Searching for home furnishings is a challenge: money, style, shipping and custom options all must be considered. But when searching for contemporary bedroom furniture, the search difficulty is compounded. Comfort and durability become key factors in shaping the decision to buy a furnishing.

The Large Classic Heritage Bedroom Set features a timeless style.

While there are countless retailers to consider, consider solid wood furniture retailers for durability and custom options. And among solid wood furniture retailers, the Amish are the best in the game. The Large Classic Heritage Bedroom Set, pictured here, features the timeless “heritage” style, cathedral raised panels, solid oak construction, a beautifully-carved base and a huge variety of custom options.

Come visit us in Shipshewana, Indiana, and see why our Amish-crafted furniture offers comfort, quality and customization to make your home a great living space. Visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture to see more of our Amish furniture~

Rustic furniture has often been overshadowed by the classic Mission and Shaker styles or the sleek elegance of modern dining and bedroom furnishings. Yet what other style captures the enduring beauty of solid wood furniture than the rustic furniture style?

Beautiful hickory construction marks the Hickory Farmer Dining Set.

In previous posts we’ve examined the beauty of specific hickory cabin furnishings, and even looked at a very brief history of the steady growth of cabin furniture popularity.In today’s post, we turn to the beautifully-crafted Hickory Farmer Dining Set. Featuring natural hickory wood (including bark accents), sturdy wood slats and a wide selection of custom options (including size, table edge and stain selections), this one-of-a-kind Cabin style furnishing will beautify any home.

To see more cabin or rustic furniture, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture and view our wide variety of Amish furniture~

Cabin Furniture

Finding the perfect home furnishings can be a daunting task, and nowhere is that more evident than in the dining room. Contemporary dining room furniture must perfectly blend style and practicality. In the dining room, the elegance of the home is truly on display.

The beautiful Artisan Dining Set boasts a timeless style.

With this in mind, Amish craftsmen craft contemporary dining room furniture with the traditional woodworking skills of generations past and create pieces of timeless  beauty. The Artisan Dining Set, pictured here, boasts a sleek finish, sturdy wood craftsmanship, polished nickel hardware and plush upholstery, as well as a wide selection of custom options.

This dining set not only blends practical use with style, but also possesses the durability and beauty to become a cherished dining set for generations to come. To see more contemporary dining sets, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture and check out our wide selection of Amish furniture~

The 20th century has made sturdy and affordable plastics readily available for the home, meaning that solid wood furniture can often be replaced by plastic furnishings. Yet for sheer quality, solid wood furniture still remains unbeaten.

Some Amish communities, such as Shipshewana in Northern Indiana, specialize in crafting wood furniture using solid wood. Each piece is meticulously crafted from start to finish by an expert craftsman, resulting in furnishings that are not only incredibly durable but completely unique.

The Brooklyn Collection Gentlemen’s Chest, pictured here, boasts dynamic storage space and sturdy wood craftsmanship. This solid wood furniture piece not only provides the space and style for today’s needs, but the timeless beauty to become a treasured heirloom for decades and generations to come.

Strength and style meet in the Brooklyn Collection Gentlemen's Chest.

To see more solid wood furniture pieces like this, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture and check out our huge selection of Amish furniture~

We are in the heart of summer and things are cookin’ here in Shipshewana. The small Amish town expands this time of year to welcome intrepid furniture enthusiasts. Here are a few upcoming events to watch for courtesy of our friends at Trading Place America:

• May 30-Oct. 1: the Quilt Garden Tour along the Amish Heritage Trail is in full swing! Come view 18 quilt gardens, 100,00 blooms and 18 super-sized murals throughout beautiful Northern Indiana~
• Aug. 5: Habitat for Humanity Auction–located in the Shipshewana Antique Auction Building, featuring buggies, quilts, tools, new furniture,  sausage, baked goods and antiques~
• Aug. 6: Shipshewana Antique Market features 200+ antique vendors from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.~

Make sure to stop by Brandenberry Amish Furniture and see our huge variety of hardwood Amish furniture!

Have you ever gazed curiously at the tall trees in your backyard while standing on your polished hardwood floor and wondered how one becomes the other? Or have you pondered the terms “hardwood” and “softwood” and wondered which are local to you?

One surprising fact is that some “hardwood” trees, such as balsa, produce softer woods than “softwood” trees. In fact, “hardwood” and “softwood” are synonymous with “coniferous” (evergreens), whose needles are retained through all seasons, and “broad-leaved” trees (deciduous), who typically shed their leaves each year.

Redwood, a common softwood native to Europe and Russia, is often used in furniture craftsmanship due to its quick drying and medium stability and workability. Redwood is often used for plywood and decorative veneers, and even for use as telephone poles.

To view a selection of hardwood and softwood furniture, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture and view our wide variety of Amish furniture!

References: “The Encyclopedia of Wood: a tree-by-tree guide to the world’s most versatile resource” by Aidan Walker

Since its creation in the early 20th century, Mission style furniture has enjoyed popularity in the world of Amish furniture that is nearly unparalleled. Its simplicity and strength, wood slats and Mission hardware, make the Mission style one-of-a-kind.

Take the classic Mission style and apply it to the elegance and practicality of office furniture, and what do you get? A perfect match–Mission office furniture. The Mission L-Desk, pictured here, features wood corbels, black Mission hardware, plenty of dynamic storage space and a huge variety of custom options. Plus, leaded glass doors and a gently curved base add a touch of elegance to this stunning desk.

The classic Mission L-Desk boasts wood corbels and a sleek finish.

To see more Mission office furniture, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture and see for yourself what’s so great about Amish-crafted furniture.

In the world of Amish furniture, when one considers “contemporary furniture”, “Amish furniture” is not usually the next thought to come to mind. The hand-crafted, traditional woodworking ideal of the Amish is often called “old world” or “traditional” and considered a far throw from “modern” or “contemporary”. Yet we will briefly examine a few “contemporary” Amish furniture styles that may change our perspectives of Amish-crafted furniture.

• The Venice Bedroom Set features a rich wood stain, wood panels and a sleek design.
• The BonBelle Collection Bedroom Set boasts dentil molding, graceful wood paneling and an elegant Cherry wood stain.
• The Lexington Bedroom Set (pictured below right) features a dark Espresso finish off-set by brushed nickel hardware and foot-caps.
  

  A rich espresso finish and sleek design mark the Lexington Bedroom Set.

To see more contemporary bedroom furniture, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture and check out our huge selection of fine furniture.

Throughout the 20^th century, the beautiful Elm tree could be seen lining most American and Canadian residential neighborhoods. Its high canopied crown provided great shade and its quick growth and longevity made it the ideal accent.

Yet its history stretches back to ancient Europe, where its leaves and branches were used as cattle feed, and even as human food in times of great scarcity. The ancient Romans used Elm trees to sustain grapevines—as a sort of make-shift grape arbor—and Native Americans utilized this durable and water-resistant wood to fashion canoes, rope, utensils and roofing.

The American Elm’s graceful form has been under attack during the 20^th century, in the form of a fungal infection known as Dutch elm disease (DED).  While this disease ravaged the Elm population, it has been held back in recent years, resulting in a renewed appreciation and use of the American Elm in furniture craftsmanship and industrial supply.

To see authentic, hand-crafted American Elm furniture, check out Brandenberry Amish Furniture and see for yourself what makes this beautiful wood one-of-a-kind.

References:

http://www.heidlerhardwoodlumber.com/SpecieInfo.htm

http://www.ahec.org/hardwoods/guide/elm.html

http://www.pikelumber.com/brand_details.php?bid=17

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_ded/ht_ded.htm

http://www.elmcare.com/about_elms/elms_and_humans.htm

Suburban landscapers could tell you that knowing the properties of each type of grass/tree/flower is as important as recognizing its beauty. For this reason, the American Elm tree, noted for its graceful form, long life, fast growth and tolerance of compacted soils, could be found lining suburban streets throughout the United States. Nightmare on Elm Street, the famed 1984 horror film, found part of its terror in the fact that nearly every residential neighborhood in America boasted an “Elm Street”!

Because of its interlocking grain, resistance to splitting and water decay, American Elm wood has been used in chair seats, coffins, wheels, and in medieval Europe, water pipes! Most popular, however, may be its use in furniture and cabinet craftsmanship. While its availability has been strained in the 20^th century due to Dutch elm disease (DED), this has only heightened the appreciation of American Elm and its use in the home.

To see a variety of real American Elm Furniture, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture or visit our store location in Shipshewana, Indiana and see first-hand what makes American Elm so special!

References:

http://www.heidlerhardwoodlumber.com/SpecieInfo.htm

http://www.ahec.org/hardwoods/guide/elm.html

http://www.pikelumber.com/brand_details.php?bid=17

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_ded/ht_ded.htm

http://www.outdoorwoodburningstove.com/book/export/html/4