Amish furniture, as its name says, is manufactured by Amish people, it’s made of hardwood in many cases, with the addition of particle boards if needed. But, the real Amish furniture is usually made o wood, they work on it alone, without using machines, and that’s why it’s more expensive than the other known models.
The goal is to made beds, tables, kitchen tops, and other pieces by hand. It’s not a style, as many people think. Amish furniture means it’s completely handmade by the woodworkers, providing exceptional quality for those who can afford it. Since it’s made of wood, the lines are fine, and joineries are exposed. Even though it may look a little weird because no machine is included in any process, you are getting a unique, traditional, plain, and very elegant piece of your home.
But, do you know that they don’t run their online stores by themselves? We all know about Amish beliefs for the life, but they will completely believe some retailers who will run their website for them, receiving orders, and ship the pieces to the customer. You can check more here to see how these things look and fall in love with this specific way the furniture is made.
And if you want to buy some special piece, you need to know some of these things:
1. They stand by the quality and techniques
Some people don’t believe it’s possible to handcraft quality furniture, especially when hardwood is used. But, keep in mind that Amish people are experienced craftsmen who follow the life cycle of nature, and they always know when the wood is good to be used as a material, or they need to leave it for another season, and then harvest it, and work on it. That means if you buy a piece made by Amish, you are buying yourself a clear love for nature, quality crafting, and a product with a purpose.
2. The price is worth it
You can’t expect cheap furniture made by the Amish craftsmen. They work really hard so they can use the whole piece of wood without leaving a lot of waste behind them. Their mission is to get the best they can from that particular piece and turn it into art you will get for your own pleasure. Anyway, the high price is not always an indicator of the best quality. That’s why they will recommend you visit their workshops and choose it by yourself.
There is a reason why these people don’t trust modern technology, and getting the right image of things is only one of them. In traditional furniture salons you can find pieces inspired by the Amish design and approach, but for a more affordable price. But, don’t fall for them, because you will only be “fooled”, because no one can ever make an exact replica of Amish furniture, using only cheaper materials. Probably those are copies, that aren’t worth having.
3. You have customization options
You can choose the wood type and even the wood stain together with you. They are open to help you with the design, and that means you will get an exceptional and probably unique design, made just for you. They will also help you to choose the best quality, that will meet the aesthetics of your home. You can even visit them while working, to see the process and make changes if you have better ideas at the moment.
4. The whole process is green
When we say handcrafted, we literally mean it. Their work is eco-friendly since they don’t use machines to work with the wood. Everything you see is done by their hands, since their whole culture is based on respect for nature, and using its resources as given. They are responsible when harvesting, and their mission is to also plant a new wood every time they use an old one to manufacture unique and exceptional pieces of furniture for you.
5. You can design it together with them
These handcrafters are always open to listen to your ideas and help you design the new piece together with you. They won’t start working on it until you claim your offer. Keep in mind that they are dedicated only to you, depending on the complexity levels of the process, and how demanding is the design. But, you have a unique chance to choose the edging, wood, crafting, and even polishing, making you an integral part of the design and manufacturing process.
6. Amish furniture is not a brand
Even though some people can consider it like that. But, if they were a brand, they would have the same offer for everyone, with limited options for customization. Their approach in creating new things is using the whole potential of what nature gave us, including the design and quality of the furniture you are buying from them. That’s why their prices are higher too, compared to the traditional crafters who use wooden panels instead of hardwood.
7. Their furniture comes with instructions for proper maintenance
Knowing that a lot of effort is put into manufacturing, we can say that it’s surely made well, using quality materials. Polishing is also a part of the whole process. According to most of these manufacturers, it’s enough just to remove the dust from the furniture, without using any additional oils or products. A good microfiber cloth and polish that doesn’t contain wax are simple enough to make it always look exceptional. Keep in mind that as times go by, the shades and colors can change, because of the conditions in the environment, but that’s not bad at all.
Now you know everything you need to know about this particular technique and approach to manufacturing furniture. You don’t buy something you need for your home – you are buying a piece of art, and you must appreciate that. If you make this choice, you will get a great addition to your home. Just make sure you can afford all of that because there is no price negotiation when the other side doesn’t negotiate about the quality.