mortar Amish retail store, such as Weaver Furniture Sales in Shipshewana, Indiana. The second best way is to see the furniture on Weaver’s website.
Do the Amish build furniture for every room in the house?
Yes. Amish cabinetmakers handcraft furniture for every room in the house – including the living room, family room, dining room, pantry, home office, bedroom, game room, and in-home bar. You can even get Amish furniture for your patio and garden!
Amish furniture pieces include occasional tables, chairs, sofas, loveseats and ottomans; TV wall units and TV cabinets; mantels, fireplaces, grandfather clocks and gun cabinets; curio cabinets, hutches, pantries and small storage cupboards; desks, credenzas, file cabinets and bookcases; beds, nightstands, chest of drawers, bedroom benches, blanket chests and cedar chests; hall benches and hall trees; game room tables and chairs, pool tables and bar stools.
So, if you’re looking for a specific piece of furniture, a furniture set, or furniture for an entire house, you can find it all at an Amish retail store like Weaver Furniture Sales.
Do Amish cabinetmakers build furniture in several styles?
Yes. Amish cabinetmakers build furniture in a variety of styles and sub-styles, including Traditional, Mission, Shaker, Contemporary, and Modern, plus Queen Anne, French Country, and Mid-Century. In addition, you can order furniture as shown in the online catalog, or you can customize the furniture to your liking. Custom options include wood species, hardware, and finish, plus optional features like self-closing doors and drawers, type of glass (plain, smoked, or leaded), and final dimensions.
Are the Amish tied to tourism?
Yes. Amish communities have significant ties to the tourism industry, especially in three areas of the USA that have a large concentration of Amish people: LaGrange and Elkhart Counties in Indiana; Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; and Holmes County, Ohio. Beautiful Amish farms draw tourists in, and the shopping—antiques, music entertainment, home accessories, and Amish furniture stores—along with the delicious Amish food keeps them coming. Each year, thousands of tourists visit these Amish communities, and many Amish people depend on tourism for much of their income.
Tourism has popularized Amish culture and lifestyle, including Amish solid wood furniture. This is why you’ll find several Amish furniture stores within or close to large Amish communities. Also, it’s not uncommon for furniture lovers to drive several hours to shop at Amish furniture stores.
Can Amish made furniture be custom-ordered?
Absolutely. Our Amish craftsmen custom-build furniture, and the woodshops structure production around customer’s specifications. You can order your furniture in your choice of hardwoods such as white oak, maple, cherry, hickory, beech, and elm. Custom choices also include the hardware and finish, which can be a stain, paint, or medley of elements to achieve a special look, such as an antique effect. Other options include the type of glass in a cabinet or door (such as plain, smoked, seedy, or leaded). What’s more, some pieces of furniture may give you the option of touch lights, soft-closed doors and/or drawers, plus a mirror back (dining room hutch and curio cabinet). Customization gives you the freedom to order your furniture just the way you like it!
Does Amish made furniture get good ratings and reviews?
Yes. Overall, Amish furniture stores receive positive reviews. The top furniture stores on a Google search receive between 4.5 and 5 stars on a 5-star scale. And Weaver Furniture Sales has a rating of 4.8 stars. Here’s what some of Weaver’s customers say about the store:
“We have told many people how nice a facility you have and what superb quality your furniture is.”
“The cabinet arrived this morning, and it is just beautiful! WHAT QUALITY!!!”
“I highly recommend this business for their level of personal care, attention, and quality-made products.”
“Unlike most furniture stores, you can have complete confidence that the furniture you order will look exactly like it does in the catalog. The quality is amazing, and it will last a lifetime.”
“I’m not sure a person should be this excited about furniture, but I love this table & chairs, and everyone we worked with at Weaver was just wonderful!”
“Friendly staff, amazing products. Will be back!!!!”
“Best furniture I have ever owned!!”
Can you shop for furniture in Amish furniture stores?
Yes. Several freestanding furniture stores sell Amish made furniture. You’ll find most of these retailers within or close to Amish communities located in Shipshewana, Indiana, Holmes County, Ohio, and Lancaster County, Pa. Amish furniture stores located outside of Amish communities serve as a magnet for furniture lovers looking for heirloom-quality furniture.
Amish furniture stores sell handcrafted Amish furniture and accessories made by Amish artisans who work in small, family-run woodshops and similar facilities within the respective Amish communities.
Weaver Furniture Sales in Shipshewana, Indiana, is one such Amish furniture store. A full-line furniture retailer, Weaver offers a complete range of solid hardwood, custom-made Amish furniture for your entire home. Amish Craftsmen in small shops across Northern Indiana and North-Central Ohio create the fine furniture that fills their 30,000+ square foot showroom. Also, Weaver sells furniture through their online furniture catalog.
Weaver focuses on selling Amish furniture made with hardwoods like oak, maple, cherry, hickory, and walnut. These pieces are all designed and handcrafted to last for generations. Weaver’s number one goal is to serve customers by providing handcrafted heirloom furniture custom-built to fulfill their needs and desires.
Do the Amish sell furniture online?
Yes. Several Amish retailers sell legendary Amish solid wood furniture online. One of these retailers is Weaver Furniture Sales. Weaver offers handcrafted furniture and accessories for every room in your home. You may order pieces directly from their inventory. Or, you can custom-order pieces, and the we’ll craft them exactly the way you like. And for more information about ordering furniture online, visit Amish Solid Wood Furniture for Every Room in Your Home.
