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A Look At Amish Cabin Furniture
Amish Cabin Furniture has outgrown its place as suitable only for cabins and lodges. Therefore you can find them in homes today for their beauty and dynamic style. The popularity of Cabin furniture flourished in the early twentieth century as an economic downturn. The popularity of Mission and wicker furniture led people toward a rustic, practical taste in furniture.
While home furnishings crafted of synthetic materials offer an affordable option to those seeking furniture, home furnishings crafted of solid wood continue to appeal to those interested in natural beauty. Cabin furniture is noted for its natural characteristics, including bark accents, knots, and warps, all of which add charm and rustic beauty.
The one-of-a-kind look of cabin furniture can be attributed to its rough-hewn wood construction, bark accents, and simple designs. Cabin furniture boasts great versatility. It can add a rustic touch to any home, cabin or patio. Above all, it possesses not only a unique style but strength and durability.
Oct16
A Short History of Wood Furniture: Amish Vintage Furniture
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A Short History of Wood Furniture: Amish Vintage Furniture
Amish Vintage Furniture is furnishings that are too old to be considered “used furniture”, as well as too recent to be considered antique. While there are few retailers that specifically deal with vintage furniture, this style always grabbed the imaginations of furniture enthusiasts.
During the 1920s, American furniture craftsmen began to experiment with diverse styles. Incorporating designs from the French “Art Nouveau” school of design and the British “Arts and Crafts Movement”. As well as traditional Japanese styles (popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright) and the Spanish Mission architecture of the American West.
For the curious observer, there is a wealth of informative material available online. Therefore serving as a historical background in the field of handcrafted furnishings and as a guide in recognizing vintage or antique furnishings. To learn more about vintage furniture, look into furniture retailers online. Furthermore inquiring about custom furniture and creating Vintage Furniture pieces.
If you’re like most furniture shoppers, you like choosing a style that elicits positive vibes about another place, time or experience. That’s we go for styles like Shaker, Mission, and Victorian. Yet, here’s one popular style that’s often overlooked. And it’s All in the Scroll: The Sleigh Style.
The Sleigh Style is named for its semblance to traditional snow sleighs. This explains its rounded top, graceful lines, scrolled feet and bold, assertive look. In the world of Amish furniture, this style is gaining popularity like never before.
All in the Scroll: The Sleigh Style
A remarkable feature about the Sleigh Style is the way in which Amish designers intersperse the rounded theme with flat panels throughout the piece. For example, the ‘scroll’ takes the form of the crown molding at the top of pieces like the bookcase, wall unit, and entertainment center (see photo). Then, it reappears as the rounded front panel for the drawer in consoles, cabinets, dressers, and tables. Also, Amish cabinetmakers integrate the scroll into the feet of each piece.
Sleigh Style Bedroom: Like Sleeping on a Sleigh
Brandenberry Amish Furniture, Shipshewana, Indiana, offers Sleigh Style furniture for every room in your home. Their sleigh beds are the most common furnishing featuring the sleigh style. Who wouldn’t want to fall asleep with pleasant thoughts of a sleigh ride? Other pieces in the Sleigh Style bedroom collection include chests, dressers, and nightstands. Plus armoires, wardrobes, chifferobes and floor mirrors.
Sleigh Style Entertainment: Reminiscent of Good Times
Perhaps no item of furniture showcases the unique features of Old Classic Sleigh furniture like its entertainment pieces. Take the five-piece wall unit. It’s Amish builders integrate the sleigh-like curve into its majestic bridge, wide shelf above the TV, flanking cabinets and distinctive base. Also, other pieces of entertainment furniture bear the sophisticated sleigh look. Pieces like the two-piece LCD cabinet, the corner hutch, and TV consoles.
Sleigh Style Living Room: Timeless Beauty
Decking out your living room with Old Classic Sleigh occasional furniture is like surrounding yourself with timeless beauty and sophistication. Living room furniture includes coffee tables, end tables, and sofa tables. Bookcases by Old Classic Sleigh perfectly complement the occasional table pieces.
To see more sleigh style pieces, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture.
Amish Baby Furniture
Finding the right furnishings for your newborn or baby can be quite a challenge. Thought must be given to comfort, safety, durability, and style. Luckily, a few furniture retailers, particularly Amish-owned and operated retailers, offer Amish Baby Furniture in a variety of styles. As well as a full line of custom options.
When searching for the proper furnishing for your little one, consider a piece with smooth-sanding and a sleek finish, ensuring a high-level of comfort. Often, Amish-made pieces are virtually screw-less, guaranteeing no rough joints or obtrusions. Also, consider pieces utilizing organic, eco-friendly stains, dyes and paints. Check whether the furniture retailer complies with environmental and human safety standards when using stains, paints, and dyes. In addition, make sure that your furnishing is comfortable for your little one and durable enough to withstand heavy use. Finally, choose a style that suits your taste and your home decor. Don’t feel the need to compromise on style, as there are retailers that will work hand-in-hand with customers to ensure satisfaction.
Amish Country Wood Furniture
Amish Country Wood Furniture remains a popular choice with furniture-lovers everywhere. Boasting traditional construction and natural hardwoods. As well as a timeless style and an elegant sense of comfort. Country furniture can be defined by its simple, natural style. Blending the curves of the Shaker style with carved wood accents, the Country style still maintains a simplicity that lends a timeless quality to each piece.
A classic design and timeless style meet in the Heritage Bedroom Set.
The Heritage Bedroom Set, pictured here, features the traditional country style. Curved wood spindles are reminiscent of the Shaker style while the curved bed posts reflect the French Country Style. As a result, expert Amish artisans craft using natural hardwoods. As well as old-world woodworking methods.
Visit your local Amish furniture retailer and see beautifully crafted Amish Country furniture close-up. Admire the exquisitely detailed construction, the carved wood accents, and the rich wood finish.
Amish Dining Room Tables
There is a certain mystique surrounding Amish-crafted furniture. Noted for its impressive, detailed construction. As well as its sturdy, hardwood construction. Amish-furniture not only possesses a natural beauty but a strength that promises many decades and generations of use. Amish Dining Room Tables typically come in a variety of styles, from traditional to modern. Above all, they come with an array of custom options. Including top-shape options, leaf storage, wood species, and stain and finish selections (to name a few).
Barrington Single Pedestal Dining Room Table
Amish Dining Room Tables always boast a certain degree of customization, as Amish craftsmen will often work hand-in-hand, taking input from fellow furniture-lovers about the exact style or feature that could help shape the perfect table. Above all dining room tables can be found online through a number of furniture retailers, or can be seen at local Amish furniture markets.
Amish Furniture Online
The availability of home furnishings through online shopping today has created a thriving industry. The long arms of this industry have stretched even into territory many wouldn’t expect: the Amish furniture community. Therefore working with trusted partners, many Amish craftsmen are offering their Amish furniture online.
A quick online search for “Amish Furniture” will yield countless pages. Some of which will display Amish-owned and operated retailers offering handcrafted furnishings. For information on Amish furniture, search for “Amish Furniture History”. As a result, you’ll learn more about the rich legacy of Amish furniture. From its early roots among European migrants to its current presence in communities throughout the United States.
Furthermore learning the history of Amish furniture and finding the pieces that are right for you can be a challenge. But the presence of Amish furniture online will make the process considerably easier.
Amish Kitchen Table
Innumerable choices face those searching for a quality Amish Kitchen Table. A number of styles, from traditional to modern, are available. As well as several variations of the classic Mission, Shaker, and Queen Anne styles. A wide selection of custom options are also available. These include solid or split tops, table shapes, stains and finishes, wood species and edge options, allow for countless possibilities.
The Double Pedestal Mission Table possesses beautiful wood construction and a classic Mission style.
Yet if you are seeking a table that possesses strength and beauty, look no further than Amish Kitchen Tables. Amish-crafted tables boast expert craftsmanship and natural hardwood construction, while also boasting a timeless quality. Kitchen Tables built by the Amish not only make great furnishings for today, but are built with such care and quality that they may become the treasured antique furnishings of generations to come.
For a complete listing of Amish Kitchen Tables, browse online catalogs or visit your local Amish furniture market.
Amish Made Furniture
The demand for fine home furnishings has steadily grown over the past decades. Hence creating a thriving furniture market that offers a wide variety of entertainment, bedroom, dining, bathroom, office and home accessory furnishings (to name a few). Yet with a wealth of furnishing options, how can the average shopper possibly know which retailers or pieces are right for them? Let’s take a look at Amish Made Furniture.
Keeping in consideration durability, style, quality construction, and affordability. Amish made furniture stands apart. Featuring expert craftsmanship by Amish artisans using traditional woodworking methods. Amish made furniture is not only a better short term investment than other furnishings. But with proper care may prove to be the treasured antique of decades to come.
Above all finding an Amish retailer is as easy as performing a simple internet search for “Amish Furniture“. There you may find numerous retailers, perhaps some within traveling distance. A personal visit to an Amish retailer will allow you to see first-hand what makes Amish furniture so amazing. Witness the detailed construction, the meticulous craftsmanship, the elegant design and wealth of custom options.
There are many benefits of Hardwood Furniture, such as the furniture available from Brandenberry Amish Furniture in Shipshewana, Indiana.
Benefits of Hardwood Furniture
One of the benefits of hardwood furniture is the durability it provides. If you’ve ever admired antique furniture for its beauty and elegance, you need to ask yourself why these pieces are still around. Because they were crafted from hardwoods. That’s why!
In fact, modern wood artisans craft most, if not all, of their pieces from hardwoods. Often, they utilize indigenous hardwoods. In fact, the top Amish cabinetmakers in the Midwest handcraft the most beautiful pieces of furniture from hardwoods like maple, oak, cherry, and hickory. And you can check out these pieces — thousands of them — at Brandenberry.
Take a Closer Look at Hardwoods
Research the variety of wood species, whether native or imported, that are being used to crafts some of your favorite furnishings. What are the benefits of each wood species? Does a maple piece possess a rich, warm color but lack the strength of oak? How does a traditionally cut oak piece compare to a quarter sawn white oak piece? Does a hickory furnishing add a rustic accent to a furnishing better than a rustic cherry piece?
Shop Online or In Person
To find out more about hardwood furniture from Brandenberry Amish Furniture, visit Brandenberry on the web. Or, visit their ‘brick and mortar’ store in Shipshewana, Indiana.
Dec16
Big Statement: Manhattan Mission Entertainment Center
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Big Statement: Manhattan Mission Entertainment Center
If the best place to make a ‘big statement’ in the home is the living room, then the entertainment center has to be the primary item of furniture to turn heads. So with this motivation, Amish master cabinetmakers created a wall unit representing the ultimate in solid hardwood craftsmanship, functionality, and beauty. And it’s all about making a Big Statement: Manhattan Mission Entertainment Center.
The Manhattan Mission Three-Piece Unit boasts a classic Mission style and an elegant, modern touch.
Classic Mission Style Meets Modern Design Elements
The beautiful Manhattan Mission Three-Piece Unit blends traditional craftsmanship and classic styles with modern design elements. Echoes of the classic Mission style show up in features like its simple straight-line construction, classic hardware, and fine craftsmanship. While the fluted columns, elegant crown molding with a dentil border and solid hardwood construction bring out modern and timeless elements.
Big Statement: Manhattan Mission Entertainment Center
This deluxe wall unit is the entertainment center of choice for upscale homeowners looking for a custom-built, highly functional entertainment center for a living room, den or home theater.
Behind the four-panel doors in the console, the designers carved out space for your multi-media equipment like your stereo system. Also, you’ll find two drawers behind each of the wood panel doors in the side cabinets. They’re ideal for your DVD and CD collections. Or your old-school VHS tapes.
The drawers open full-extension for easy access to everything inside. Plus, dovetail joints enhance strength and durability. Also, the optional Blum soft-close under-mount slide makes closing the drawers a breeze.
In addition, the builders placed six adjustable shelves in the two side cabinets. Plus an adjustable shelf above the TV. So you’ll have an abundance of space for your showpiece items. Like figurines, decorative plates, and keepsakes. And everything stays illuminated with the dimmable LED, warm-white touch lights in the side cabinets and at the top of the console. Also, all the doors have a soft-close feature. Gently push an open door, and it closes the rest of the way.
Options and Special Custom Features
The center console is available in four widths — from 45 1/2 to 60 1/2 inches. So you can select the size that best fits your desires and space requirements. Also, you can request bi-fold pocket doors. They block off the TV area when closed. And they retract on both sides of the TV, trimming 7 inches from the width of the TV area. Other options include your choice of wood species, hardware, and stain/paint/dye.
Visit Brandenberry Online or in Person
You can view the Manhattan Mission Three-Piece Wall Unit at Brandenberry Amish Furniture’s website. Or, you can visit Brandenberry’s ‘brick and mortar’ store in picturesque Shipshewana, close to the 80/90 toll road in Northern Indiana.
Brandenberry Amish Furniture
Welcome to the Brandenberry Amish Furniture Blog. Above all, we are a blog about furniture. Amish furniture, Amish furniture options, general furniture history, how to customize furniture at Brandenberry, the Brandenberry difference and Indiana Amish Country. The Brandenberry Blog over time will be adding other topics and comments. Therefore we hope you find the information useful. Whether you have a desire to learn some general furniture information. Maybe you are in the process of decorating/re-decorating and furnishing your home. Or just want to learn more about Brandenberry Furniture.
With our clients in mind, Brandenberry Furniture was formed. Above all to provide clients with the opportunity to design custom-crafted Amish furniture. Hence utilizing the rich woods and stains that only nature can offer.
Apr11
Brandenberry Presents Colebrook Dining Collection
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Brandenberry Presents Colebrook Dining Collection
Colebrook Dining Chair
Brandenberry Presents Colebrook Dining Collection, a beautiful collection of dining furniture. Above all, the Colebrook design is rooted in the classic Mission style. Therefor featuring subtle curves and rich wood inlays for an elegant accent. The Colebrook Dining Chair (pictured here) boasts sturdy wood slats and a rich wood finish. In addition, a variety of custom options allow anyone the chance to optimize any of the Colebrook pieces to meet their exact preference. These options include wood species choices, stain and paint options, and wood, fabric or leather seat choice. Above all browse more of Brandenberry’s Colebrook pieces at Brandenberry Amish Furniture. As a result, choosing these beautifully-crafted furnishings for your home!
The Colebrook Dining Chair features a classic Mission design.
Dining furniture is among the most elegant to be found in any home. Features like stylish design, mullioned glass doors, eye-catching hardware and lovingly finished wood panels conjure a sense of elegance and comfort. But with so many dining room options available, Choosing the Perfect Dining Furnishing can be a daunting task. The guidelines below should help make the selection process easier and more fun.
The classic Trestle Mission Dining Set boasts a selection of matching dining furnishings to compliment any home.
Choosing a Dining Room Table and Chairs
The first thing you need to do when shopping for a dining table and chairs is to determine whether you want a dining table set. Or whether you wish to select a dining table and then choose chairs to match. Brandenberry Amish Furniture has a number of dining table sets, including the Trestle Mission Dining Set shown.
As you begin your search for a dining table, you first need to determine which type of dining table you want. Brandenberrry offers three types of dining tables: pedestal, trestle, and leg tables. Pedestal tables usually have one or more supports (such as hefty posts) toward the middle of the table. And these tables have no feet on the perimeter. So pedestal tables command attention while allowing you to squeeze more people around the table.
With the weight of the table supported by two trestles, trestle tables are stately in appearance. Plus, they’re practical. That’s because their design makes them easy to seat several guests with no table legs in the way. The most popular type of dining table, leg tables feature a leg at each corner of the table.
Brandenberry carries at least 200 types of chairs. They come in a variety of sizes and styles, including upholstered and armchairs. So you can easily find chairs to complement the dining table.
Choosing a Hutch and Sideboard
The fun continues as you check out the hutches, sideboards/servers as well as cabinets. A few things to look for with each piece of furniture will make the selection easier. You can choose an ‘open’ or ‘closed’ hutch. Open hutches have a countertop below the top cabinets. While closed hutches have glass cabinets on top with no countertop space. Plus, you can choose a traditional hutch or a corner hutch.
Dining room furniture shoppers might wish to look for some upscale features on hutches. They include glass shelves, can lights and light-blocking trim around the doors.
When choosing a sideboard, you might wish to look for one with glass doors or wood panel doors. Glass doors are an ideal choice if you want to show off your dinnerware or keepsakes inside the unit. Also, some sideboards come with an integrated wine rack. And others have a mirror and plate rack, plus a stemware holder on top.
Choosing Cabinets
Brandenberry offers a plethora of kitchen cabinets. Of course, you can choose from a large assortment of pantries. But other choices include wine cabinets, curio cabinets, pie safe cabinets, and jelly cabinets. Plus leaf storage cabinets for storing unused leaves from dining tables.
Choosing the Perfect Dining Furnishing
Furniture lovers are welcome to browse Brandenberry’s website for dining room furniture. Product experts at Brandenberry are available to assist shoppers with their questions regarding choosing the perfect dining furnishing.
Jan20
Choosing the Right Furnishing for Your Child
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Choosing the Right Child Furnishing
Are you choosing the right child furnishing for your home? First of all keeping up with the fast-paced, rough-and-tumble life of your children can be a seemingly insurmountable task. From crawling to walking to running, the dynamic life of a child needs sturdy, comfortable, dynamic furnishing to support their growth and development.
Above all, at Brandenberry’s, we offer a wide variety of children’s furniture to support your child’s future. Are you looking for a crib or bed? Brandenberry offers easily-convertible crib/day bed/beds to accompany your child’s infancy. As well as their childhood and youth years! Our solid wood high chairs are sturdy and adjustable. Therefore making it perfect for any dining arrangement. We also offer solid toy boxes, youth desks and a full line of bedroom furniture (dressers, nightstands, changing tables). Along with handcrafted toys, rocking chairs, and various accessories.
The Child’s Table Set with Four Sheaf Chairs (Oak) cultivates growth and development through group play.
Our dining table sets provide the perfect place for imaginative. As well as group play where important development skills can be learned.
To see more children’s furniture, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture. Furthermore, you will be amazed at the quality of our Amish-crafted furniture!
Nov16
Classic Meets Modern: Hickory 60 Inch TV Console Hutch
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Classic Meets Modern: Hickory TV Console Hutch
Classic, real wood furniture and those who craft it using traditional methods may seem like an idealized dream. Why should someone spend countless hours hand-crafting a furniture piece when factory-assembled furniture can create a piece in drastically less time? Why use carefully-selected pieces of natural wood? Isn’t all wood the same?
For furniture-enthusiasts, the answers to these questions will seem obvious. Hand-crafted furniture boasts a noticeably greater quality than factory-produced furniture. Therefore careful wood selection enhances the final beauty of each piece. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Hickory 60 inch TV Console Hutch. This one-of-a-kind piece boasts a style and design that could never be replicated by factory assembly lines, and the raw Hickory wood is carefully selected and includes bark accents to ensure strength and beauty.
Natural Hickory wood construction accents the Hickory 60 inch TV Console Hutch.
Also, two antique glass doors beautifully accent the hutch and provide storage space. To see more pieces like this, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture.
Mar04
Custom Collection: The Asher Occasional Table Collection
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Asher Occasional Table Collection
Previously, we highlighted the beautifully-crafted, custom Asher Coffee Table. In this post, we will broaden our view to the entire, custom-crafted Asher Occasional Table Collection. The Asher Collection boasts a striking style. A mixture of Mission (slat sides and simple paneled doors) and modern (contemporary hardware), the Asher collection blends traditional influences, from Shaker to Mission, but delicately breaks from convention with a uniquely modern twist.
The Asher Sofa Cabinet, pictured here, boasts solid Brown Maple construction. As well as an open shelf space with an extended lip, three full-extension drawers, and two paneled doors. Check out the custom options (including glass doors and drawers-replace-shelf-space).
The custom Asher Sofa Cabinet boasts a beautiful, original style.
For those furniture-lovers looking for something truly original, not only is this piece original but it comes with a variety of custom options, giving you the edge in ensuring this piece is exactly what you want and need. Check out more of Brandenberry Amish Furniture to see our wide selection of custom Amish furniture.
Discover Cabin Furniture for Your Home
While home furnishings crafted of synthetic materials offer an affordable option to those seeking furniture. Home furnishings crafted of solid wood continue to appeal to those interested in natural beauty. The beauty of hardwood furniture cannot be duplicated by synthetic means. Therefore there is no telling which handcrafted wood furnishing will become the treasured antique of generations gone by.
Of all styles of solid wood furniture, Cabin Furniture boasts the greatest emphasis on the inherent natural beauty of the wood it uses. Therefore including bark accents, knots, and warps. All which add charm and rustic beauty.
Crafters of Amish furniture, notably the Amish, often work with indigenous hardwoods. Therefore ensuring the highest quality construction and greatest natural beauty. Visit your local Amish furniture market or other hardwood furniture retailer and witness the impressive construction and timeless beauty of Cabin Furniture.
When searching for quality home furnishings, there are a few guiding characteristics most people will agree on. And this blog, Discovering Amish-Made Furniture, should help in the search. So here are some of the major things people look for when shopping for new furniture. And here’s how artisans with Brandenberry Furniture handcraft each item to meet or exceed these expectations:
Beauty of Amish-Made Furniture
Every detail should add to the overall beauty of each piece of furniture. And this ‘beauty’ includes the style and design, craftsmanship, finish, and hardware. Skilled Amish artisans painstakingly handcraft every item of Brandenberry furniture. And they integrate centuries’ old traditions and finely honed cabinetmaking techniques. So that’s why furniture lovers find features like fluted columns and decorative corbels. Plus majestic crown moldings and more. Also, the artisans meticulously finish every piece. And the results show up in the perfect fit and finish. Plus flowing lines and eye-catching, genuine woodgrain.
Practicality of Amish-Made Furniture
The finest furnishings serve a purpose. And functionality — including storage space and customization — should enhance the functionality and usability of a piece. The designers of Brandenberry furniture integrate practical features into just about every piece they create. And these elements include soft-close doors plus hutches with touch lights. In addition, designers integrate electrical outlets and mesh cloths for speakers in TV consoles and wall units. Also, you will find wall units and wine racks with a DVD/CD tray or slide-out beverage/wine accessory tray respectively. And the list goes on.
Durability of Amish-Made Furniture
Home furniture should be sturdily constructed. So family members can enjoy it for generations to come. Amish cabinetmakers build each item of furniture from solid hardwoods — such as oak, maple, cherry, and hickory. Also, they integrate tried and proven woodworking techniques. And they avoid bargain substitutes like particle boards, veneers, brads and staples. So, with proper care, every unit should last for generations to come.
Discovering Amish-Made Furniture Online or in Person
To learn more about Brandenberry Amish Furniture, or to browse a wide selection for yourself, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture, and see why Amish furniture is so special. Or, visit our ‘brick and mortar’ store in picturesque Shipshewana, Indiana. And explore Amish furniture firsthand.
Dec03
Enjoy the Beauty of Natural Cherry Wood Furniture
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Enjoy the Beauty of Natural Cherry Wood Furniture
For those enamored with solid wood construction, a detailed understanding of the unique qualities of various woods may be second nature. But for those without a deep understanding of the inherent qualities of each wood species used in furniture construction, we will look here at cherry wood furniture.
Cherry wood is classified as a hardwood with a dense texture. As well as a distinct grain pattern, though it is softer than maple wood. It varies in color depending on the species of tree (from light, medium to dark colors). It also may even vary within a particular piece of wood. Though color inconsistencies can be evened out with proper stain and dyeing techniques if desired. Cherry furniture also may darken in color with age which makes it a desirable wood.
The Cameron Table boasts natural cherry wood construction.
The Cameron Table, pictured here, boasts beautiful cherry wood construction (including walnut inlays). To see more cherry furniture or Amish furniture, visit Brandenberry Furniture.
Jul15
Exciting New Amish Furniture from Brandenberry
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Exciting New Amish Furniture from Brandenberry
The Francis Buffet
Each year, tens of thousands of visitors come to the tiny town of Shipshewana. Which is located deep in the heart of Northern Indiana’s Amish country. The visitors come to see the “simple folk” and experience a taste of Amish life. Sure, the lack of technology and traditional dress of the Amish may lead some visitors to imagine a dull life. But visitors are always amazed at the innovation and ingenuity of the Amish. In fact, nowhere is this more true than in Amish furniture from Brandenberry Amish Furniture. When you visit Shipshewana, make sure you check out the Exciting New Amish Furniture from Brandenberry.
Beautiful wood construction marks the Francis Buffet.
Brandenberry Amish Furniture combines the Amish love of simplicity with innovation in a new variety of furnishings. The Francis Buffet blends traditional and modern styles and features dynamic storage. As well as unique pull-out shelves and space for wine bottle and glass storage.
To see first-hand the wide variety of Brandenberry Amish Furniture, come visit our store location. We’d love to help you find the perfect piece for your home!
Feb08
Family Fun: The Hickory Country Delight Game Table
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Family Fun
Brandenberry Hickory Country Delight Game Table
Above all are you frustrated by the lack of meaningful fellowship with friends and family? Beautiful wood craftsmanship marks Brandenberry’s collection of family games furniture. With these timeless game sets and game tables, you have a reason for gathering friends and loved ones. Therefore creating a community for a time of laughter and fun.
Beautiful Rustic Hickory legs accent the beautiful Hickory Country Delight Game Table.
The Hickory Country Delight Game Table, pictured here, features natural Rustic Hickory legs. As well as a beautifully-crafted tabletop and even a tabletop storage space. This dynamic game table includes a variety of interchangeable game boards. Backgammon and checkers are a few to name. Also, check out a variety of custom options. including wood species, stain/paint/dye, and table height choices.
To see more expertly-crafted game furniture or game sets, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture. As a result, you can see why our custom, hardwood furniture is truly special!
Finding Quality Amish-Made Furniture
Furniture enthusiasts will often debate the merits of handcrafted furniture versus factory-designed furniture. As well as solid hardwood furniture versus furniture built of mostly metal, plastic or synthetic materials. Amish made furniture is continually named as among the finest modern furnishings. Boasting solid hardwoods, traditional construction by expert craftsmen and innumerable styles. Above all Amish made furniture stands at the forefront of beautiful home furniture.
Today, Amish communities throughout the Midwest still craft furniture the old-fashioned way. For those interested in learning more about Amish furniture, some Amish furniture retailers now have an online presence. Therefore allowing customers to browse furniture catalogs, contact salespeople via e-mail with inquiries and even customize products online. Are you seeking durable construction, timeless styles and a wealth of custom options? Then Amish made furniture is a perfect choice.
Mar22
Growing Your Knowledge of Wood Furniture
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As you’re Growing Your Knowledge of Wood Furniture, you’ll be able to find a furnishing that suits your needs and style. Searching for the furniture piece that’s right for you? Then, research the wood species used to construct each furnishing. Is the wood indigenous or imported? Does the piece use plywood backing or veneers?
Growing Your Knowledge of Wood Furniture
When searching for a furniture piece, ask the builder or sales consultant whether it’s constructed of solid wood. Plywood backing might cut down on cost. However, sometimes it can diminish the durability of a particular piece of furniture.
Also, ask about the construction methods. Were nails or screws used? Or, was the piece constructed with dovetailed joints and glue?
Solid wood construction is one of the great strengths of Amish wood furniture. That said, many home furnishings use affordable plywood or artificial materials. But Amish wood furniture utilizes indigenous hardwoods. And this guarantees that each piece will contain an inherent beauty and sturdiness.
So visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture to learn more about beautiful Amish furniture.
Nov30
Handcrafted Furniture Love: Roosevelt Executive Desk
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Handcrafted Furniture Love
Roosevelt Executive Desk
For furniture enthusiasts, there are certain pieces that piqued their fascination. As well as awakened their imagination to the beautiful possibilities of hand-crafted, expert wood craftsmanship. It may have been when they encountered a sleekly crafted table. Or it may have been observing the meticulously detailed construction of a wall entertainment center. Therefore leaving you amazed by the flawless design.
The stunning craftsmanship of the Roosevelt Executive Desk must be seen to be believed.
For many, the Roosevelt Executive Desk, pictured here, may be the piece that opens their eyes to the remarkable quality of Amish-crafted furniture. Featuring solid cherry wood construction and plenty of dynamic storage space (including natural poplar drawer boxes). As well as a wrap-around desk with envelope and letter storage. Above all it includes details such as fluted columns, reverse columns and can lights with touch-switch. The Roosevelt Executive Desk is a must see piece.
Above all, to see more executive desks like this or more Amish furniture, visit us at Brandenberry Furniture and enjoy solid wood furniture!
Handcrafted Furniture Tells a Story
A furniture collector knows that each piece of furniture has a story. As a result, it is a joy and challenge to the collector to uncover it. But what gives a furniture piece its story? Is it solid wood construction? Is it style? The period in which it was made? Or who bought it and how it was used? All of these are parts of the story. The biggest part is this: who made it? For this reason, handcrafted furniture is a one-of-a-kind investment.
Unlike factory assembled furniture, handcrafted furniture contains the imprint of the craftsman. The craftsman’s unique style, their work with a saw, their sanding and staining, leave a distinct impression. It is this artistic quality that explains why many handcrafted furniture pieces are considered treasures decades or centuries after they were created.
Perhaps the most notable creators of handcrafted furniture are the Amish. Living in hardworking communities primarily throughout the Midwest and the Eastern seaboard, the Amish have maintained their distinct way of life while fostering thriving furniture markets. One of the hot-spots for Amish furniture in the Midwest is Shipshewana, IN. Here local Amish craftsmen bring in large numbers of sightseers and shoppers each year to view their goods and experience the Amish way of life firsthand.
For a close-up experience of Amish handcrafted furniture and of the craftsmen themselves, there is nothing better than visiting a local Amish furniture market. In warm weather seasons, the shops are open and bustling. Furniture seminars, including construction demonstrations (staining methods, woodcutting, etc…) are usually available to the public. Many local stores are even located on family farms. Therefore you will truly receive the “family” touch when you visit.
To truly appreciate the beauty of handcrafted furniture visit a local craftsman or browse online. As a result, your appreciation will grow as you learn more about this craft before finding the piece that’s right for you.
History of Solid Wood Furniture
Throughout history, communities have built furniture from various materials. Ancient Scots used stone due to a lack of wood. In the Middle Ages, large tables were usually crafted of heavy oak. Modern furniture utilizes light-weight metals, laminated plywood, and durable plastics. Yet, solid wood furniture continues to enthrall customers because of its inherent beauty.
Solid wood furniture boasts great durability and an inherent beauty that is unequaled by artificial materials. Rustic furniture, or furniture that displays the natural qualities of its wood, is popular for the natural beauty of the wood which it allows to shine. A new branch of rustic furniture, known as “Live Edge”, utilizes salvaged or gnarly woods, working with the distinct characteristics of each piece of wood to create a one-of-a-kind furnishing.
Today, the Amish are the premier craftsmen of solid wood furniture. Often utilizing indigenous hardwoods and traditional wood-working methods, Amish craftsmen are at the front of eco-friendly craftsmanship and beautiful wood craftsmanship.
Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furniture
Legacy of Maple Wood
In previous blogs, we’ve looked at Cherry, Elm and Hickory woods as examples of common woods used in furniture craftsmanship. Each wood has a distinct composition and style. Cherry has a dense texture and varies in color, Elm has a smooth, interlocking grain and Hickory often utilizes rustic natural bark accents. In this blog, our focus is on the Legacy of Maple Wood.
Maple Wood Sample
Brown Maple Wood Sample
Distressed Light Brown On Brown Maple Wood Sample
Maple is a diverse, practical wood. As a result, Maple is used for bowling pins and the official MLB baseball bats. Craftsmen categorize it as “hard” and “soft” Maple. Noted for its hard, close grains. While “hard” Maple composes bowling pins and baseball bats. “Soft” Maple (also called “Brown Maple” by furniture craftsmen) is used for furniture construction. Furniture craftsmen also refer to it as “Brown Maple”. Maple wood is also noted for its wonderful acoustic properties. Making it a wonderful choice for hollow-bodied or resonant musical instruments such as drum shells and guitars.
Maple enjoys a rich legacy as a major furniture wood and boasts timeless beauty. Visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture to see our huge selection of Maple furniture!
May10
Plates on Parade: Finding a Beautiful Display Shelf
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Finding Beautiful Display Shelves
Looking for Beautiful Display Shelves? Some home furniture pieces serve a strictly practical purpose. For example, leaf storage cabinets, while beautifully-crafted and designed, simply store table leaves. Bread boxes, while richly-finished, simply store bread. Some home furnishings even blend the practical with the aesthetic. Thus creating unique spaces for storage while simultaneously creating space for display.
The charming Dawson Plate Shelves blend storage and display space.
The Dawson Plate Shelves, pictured here, features solid Eastern White Pine construction with a Cranberry Red stain. As well as unique “sand-thru paint” style which adds a unique distressed look. These shelves are a wonderful way to store and display your beautiful dinnerware.
For those looking for something more rustic, check out the Hickory Three Shelf Stand pictured below. Boasting solid Hickory construction with natural accents. allowing plenty of room for storage and display.
A rustic style marks the Hickory Three Shelf Stand.
To see more home accessory furniture, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture to view our complete selection!
Jun24
Rich in Elegance: The Rosemont Collection
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The Rosemont Collection
Featuring a rich, sleek style, the Rosemont Collection blends the best of traditional and modern designs.
The beautiful Rosemont Chest boasts a uniquely elegant style.
The Rosemont Chest, pictured here, features solid Cherry wood craftsmanship and six full-extension drawers with solid knob hardware. Along with polished bun feet, raised side paneling and a Rich Tobacco stain. Even more, wood species, hardware, and stain options allow you to customize the look of this chest to your exact specifications.
Similarly, the Rosemont Three Drawer Nightstand, pictured below, features a deep, sleek finish and an elegant design. Also, this unique piece features an under-mount LED nightlight with a touch switch and a sliding-top containing an electrical power strip!
The unique LED night-light makes the Rosemont Three Drawer Nightstand a one-of-a-kind piece.
To see more finely-crafted furnishings, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture and view our entire selection of customizable Amish furniture~
Mar08
Rustic Nobility: The Noble Collection Occasional Tables
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The Noble Collection Occasional Tables
In previous blogs, we have highlighted the rustic beauty of natural Hickory furniture. Noted for its rustic beauty (back accents and wood knots) and great durability. Hickory furniture has made the leap from “cabin” or “lodge” furniture to “living room” furniture due to its natural beauty. With this in mind, we look at two distinct pieces that share a common design. The Hickory Noble Collection Writing Desk and the Hickory Noble Collection Library Table.
The Hickory Noble Collection Writing Desk boasts natural construction and an Old World Mission Finish. A sturdy shelf and wood slats make this a practical, sturdy piece.
Solid wood slats make the Hickory Noble Collection Writing Desk a classic piece.
The Hickory Noble Collection Library Table shares a similar style to the writing desk but boasts a darker, sleeker finish that completely transforms the rustic style into an elegant design.
A sleek finish transforms the rustic style of the Hickory Noble Collection Library Table.
To see more beautiful Hickory pieces like these, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture and see our huge variety of hand-crafted wood furniture.
May11
Rustic, Practical Beauty: Country Amish Furniture
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Rustic, Practical Beauty: Country Amish Furniture
Mission style furniture was produced and popularized by Gustav Stickley. His designs captured the imaginations of the American public. Out of this grew a line of Stickley’s wicker furniture which also sold well. Country Amish furniture became a popular option for homeowners seeking something beautiful. As well as something different for their home furnishings. As a result, furniture that echoed the simple designs of the countryside.
Even though there is not a definitive country style. Amish tables, in particular, boast a wide variety of styles and designs including country. Furthermore, country style furniture can possess beautiful wood accents. Along with an elegant style. To discern what is “country” and what isn’t, spend time researching the variety of styles available. Better yet, consider visiting a local Amish furniture market. As a result, you can talk to someone knowledgeable about country Amish furniture.
Jul12
Solid Wood Amish Furniture by Amish Artisans
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Solid Wood Amish Furniture by Amish Artisans
Solid Wood Amish Furniture
For lovers of the classic television show “Antiques Roadshow”, the thrill lies in finding forgotten antiquities. Therefore being brought forth from deep storage after decades, even generations, of misuse and neglect. What exactly is this piece? Who made it and where is it from? And how much is it worth? Theses questions burn in the minds of the antique owner, the appraiser and the viewer alike.
A similar thrill is experienced by furniture enthusiasts when searching antique stores for beautiful wood furnishings. But what accounts for the beauty, durability, and timelessness of many of our favorite furniture pieces? The answer: wood. With that being said elegance and detail bet describe the craftsmanship of solid wood furniture.
Today, Amish wood craftsmen continue to craft wonderful home furnishings using sturdy (often indigenous) hardwoods. Therefore ensuring a level of strength and elegance in each piece. When it comes to solid wood furniture, the home furnishings bought today is only one step away from becoming the treasured antique of tomorrow.
Solid Wood Furniture
Today, wood craftsmen, particularly the Amish, continue to craft Solid Wood Furniture using sturdy indigenous hardwoods. Ensuring a level of strength and elegance in each piece. Throughout history, communities have built furniture from various materials. Ancient Scots used stone due to a lack of wood. In the Middle Ages, craftsmen constructed large tables using heavy oak. Modern furniture utilizes light-weight metals, laminated plywood, and durable plastics.
Amish craftsmen stay true to their ethics of simplicity by hand-crafting their pieces. Although sometimes incorporating new tools and advanced techniques into the woodworking process. Often, they utilize local wood suppliers to find the best indigenous woods available.
One of the great advantages of investing in solid wood furniture is its durability. Therefore hand-crafted furnishings are not only suited for immediate use. Hence if treated and cared for properly, they will certainly endure for decades, if not generations.
Handcrafted hardwood furniture represents the craftsmen who make it. So there is always a point of pride in creating the best possible furnishing. Whatever type of furnishing you are seeking, consider the best: solid wood furniture.
Dec06
Solid Wood Style in the Kitchen: The Montego Buffet
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Solid Wood Style in the Kitchen
The Montego Buffet
While the bedroom, family room, and dining room garner most of the attention when considering purchasing furniture. The kitchen is a great place to find the perfectly-styled home furnishing. Kitchen furniture includes a wide array of pieces. Therefore including servers, buffets, dining hutches, cabinets, kitchen islands and a variety of accessories.
Beautiful construction and a classic style mar the Montego Hutch.
The Montego Hutch, pictured here, comes in Brown Maple. Featuring three full-extension drawers, two arched panel doors, and adjustable shelves. As well as solid knob hardware* turned posts and a beautiful distressed finish. The Montego Hutch is a charming kitchen furnishing. Not only will you find plenty of storage space with this buffet. But expert Amish craftsmanship ensures a lifetime and more of durability and strength. In addition, this buffet boasts a variety of custom options, including hardware, wood species, and stain/paint/dye choices.
To see more hutches like this or other Amish furniture pieces, visit Brandenberry Furniture and see why Amish-crafted furniture is one-of-a-kind!
Jan10
Spring Preview: The Double Canopy Glider
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Brandenberry Spring Preview
The Double Canopy Glider
What better in the midst of winter’s chill than a glimpse of the warm summer air that is waiting patiently to make its arrival? While a fireplace of a plush recliner may be the perfect home furnishings for a cold, snowy day. The sweet aroma of Red Cedar is enough to turn one’s thoughts to the May sunshine and blooming trees.
With that in mind, the Double Canopy Glider is the perfect piece for a lazy day in the sun. Featuring aromatic Red Cedar construction and beautifully crafted wood slats. This stunning glider seats four and features a solid frame and durable roof. Therefore perfect for a patio, porch or lawn furnishing. The Double Canopy Glider is a wonderful furnishing.
The sturdy, beautiful Double Canopy Glider possesses the warm feeling of summer.
To see more Cedar furniture like this charming glider, visit our Brandenberry Amish Furniture store and see why Amish-crafted furniture is special.
Mar16
Strength and Style in Amish-Made Furniture
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With the rise of factory-assembled and imported furniture, where can one go to find locally crafted, high-quality furniture? Visit the “Amish country.” And experience for yourself the strength and style in Amish-made Furniture.
Strength and Style in Amish-Made Furniture
Skilled Amish artisans craft each piece of fine furniture. Also, the Amish men use traditional woodworking methods and the highest-quality woods. Often, dovetailed or mortise and tenon joints and glue eliminate the need for nails or screws. What’s more, stunning features, such as soft-close drawer glides and touch lighting, highlight why Amish-made furniture is the best furniture available.
Shop Online or in Person
So search for the Amish furniture piece that’s right for you. And cherish it for years to come. Also, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture online. Or, visit their ‘brick and mortar’ store in picturesque Shipshewana, Indiana.
These days, there’s a high degree of sophistication in the manufacturing of furniture using wood veneers and synthetic materials. So it causes one to wonder if solid wood furniture might not be a thing of the past. Indeed, an entire industry has developed around the manufacturing and marketing of inexpensive, easy-to-assemble furniture. So it’s high time to explore the advantages of solid wood furniture.
Based on its beauty, strength, and durability, solid wood furniture remains unrivaled.
The Manhattan Mission 3 Piece Wall Unit illustrates the beauty of solid hardwood.
The Beauty of Solid Wood Furniture
Take a passing glance at synthetic hardwood furniture. You might think it’s indistinguishable from solid hardwood furniture. And this is due in part to the fancy way manufacturers design and build furniture today. For example, many builders use wood veneers or plastics that closely replicate real wood. Also, they often use veneers for the parts of furniture that are most obvious. And they use bargain substitutes everywhere else. In addition, they apply thick coats of varnish to materials like particleboard. So the furniture looks like real hardwood.
However, inspect this type of furniture closely. And you can tell which is the real McCoy. For example, check out where the veneers end. Such as at the end of a raised panel. And you can see an abrupt end of the fake woodgrain. Also check out the joints, undersides of shelves and the interiors of drawers. And they give tell-tale evidence of inferior substitutes.
But with solid hardwood furniture, the luster of the solid hardwood shines through on the highly visible areas as well as the undersides, backs and drawer interiors.
Strength and Durability of Solid Wood Furniture
Solid hardwood has been the standard material used in furniture over thousands of years. And this is due in great measure to its strength and durability. Plus, this is why Amish builders depend on solid hardwood. And numerous Amish cabinetmaking shops in Indiana and Ohio sell their excellent products through Brandenberry Amish Furniture. The Amish craftsmen use hardwoods like cherry, maple, oak, and hickory. Also, they use solid hardwood in places where others place cheap substitutes. Like for shelves, and in the back or bottom of furniture.
Strength and style meet in the Brooklyn Gentlemen’s Chest.
This means the solid hardwood furniture you order from Brandenberry should, with proper care, last for generations to come. In fact, many pieces become family heirlooms.
The Brooklyn 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.
The Advantages of Solid Wood Furniture
To see more solid wood furniture pieces, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture. Or, visit our ‘brick and mortar’ store in Shipshewana, Indiana. And check out the huge selection of Amish furniture.
The Beauty of Cabin Furniture
Strongly associated with the “Rustic” and “Primitive” furniture styles. The simple natural wood style marks the Beauty of Cabin Furniture. Often, bark accents and wood knots add rustic beauty to the Cabin Furniture pieces. The Hickory Solid Oval Top Coffee Table, pictured here, features natural Hickory wood with a natural finish.
A classic rustic style highlights the Hickory Solid Oval Top Coffee Table.
The history of Cabin furniture is difficult to trace. Yet its popularity flourished in the early twentieth century as an economic downturn. Therefore the popularity of Mission and wicker furniture led people toward a rustic, practical taste in furniture. Since then, Cabin style furniture has outgrown its place as suitable only for cabins and lodges. But has been welcomed into the home by furniture-enthusiasts who recognize its beauty and dynamic style.
Furthermore, cabin furniture is available in a variety of styles and designs. From bedroom and living room to dining and even children’s furniture. Above all to see the intricately detailed woodwork and rustic style of Cabin furniture first-hand, visit your local Amish furniture market.
Jan06
The Beauty of Cedar and the Adironrack Loveseat Glider
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The Beauty of Cedar
Adironrack Loveseat Glider
Continuing in our series of blogs concerning wood species commonly used in Amish furniture. We look now to what is perhaps the most practical and functional of all woods: Cedar. Cedar grows in a variety of species all over the world (i.e. Red Cedar, Lebanon Cedar, Atlas Cedar, White Cedar). It has been a favorite choice of wood craftsmen, boat builders and carvers for millennia.
Above all cedar boasts a natural rot-resistant substance and soft, straight grain. As well as a wonderfully sweet aroma. Therefore making cedar wood durable and long-lasting. The Adironrack Loveseat Glider, pictured here, features aromatic Red Cedar construction. Along with beautifully crafted wood slats and timeless rustic beauty.
This summer, plan a trip to a local Amish furniture market. Therefore seeing first-hand what makes Cedarwood furniture so special. To see more Cedarwood furniture like this, visit our Brandenberry Amish Furniture store!
Solid, aromatic Cedar construction highlights the Adironrack Loveseat Glider.
The Story of Shaker Furniture
Ever wonder what the Story of Shaker Furniture is? From its genesis among the tightly-knit religious community known as the “Shakers”, Shaker furniture has continued to capture the imaginations of furniture lovers around the world. The Shakers migrated to the United States of America following religious tension in their European home. Bringing with them prodigious woodworking skills and ethics of integrity, hard work and practicality, the Shaker’s soon earned a reputation for their industry.
The 35 inch Shaker Jewelry Armoire features a classic Shaker style and elegant construction.
Originally crafted for Shaker religious gatherings. Shaker furniture is known for its simple design. As well as its graceful style and durable hand-craftsmanship. Skilled Amish artisans still craft the traditional way by using natural hardwoods.
Visit a local Amish furniture retailer. Therefore seeing first-hand what makes Shaker furniture so special.
Jan17
Tying it Together: Carlisle Occasional Table Collection
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Carlisle Occasional Table Collection
The living room poses a daunting challenge for anyone serious about their interior decoration. Above all tying together color schemes, style choices and home furnishing shouldn’t be left to paid professionals. Therefore turning a living room into a beautiful and sleek environment is as simple as investing in a living room set.
The Carlisle Occasional Table Collection, pictured here, possesses a light, graceful style that infuses the room with simple beauty. Including curved legs, reverse radius edges and full-extension ball-bearing slide drawers. As well as Shaker wood knobs and solid Oak construction. The Coffee, End and Sofa tables included in the set can tie together a room with ease.
The Carlisle Occasional Table Collection blends an elegant style with a classic design.
To see more fine living room sets like this, browse Brandenberry Amish Furniture online or come visit our Northern Indiana store location. Therefore seeing why there is nothing like authentic, hand-crafted wood furniture.
Dec19
Veneer vs Solid Wood Furniture: Head-to-Head Match-up 1
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Looking for furniture for your home? Then, you have to make a key decision: Choosing veneer or solid wood furniture. Veneer furniture runs the gamut from cheaply-made through well-crafted pieces covered by veneers. Also, most solid wood furniture tends to be sturdy and well built. Veneer vs Solid Wood Furniture: Head-to-Head Match-up 1 takes a look at the pros and cons of both types of furniture.
Solid Maple Wood Sample
Differentiating Veneer from Solid Wood Furniture
Furniture veneer is a thin slice of hardwood bonded to another type of wood or wood substitute like particleboard. Usually, craftsmen make veneers from expensive or exotic woods. And these include walnut, rosewood or teak. Also, furniture manufacturers use veneers for all types of furniture.
By solid wood furniture, we mean furniture made of quality hardwoods. And these include oak, cherry, hickory and maple (pictured). Also, hardwoods are tough and relatively dense. So, they’re durable, malleable — and perfect for fine furniture!
Veneer vs Solid Wood Furniture: Head-to-Head Match-up
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of veneer and solid wood furniture? Let’s look at how they both stack up within several categories:
Exotic Appearance and Fancy Designs: Furniture craftsmen love to painstakingly cut, finish and arranged pieces of veneer into beautiful patterns. Like the collage of neatly arranged woods in the center of a table. But cabinetmakers also match the grain pattern of different pieces of veneer to create furniture with a more uniform grain pattern. What’s more, cabinetmakers form veneers in unusual shapes and designs. The curved contours of a grand piano are one example. Exotic appearance and fancy design winner: Veneer.
Initial Investment: Typically, veneer furniture costs less than solid wood furniture. And this makes sense. Because solid wood is more expensive than veneers and wood substitutes. Plus, solid wood pieces often involve hand craftsmanship. While workers put together most veneer furniture on an assembly line. However, factor in the long life of solid hardwood furniture. And you’ll find that solid wood furniture provides a better return on investment over time. Initial investment winner: Veneer.
Strength and Durability: The strength and durability of veneer furniture largely depend on the type of material to which the veneer is bonded. So furniture with softwood below the veneer tends to be sturdier than veneer-covered particleboard. Why? Particleboard tends to crumble when damaged. So it cannot be repaired.
But furniture builders find solid wood incredibly strong and durable. Why? Because of its relatively tough and dense characteristics. For example, solid wood drawers withstand repetitive use, year after year. In fact, with proper care, solid wood furniture should last for generations to come. Strength and durability winner: Solid wood.
View Solid Wood Furniture at Brandenberry
You can explore a vast array of solid wood furniture online at Brandenberry Amish Furniture. Or, check out Brandenberry furniture in person by visiting their ‘brick and mortar’ store in Shipshewana, Indiana.
In the blog, Veneer vs Solid Wood Furniture: Head-to-Head Match-up 2, we will look at other advantages and disadvantages of veneer versus solid wood furniture.
Dec19
Veneer vs Solid Wood Furniture: Head-to-Head Match-up 2
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It happens every time you check out a new piece of furniture. You ask yourself, is it veneer or solid wood? In Veneer vs Solid Wood Furniture: Head-to-Head Match-up 2, we’ll pick up where we left off in the Match-up 1 blog. And we’ll look at some other pros and cons of both types of furniture.
Solid Cherry Wood Sample
Thin Slice on Top Versus Real Wood Throughout
In furniture, a veneer is a thin slice of hardwood bonded to a wood substitute like particle board, or another form of wood. Traditionally, craftsmen create veneers from expensive or exotic woods. In fact, you’re probably seen examples of such walnut, rosewood or teak veneers. Also, you’ve probably noticed that veneers are used on all types of furniture.
By contrast, solid wood furniture is made of quality hardwoods. And these include oak, maple, hickory and cherry (pictured). Also, hardwoods are tough and relatively dense. So, they’re durable, malleable — and perfect for fine furniture!
Veneer vs Solid Wood Furniture: Head-to-Head Match-up 2
Let’s consider some of the other pros and cons related to veneer and solid hardwood furniture:
Restoration Potential: What happens when furniture begins to look dull as the years go by? If your veneer furniture begins to look old and worn, you might not be able to refinish it. Because you might just wear through the veneer. Ouch! However, buy solid wood furniture. And you can refinish it. So imagine your furniture looking new again. With beautiful woodgrain and smooth, blemish-free panels! Restoration Potential winner: Solid Wood.
Furniture Movement: As you might expect, solid wood furniture is heavier than veneer furniture. So when its time to move furniture within your house or to another house, Veneer wins.
Pro Green: Many plastics and veneers used for furniture are heavily processed. In fact, manufacturers fill them with chemicals, including formaldehyde. Conversely, buying solid wood furniture helps you score some notches in the sustainability category. This is because many solid wood furniture builders use quality, sustainably sourced hardwoods. Pro Green winner: Solid Wood.
View Solid Wood Furniture at Brandenberry
There’s arguably no better place to explore solid wood furniture than at Brandenberry Amish Furniture. And you can do this by visiting Brandenberry’s online store. Or, you can check out Brandenberry furniture in person by visiting their ‘brick and mortar’ store in Shipshewana, Indiana.
What is ‘High-End Furniture’? When visualizing high-end furniture, each of us may have a different picture in mind. We might call furniture that has an attractive style or stunning visual appearance high end. Or, high-end might mean all furniture bearing certain popular brand names. Another definition might be furniture that’s handcrafted by a skilled artisan. Also, can furniture that’s manufactured on an assembly line be high-end? How about furniture built with plywood backing or wood veneers? Let’s dig a little deeper, and discover What is ‘High-End Furniture’?
High-End Furniture: Quality and Durability
A short article on Houzz.com equates high-end furniture with top quality and long life. The article says high-end furniture does not automatically make a room beautiful. But, a poorly made piece will ultimately show its true colors. And the unlucky owner will have an item he/she can’t return.
The article recommends that buyers on the fence regarding which piece to buy should figure out the ultimate replacement cost for the item of furniture. Then they should decide if high end might not be a more cost-effective option.
High-End Furniture: Solid Wood, Great Craftsmanship
The website, teakintogo.com, has an insightful checklist of factors that define high-end furniture. Among its notable characteristics, the checklist defined high end as furniture that’s properly finished and will retain its value. Also, the site says high-end furniture should become heirloom items and last for 500 years. What’s more, according to this definition, high-end furniture is built with solid wood which does not dent easily. In addition, according to teakintogo, high-end furniture uses dovetail and mortise and tenon joints, dowels and screws.
High-End Furniture: Brandenberry Amish Furniture
Brandenberry Amish Furniture epitomizes high-end furniture. Why? For starters, the top Amish artisans in the Midwest custom-craft each piece of furniture at Brandenberry. Also, the Amish men use solid hardwoods like oak, maple, cherry, and hickory. Plus, they draw from skills handed down from their ancestors. Also, they utilize time-honored cabinetmaking techniques. Like dovetail and mortise and tenon joints.
What is ‘High-End Furniture’?
To explore the high-end furniture from Brandenberry, visit their website. Or explore their ‘brick and mortar’ store in Shipshewana, Indiana.
The mere mention of custom anything often has an elitist connotation. Products like a custom car or truck come to mind. But when people desire an item that’s very meaningful and has long-term implications, a ‘custom’ purchase becomes a natural, sensible choice. A customized bridal gown and groom’s suit are notable examples. Pieces of furniture are usually big-ticket items which can last a very long time. So if you’re in the market for new furniture, you have to decide between assembly line or custom-built. So it makes sense to ask the question, What is Custom Amish Furniture?
Is Traditionally Made Furniture Your Best Choice?
To fully appreciate the advantages of custom furniture in general and custom Amish furniture in particular, we need to understand how traditional furniture is made. Traditional furniture starts with detailed drawings, including specific measurements for every component.
This fabulous dining room collection exemplifies the beauty of custom Amish furniture.
Then, sophisticated, computer-directed saws precision cut the parts. And these parts are usually various types of substitute wood products such as particleboard and veneered plywood, plastics and cardboard. Workers on the production line then assemble the parts, creating tables, dressers and so forth.
Also, the builders typically bond the pieces together with materials like glue, brads, and nails. In addition, a good fit is usually acceptable, while a snug fit is not necessarily achieved.
What is Custom Amish Furniture?
Custom Amish Furniture, such as what you’ll find at Brandenberry Amish Furniture, presents a superior alternative to the traditional furniture usually found in chain furniture stores and department stores. Our Amish builders start with detailed drawings, including specific measurements supplied by the customer. Then, the Amish craftsmen make precision cuts from quality hardwoods, such as oak, cherry, maple, and hickory. These hardwoods are more expensive than wood substitutes. However, they are far more sturdy and durable.
How Does ‘Heirloom Quality’ Sound?
Brandenberry’s Amish builders draw from tried-and-proven cabinetmaking skills handed down from their ancestors. These include using sturdy dovetail and mortis and tenon joints. Combine the skilled craftsmen with solid wood construction and time-honored construction techniques, and you get furniture that’s incredibly tough and long-lasting.
So when you order an item of custom Amish furniture from Brandenberry, you get more than what you pay for. Because Brandenberry’s builders make furniture so sturdy, with proper care, they should become a family heirloom. Which means that the next generations can benefit from your purchase.
Visit Brandenberry Online or in Person
Brandenberry offers custom Amish furniture for every room in your home. To see their vast collections of solid wood Amish furniture, visit Brandenberry’s website. Or stop in at Brandenberry’s ‘brick and mortar’ store in picturesque Shipshewana, close to the 80/90 toll road in Northern Indiana. And you’ll get an up-close-and-personal answer to the question What is Custom Amish Furniture?
What Makes Amish Furniture So Unique?
What makes Amish furniture so unique? Step into an Amish furniture store, such as Brandenberry Amish Furniture in Shipshewana, Indiana. Or peruse Brandenberry’s online catalog. And you’ll be amazed by the most beautiful collections of furniture imaginable. With a dazzling display of fine cabinetmaking features like entertainment centers with a bridge joining two cabinets. Or cabinet doors with raised panels or mullioned glass. Plus the finest cabinetwork perfectly complemented by fine hardware.
So here are some reasons Amish furniture is so unique.
Solid Midwestern Hardwoods
Skilled Indiana Amish cabinetmakers painstakingly handcraft each item of furniture sold by Brandenberry. And the Amish men use solid Midwestern hardwoods like oak, cherry, maple, and hickory. You won’t find bargain substitutes like wood or paper veneers fused to particleboard or cardboard. And instead of nails or brads, the Amish artisans use screws and glue. Plus dovetail and mortis and tenon joints. In fact, the Amish builders go as far as to use solid wood sheets (about ½-inch thick) for the back or flooring of furniture. Many traditional furniture builders use pressed cardboard covered with faux wood veneer.
The result? Amish furniture is incredibly durable. So much so that with proper care, the furniture should last for generations to come. Even becoming a family heirloom.
Expert Amish Craftsmanship
Artisans apply time-honored cabinetmaking skills to make Amish furniture from Brandenberry unique. In fact, the Amish craftsmen draw from cabinetmaking skills handed down from their ancestors. And they integrate these skills with the latest tools and techniques.
Even a glance at a piece of furniture from Brandenberry will reveal some awesome examples of fine cabinetry. Some pieces come with fluted columns, ebony inlays, and decorative corbels. You’ll also find dovetail and mortis and tenon joints. Plus ornate crown moldings as well as dentil or rope trim. You might also notice fluted columns and mullion doors in the middle. And flared or bun feet down below.
So what is the likelihood of finding furniture with such intricate cabinetwork at a traditional furniture store, department store or big box store? You guessed it.
Full Range of Styles and Designs
Amish furniture from Brandenberry includes a full range of styles and designs. From Classic to Modern, Mission, and Shaker to Avant-Garde. Also, Amish craftsmen create furniture for every room in your house. They even make furniture for the home office. In fact, Brandenberry online collections include close to 5,000 products. So what makes Amish furniture so unique? Visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture and find out for yourself.
Jun10
What’s So Great About Amish Wood Furniture?
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What’s So Great About Amish Wood Furniture?
What’s So Great About Amish Wood Furniture? Since their emigration from European soil to the hope of freedom on American soil, the Amish have maintained hardworking communities generation after generation. Of the unique contributions the Amish have made to society, perhaps the most well-known is Amish wood furniture. The Amish ethics of simplicity and integrity infuse their craftsmanship. Therefore resulting in wood furnishings that possess a unique, classic style and durable construction that promises years of faithful use.
Amish craftsmen stay true to their ethics of simplicity by hand-crafting their pieces. Though sometimes incorporating new tools and advanced techniques into the woodworking process. Often, they utilize local wood suppliers to find the best indigenous woods available. Hand-sanding, staining, dyeing and painting ensure that not only will each furniture piece be unique, but will bear the distinct mark of the craftsmen. Therefore resulting in a piece that’s one-of-a-kind.
Ultimately, the best place to find Amish wood furniture is at a local furniture market. There you can see first-hand beautifully crafted pieces as well as the wood craftsmen themselves. Woodworking demonstrations and other informal seminars are held to show interested observers how fine handcrafted furniture is made.
Apr11
What’s the Big Deal About Hardwood Furniture?
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The greatest distinguishing factors in what defines quality furniture are handcrafting and the use of hardwood — instead of particleboard and other bargain substitutes. In fact, hardwood furniture separates itself from mass-produced synthetic furniture. Of course, mass-produced furniture is more affordable. So what’s the big deal about hardwood furniture? Assembly-line furniture lacks durability, personal guarantee — and the look of genuine hardwood.
What’s the Big Deal About Hardwood Furniture?
With hardwood furniture, especially handcrafted pieces, you can be assured that they will last for years to come. Also, they possess an inherent beauty and represent the skills and pride of a craftsman.
Durability comes from the strength of the wood and the skill in construction. For example, dovetailed drawers and skillful gluing are enough to ensure a piece stays together indefinitely. What’s more, the inherent beauty of hardwood furniture comes from the quality of the wood species, the finish and the craftsmen’s skill. Often, wood artisans use the highest-quality indigenous hardwoods for their pieces.
Handcrafted hardwood furniture represents the craftsmen who make it. So there is always a point of pride in creating the best possible furnishing. Whatever type of furnishing you are seeking, consider the best: handcrafted hardwood furniture.
Shop Online Or In Person
Brandenberry Amish Furniture offers solid hardwood furniture handcrafted by skilled Amish artisans. You can see thousands of furniture pieces by shopping online. Or, you can visit Brandenberry’s ‘brick and mortar’ store in Shipshewana, Indiana.
Aug15
What’s So Special About Solid Wood Furniture?
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History bears witness to the appeal of solid wood furniture. The great cultures of antiquity — from the Chinese to the Greeks — used wood as a valuable resource in their furniture and utensils. So What’s So Special About Solid Wood Furniture? Here are two reasons solid wood has been the material of choice for fine furniture throughout history.
This Gentlemen’s Chest is a great example of solid wood furniture.
Beauty of Solid Wood Furniture
The popularity of veneered furniture proves a major point. Wood boasts a natural attraction. So it’s widely imitated. Yet, wood is impossible to replicate with synthetic alternatives. In fact, the color, grain, density and scent of natural wood contribute to the unique beauty of natural wood furniture. Plus, these features ensure that each wood piece is one-of-a-kind.
Durability of Solid Wood Furniture
With proper care, wood lasts a long time. And wood also holds its beauty for the long haul. Oak and cherry are two of the most common choices for furniture. And both wood species resist heat, cold, moisture and force. So they’re perfect for furniture that will be used heavily in the home.
Today, with the advent of study, cheap synthetic materials, many question the role of wood in the creation of home furnishings. But synthetic materials will remain a less-favorable alternative to the beauty and durability of solid wood furniture.
What’s So Special About Solid Wood Furniture?
To view a large selection of solid wood furniture, visit Brandenberry Amish Furniture. Or visit our ‘brick and mortar’ store in picturesque Shipshewana, Indiana. And explore solid wood furniture firsthand.
Why pay more for solid wood furniture? One of the first decisions furniture buyers make is whether or not to buy furniture made of solid wood. But this decision might be more difficult than it seems. Because many pieces of furniture these days are made with veneers, plastics, particleboard and the like. And they’re often so nicely finished, even astute buyers have difficulty telling real wood pieces from furniture made from bargain substitutes.
The Traditional Computer Armoire features solid wood construction.
Solid wood furniture is usually more expensive than furniture made with materials like plastics, veneers, and particleboard. Veneers are thin slices of wood that are usually glued to particleboard. And particleboard is made from wood chips, sawmill shavings, and sawdust, which are fused together with glue and pressure.
So why is wood furniture superior to substitutes? Here are a few reasons:
Strength of Solid Wood
The very nature of seasoned hardwood makes it incredibly strong. And that’s why cabinetmakers confidently use solid hardwood for shelves, benches, bed frames and sofa frames. All applications in which the furniture must bear a lot of weight. Also, the density and composition of solid wood enable cabinetmakers to create dovetail and mortise and tenon joints. Plus use screws instead of nails or brads.
Particleboard cannot handle such punishment. That’s because it’s brittle and relatively soft. Plus, it cannot be fashioned like real wood. Also, particleboard is irreplaceable once damaged.
Durability of Solid Wood
Solid hardwood furniture is incredibly sturdy. With proper care, solid wood furniture should last for generations to come. In fact, solid hardwood furniture often become family heirlooms. So solid wood furniture withstands the wear and tear which comes from daily use. Plus, it usually requires minimal maintenance.
And when solid hardwood furniture begins to show its age, you refinish it. Try refinishing a veneer that’s only 1/8 inch thick! And you certainly can’t refinish solid plastic or paper veneers.
Beauty of Solid Wood
Oscar Wilder said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…” So the widespread imitations of solid hardwood furniture underscore this reality. Solid wood furniture is absolutely beautiful.
Amish Furniture: Hardwood Furniture at its Best
Furniture lovers looking for the best in hardwood furniture need look no further than Brandenberry Amish Furniture in Shipshewana, Indiana. This is because skilled Amish cabinetmakers custom-build each piece from solid hardwoods. Like oak, maple, cherry, and hickory. Also, Brandenberry offers just about every type of Amish furniture. From bedroom sets to living room furniture. And from dining room furniture to entertainment furniture. Plus children’s furniture to office furniture.
Why pay more for solid wood furniture? You may pay more initially for solid hardwood furniture from Brandenberry. But factor in the great looks, long life and practical features. And you’ll find Brandenberry hardwood furniture to be a great deal.
