The modern day Amish craftsmen have kept the tradition of Mission furniture, crafted in hard solid American woods, alive into the 21st Century. Mission design was originally inspired by Southwestern North America’s buildings, actually real Missions built for and by missionaries. The Southwest United States had architecture that was influenced by the natural environment that the Native Americans and Mexicans lived in. In the late 1800’s a furniture designer spotted the substantial styles that used native materials and created a new market for Mission furniture, accessories and even homes.

At the advent of Mission was another movement crossing the pond from England, the Arts and Crafts philosophy. The Arts and Crafts movement was a blatant revolt against the industrial age where everything was mass produced by machines. They, as artists and art supporters, believed that there was an overwhelming need to go back to handmade items that were high quality and showed integrity, such as in the Middle Ages. The Amish community that crafts the Mission furniture today has always held the same beliefs.

With this form follows function, back to the basics ideals, Arts and Crafts followers and artisans appropriated the heavy and homemade air of Mission with its use of square design, hardwood oaks, mortise-and-tenon jointing and use of dark stain. The upholstery was not flowery, like the opulent Victorian styles, but usually made of rugged leathers. Hardware was heavy hammered copper and oversized exposed nail heads. Always the furniture was usable as well as beautiful and made from native hardwoods.

The Amish still recreate the sturdy and straight line hardwood furniture in dining room tables, living room furniture and bedroom creations. Still made of the same native oaks, quarter sawn oaks, maples and cherry these pieces are the same museum quality that the artisans in Arts and Crafts heyday practiced. Though Mission is not a subtle design it is full of warmth and charm. Today there are many series, all continuing in the standards of the founders of Mission. Classic, Bridger, Brooklyn, McCoy, Ridgecrest, Royal, Shaker, Springhill, West Lake, West Village, Landmark and Flush are all custom made in the today in Amish country by contemporary believers of the Arts and Craft Society of yesteryear.

Tags: Amish, Amish Community, Amish Furniture Styles, Arts and Crafts, Hardwood Furniture, Mission

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 at 3:50 pm and is filed under Amish Furniture Styles, Arts and Crafts, Craftsman, Design Style, Mission. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.