A surprising number of the wood pieces in stores are fakes disguised as the real thing. Amish furniture, especially, is often copied in non-wood materials. It is then sold at the higher price that sturdy, real wood pieces command.

The consumer is stuck with a piece that is of sub-quality material that will break or wear much faster than real wood. Fortunately, there is a way to spot a real piece of furniture.

8 Ways to Spot the Real Deal

1. Turn it upside down. Real wood furniture has unfinished wood “studs” that are a part of the piece’s construction. Look under tables. Pull out drawers and look at the back of furniture. If there are no studs, chances are this is not real wood.
2. Try to pick it up. Real wood furniture is very heavy, much heavier than the faux wood materials. If the dining table takes two men to heft, or that dresser must be moved with a dolly and an extra hand, you may have real wood on your hands.
3. Feel it. The wood grain texture is very difficult to fake. Run your fingers over the piece to feel the ridges. There should be peaks and valleys. Sometimes the finish fills in the grain, so don’t dismiss the piece if you can’t feel the grain.
4. Smell it. Furniture made of evergreens (pine and cedar) have a very strong and distinct smell. Other hardwoods like hickory, maple, and oak will also have a smell of earth and wood. Point your nose toward the unfinished portions underneath and inside of wood furniture pieces. The cherry wood often used by Amish Tables will also give off a wood-like smell.
5. Look for patterns. Planks form quarter sawn oak furniture. White oak has a tiger stripping effect, while red oak is characterized by it ring-like pattern (see the Charleston Chest by Amish Tables for an example).
6. Pay attention to the coloring. Cherry wood furniture should have light and dark pieces that aren’t uniform, as the wood’s color varies from the middle of a log to the wood located near the bark. See the Belmont Bed. Hickory wood color varies in a greater degree than cherry wood as does black walnut and cedar. The Heritage 4 Drawer Chest has this light and dark color pattern. Another trick is to trace the grain lines to the end of the board. The line should be continuous; forming a half ring where the wood was saw off to make the table edge.
7. Get a closer look at the detail. Real wood pieces have intricate detail that is obviously hand carved. You can see the imperfections with a magnifying glass.
8. Search for planks or pieces. Particleboard and veneers can be made in one long sheet. Thus Planking can be a sign of real wood. For an example, see the BonBelle Armoire by Amish Tables.

Up Close and Personal

The only way to know if the piece that caught your eye is real wood is to get a good look at it. Bring a flashlight and magnifying glass to help you get up close and personal with the pieces. Look beyond the beautiful surface and you may just save yourself the cost and headache of buying a fake disguised as the real deal.

5 Reasons Why Fine Furniture is Eco-Friendly

1. Recyclable. True heirloom, fine furniture is recyclable in an unconventional way. Several owners can reuse the piece before the end of that heirloom is carted off to the landfill. Long after their original use, some furniture is reclaimed or the accessories (like handles, knobs and hinges) are used as interior decoration. Accessories are also placed on other functional furniture to add character.
2. Durability. Although the original pricing on fine furniture can be quite expensive, the pieces end up lasting much longer than other types of furniture. In this way, the fine pieces end up saving you the cost of replacing them every few years (sooner if made of inferior materials). Furthermore, broken furniture goes into the trash–unusable. Like all durable goods, fine furniture’s longevity equals one less tree that has to be cut down.
3. Natural. Fine furniture that is similar to the pieces made at Amish Tables isn’t made using plastics. The plastics and other materials contribute to the nation’s petroleum dependence and to global warming. There are also no veneers (wood or synthetic filler) to inhibit quality or particleboard, known to release small amounts of toxic formaldehyde into the air.
4. Pesticide free crops. The fine furniture makers that supply Amish Tables and a few other distributors prohibit the use of pesticides on the new cotton grown for use in its upholstery.
5. Transported efficiently. Family furniture makers, including those working with Amish Tables, custom make each piece. They then ship it from the showroom direct to your home. There is no distribution center and thus no need for the additional freight. That and the ship-on-demand-system cuts down on unnecessary freight emissions.

No Need to Suffer When Going Green

Everyone can contribute to the green effort, without sacrificing style in your home. However, the change to eco-friendly living does require you to research not only the furniture that you intend to buy, but also the company making it. Make sure that the manufacturer supports environmentally conscience activities from the material acquisition to your doorstep.

Tip 1: Divide, and then Conquer

Family rooms are often very large, open spaces – perfect for family bonding and lounging. They are sometimes attached to other rooms like the kitchen or formal living room. Whatever the makeup of the space, it must be divided into areas of function based on your family’s habits. For example, designate an area for children and their toys and an area for office work.

Make the Divisions. Paint the walls a different color to recognize different parts of the room These colors should be taken from the room’s overall color scheme.

Use the furniture to create dividers as well. For example, make a corner of the family room the child’s space. Pull the child’s toy bins (especially if they’re stackable or on a rack) to make a third wall. No matter how short the wall may be, it serves as a visual divider in the room. You can also use the couch or a loveseat to create a partition as well.

Tip 2: Use Functional Furniture

Family rooms are clutter magnates. Come to terms with this fact and you can move on to the multipurpose furniture. Examples of functional furniture is the coffee table with deep working drawers, a combination chest with storage/resting places, hollow ottomans or an end tables with drawers and/or shelves.  Entertainment centers are some of the best functional pieces because they come with several shelves, drawers, and cabinets that can contain the clutter.

Give the furniture a function. Every family is different, so I suggest sitting down and deciding what role each piece will play in your family room.  For instance, coffee tables like the Amies Coffee Table found at Amish Tables has multiple drawers and shelves. These can be used for containing reading materials or coloring books and crayons. The takeout menus, mail-to be-sorted or books that the family is reading can be stored in the drawers and shelves. Give each piece and each drawer/shelf a purpose that the family agrees on and acknowledges.

Tip 3: Keep the Flat Surfaces Just That—Flat!

In the interior organization business, there is a law of flat surfaces. These tabletops, desktops, and even exposed shelves always attract clutter, loose change, notes, and so on. Very soon, the surface and the room is overflowing in papers, files, books, and other things.

Break the law! Unlike the law of gravity, the law of flat surfaces is breakable. Use baskets that fit under the end tables and coffee table. Designate a basket for toys, blankets, stray clothing, etc. so that you can easily remove these things from the flat surfaces.

Use pieces like the Amish Tables’ Spring Hill File Cabinet that looks like an end table. It places an organizational concept, like the file cabinet in the middle of the family living space. This makes filing those stray papers much easier. Also, look into ottomans with removable tops and a storage space inside.

Relax

The goal is to be together as a family without the stress of the surrounding mess. This mess makes the room uninviting and filled with distractions. These tips on organization are created to make both banishing the clutter and keeping it away an easy task. In time, the family room can be a place where the family can be together.  Organizing the family room can make it a more function and comfortable gathering place.

As you can see from our testimonials, customers love everything about Amish furniture, but many want to know more about the Amish traditions that produce such desirable pieces.  Have you ever wondered who the Amish are? We’d like to takes this moment to answer some of your questions on the Amish culture behind that inspired the furniture.

Question: Do the Amish really believe that electricity and modern culture are evil?

Answer: No, this is a common misconception.  The Amish community chooses not to connect to electrical lines because it would be a connection to the modern world. The Amish lifestyle avoids any conformity to the ways of the modern world and it’s culture. A reliance on electricity (and definitely use of the internet) signifies a conformation.

Additionally, they only use modern conveniences if necessary to get through daily life. In the Amish community, electricity is simply not necessary. They still use the same cooking, working and living practices that our ancestors did as far back as the 17th century.

Question: Do the Amish use anything from the modern world? How do they interact with people outside the Amish community without electricity ?

Answer: Yes, the Amish do use modern conveniences, if the use is indeed necessary to the task at hand. Sometimes, their interactions with people outside the community—Englishers, as Amish call them—requires the use of certain conveniences like a telephone or a vehicle.

For example, some communities may hire a taxi or truck to carry large amounts of supplies or several people to town. This is done only if the horse and wagon are incapable of the job. The trip must also be a necessity, that means no sightseeing or social visits. Some communities also have telephones that are used only for practical and necessary purposes, like calling the taxi.

Question: The Amish are plain but their furniture has distinct character. How do they accomplish this?

Answer: Plain does not have to be bland. Furniture artisans in all cultures show creativity in their work. The furniture for Amish Tables is not overly ornate or heavy on the decorative details. Rather, they are simple pieces with clean lines, shaped for comfort and utility. The furniture is amazingly sturdy. You see this as character in the Amish Tables bedroom furniture line as well as with other pieces throughout the website.

More Questions

Hopefully these answers erased some of the mystery out there about Amish furniture and Amish culture. If you have any more questions for us, email Casey at Casey@amishtables.com and he will answer your question as soon as possible.

If you’re looking for some great web-resources on the web, check out the following sites:

Amish America
Amish FAQ
An Amish FAQ – 20 Most Asked Questions

This first posting focuses on some common themes on our blog, such as Going Green, Woodworking, Interior Design, and Amish innovations. If you’d like to see one of your posts appear in next month’s Carnival, email us or ping us on Twitter.

Enjoy the Carnival!

Furniture from Recycled Wine Barrels

You can go Green in so many ways these days. Most of the time, going Green involves mindfully conserving energy, but there’s also the “reusable materials” route. This post on Makezine.com showcases handmade furniture that has been recycled from oak wine barrels.  Charming, sturdy and GREEN furniture for your next design project.

Affordable Ventless Fireplaces

Sorry, chimney sweeps. No more soot and clean-up with these fireplaces.  You can find plenty of traditionally charming fireplaces in our catalog, but if you’re looking for a modern look, a ventless fireplace might be your best choice. These stunning models install right into a wall and burn bio-ethanol for a warm, yet eco-friendly ambiance.

TV Cabinet Buying Tips

This post comes from a fellow Amish Furniture distributor in Indiana. As the post accurately points out, shopping for TV Cabinets is an overwhelming task these days.  First, ask yourself what your needs are for your TV Cabinet and then move on to the purchase.

Design*Sponge 2009 Gift Guides: Under $100

Design*Sponge is a great interior design/crafty blog that we follow regularly, with advice to fill your interior design with personality and flair.  This post, while a bit dated, has great ideas that can freshen up your decor for cheap.

Learn Woodworking With Megan (a Real Teacher)

This post goes out to our readers in Indiana especially. Woodworking Magazine is a valuable resource for any craftsman that know their way around a workbench. Their blog is just as valuable, producing daily hints and tips about their latest projects and pieces. If you’re looking to get started with woodworking, check out this post announcing a great class to start this May in Indiana.

Making Furniture with Sawdust

Here’s some inspiration for our “Do-it-Yourself” and crafts readers. After reading this post, that leftover sawdust won’t seem half as annoying. Lea Bogdan of Inhabitat.com, profiles a handcrafted coffee table crafted from sawdust scraps.  The table was recently honored in Designbloom’s Intelligent Hand competition. Make sure you check out the cool pictures posted on the blog. Now that’s recycling!

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for some excellent posts coming up this week and we look forward to bringing you next month’s Blog Carnival on everything Amish Furniture has to offer!

5 Tips for Modernizing the Home Office

This year, 2010 is the perfect time to start redecorating your home workspace. The trend for the next decade calls for color and simplicity (something that Amish Furniture Home is known for). There are five ways to implement the trend into your home office for a new modern look.

1. Use Color

The new decade calls for bold colors and the most basic hues on the color wheel. They are the red, blue, black and white—the primary colors. Find the boldest and brightest of these colors in your desk chair cushion, area rug for the floor or traffic rugs for larger offices. Use a neutral color to offset the bold accents. Because this is a home office, you cannot forget the supplies. Use them to accentuate your office. Look for bold colors in staplers, in/out bins, files, push pins, trashcans, pencil holders, sharpeners and other accessories.


2. Stay Away from Detail

Modernizing for 2010 calls for the clean look. This means staying away from ornate details in the furniture along with intricate upholstery patterns and a complicated rug design. For this modernization, plain and bold are the only requirements.

3. Clean Lines

Many people believe that modernizing entails space age, uncomfortable furniture. On the contrary, the modernization for 2010 only calls for clean lines and shapes that can be considered geometric. Above all else, the décor must be simple. This is actually a style of furniture that the Amish are known for—clean and simple. Amish Furniture Home has pieces that are made in this way. Look at the royal mission desk as an example of the lines needed to modernize your home office.

4. Go Natural

In the spirit of conservation and becoming more in tune to the environment, the new modern home office uses environmentally safe, sustainable, and natural materials. Materials like bamboo and wood from sustainable sources are safer on the environment than plastics and are more inviting than the industrial chrome of the commercial office. An example is the Caledonia File Cabinet for natural inspiration (shown right).

5. Clear the Clutter

Finally, the modernized home office must be clutter free. Look for pieces with plenty of storage space—drawers, shelves etc. Modernize with pieces like the Amish Furniture Home’s Arts and Crafts Bookcase that has plenty of storage needed to keep your home office de-cluttered.

Modernize Without Fear

The year 2010 is a perfect time to think about applying the new trend to your office. In addition to the tax benefit, the comfort, simplicity, and bold colors will be a muse to get your mind in the work mode. If you need another incentive, just ask your accountants—the new look may be tax deductible.

Furniture stores are chock full of “hand made” and “American Made” goods. The spirited “Buy American” campaign has always been apart of the American retail market, spurring US shoppers to support the economy and their neighbors.

Due to a variety of patriotic issues in the past decade, the authenticity of “American-Made” claims were rarely questioned. However, that was before the cribs started breaking.

A Revelation in a Recall

The American furniture industry, along with the National Consumer Safety Commission, set rules and guidelines for manufacturing safe furniture products. Unfortunately, these are rules that other nations tend to forgo. Usually, costs and time constraints prevent routine checks and safety measures. This leads to shortcuts in manufacturing and eventually an injury or (God forbid) death from use of that product. It also reveals that the furniture pieces were not truly made in the U.S.

The Year the Cribs Started Breaking

The large crib recall of 2009 is an example of how the safety issues can lead to the unimaginable. A number of deaths resulted in a large-scale recall of the baby furniture. More than one U.S. company imported and sold cribs that were not made to our nation’s furniture industry standards. One problem was a gap between the mattress and the wooden rail on the side of the crib. It was large enough to injure the infant.

Crumbling Slats

The slats themselves were also an issue. They were made from materials that could not withstand the daily crib use. Many of the cribs suffered broken slats, another hazard for small children.

The slats on many of the cribs were also too far apart to meet the furniture industry standards. The baby could get his head through the gap and have severe difficulty getting out. The subsequent crib recall revealed that the cribs were really manufactured in China, contrary to what their advertisers would have you believe. These cribs, like many other recalled furniture pieces before them, came from a nation that did not adhere to the same set of furniture-making standards and regulations as all U.S. furniture companies would have.

Truly American Made

A true American Made product is manufactured here in the U.S., using materials from American farms, forests, rivers and other natural resources. The true companies also adhere to standards that have consumer safety and product quality in mind. Family owned businesses like Amish Tables, LLC augment each new standard to the workmanship that the company has used for decades. The result is a truly American Made, safe, and gorgeous crib for your baby.

Trying to keep up with yearly trend changes can get expensive. It could also leave you with uncomfortable, useless furniture and unattractive pieces that are too fragile to have around children. Fortunately, there are other ways to keep up with the trend without breaking the bank, sacrificing comfort, or relegating the kids to their bedrooms until next year’s trend.

5 Ways to Go Trendy while Staying Family Friendly

1. Durability – You should begin any redecoration with quality furniture that can serve the family, and withstand it. Also look for storage — the necessity in family furniture. AmishFurnitureHome.com’s vast inventory of furniture provides tons of extra storage with additional (sometimes hidden) spaces. Amish craftsman build with sturdy woods, which are perfect for family use.
2. Slipcovers – This handy fashion accessory is your friend when trying to chase the trends. They can change the look of a sofa, loveseat, and even dining room chairs. Slipcovers are a fraction of the price of a new piece and they come in all colors and patterns. The slipcovers can be long or short, made of spandex, cotton, or fabric blends. You can easily argue that the best quality of the slipcovers is their durability. Spills are inevitable so why not make the cleanup easier?  Simply pull the cover off the furniture and toss it in the wash. Change them as often as you like without breaking the bank.
3. Pull the shades. A lampshade is another fix for a room. Change it as much as the slipcovers because they are similar in variety and pricing. The decorating possibilities are endless.
4. Stained Wood – Put a little hard work into the decorating by stripping and staining or reupholstering your furniture pieces. Stains can change the look in a matter of hours. Upholstery works in the same way. All it takes is the price of the stain, upholstery nails, fabric, and tools.
5. Covers – Cover up your table, cabinet and buffet tops for a different look. Take a trendy pattern and make it into a runner, tablecloth, throw or mat for a vase, decorative basket, candles or any other accessory. This is better than buying new furniture for a different look.

The Trendy Family Rooms

A family doesn’t have to relegate you to scuffed, scarred, mis-matched or damaged furniture. Pick your furniture today, knowing that, even on a whim, your family room could be transformed into Trendy, without losing the comfort and family friendly atmosphere.

What’s a Blog Carnival?

A blog carnival is a type of blog event that is easily compared to print magazines (thanks Wikipedia!).  They’re published according to a regular schedule and revolve around a central topic with content coming from multiple sources.

Blog carnivals are a fun way for bloggers to provide their readers regular collections of recently published, high quality resources. With these blog carnivals, web communities can begin a discussion and get a high standard of information on a certain niche.

In addition to AFH’s carnival, you can find a wide range of carnivals, or even start your own, at BlogCarnival.

The Amish Furniture Home Carnival

Our Carnival will be posted every third Wednesday of the month.

If you’d like to submit your post for inclusion, entries will be due by the Sunday preceding the third Wednesday of each month. That means that submissions for next month are due by Sunday, February 14 (Happy Valentines Day!), with the first carnival going up on Wednesday, February 17.

Submissions can made in one of two ways:

1. Complete the form on our BlogCarnival page
2. Contact us directly at @amishhome on Twitter with the URL, title and a brief description of your post

Please only submit posts that fall within the following topics:

• Interior Design
• Amish Furniture
• Green Furniture
• Sustainable Living
• Bringing the Family Together
• Ann Arbor
• Michigan Furniture

The articles we accept will be rewarded with a do-follow link from our blog and will have the honor of being included with some of the best content on the net.

Please limit your submissions to two posts per month.

Thanks for reading and we look forward to your posts! Let’s have some fun, it’s a carnival after all!

Feel the Quality

We have been servicing most of our customers through our family websites (AmishTables.com & Amish-Furniture-Home.com) over the past few years, but the showroom has bolstered our hometown affiliation. Customers are now able to feel the handcrafted, heirloom quality that characterizes Amish furniture. As you can see from the picture to the right, our showroom is perfect for hands-on testing.

The ability to experience Amish pieces in person is something we are very happy to provide store visitors. All the testimonials in the world can’t replicate the comfort of laying on one of our beds or sitting in our rocking chairs.

Open House: January 28!

As we kick off this new adventure, we invite you to join us in the official opening this Thursday, January 28. We’re holding an open house from 11:00am-7:00pm. All guests will take home a 5% discount coupon and a complimentary coffee mug. If free gifts and light refreshments aren’t enough to bring you in, how about a drawing for a gift of over $500?! It should be a great day and we look forward to a new era of Amish Tables in Ann Arbor, MI.M

In the News!

Amish Tables was in the news recently. Check out this wonderful article by Angela Smith of Ann Arbor.com: Amish Tables Celebrates Expanded Ann Arbor Showroom.