How do you Fill a Hope Chest?

The hope chest is one of the staples of Amish furniture that you can buy right here in Oregon, but what is it exactly? Many people use it as storage, but there is a much deeper meaning behind it, and it’s all about taking those first few steps into adulthood.

Hope Chests are the Most Sentimental Piece of Amish Furniture

A hope chest is designed for legacy building, to put it as simply as possible. If you have a daughter, for example, and if she is expected to wed one day, then the hope chest would hold all of the items that she might need for her first steps into adulthood, and perhaps even the items needed for building her first household. There are so many odds and ends that need to be placed in a house, and being prepared to go in, well, that’s absolutely priceless.

The Items You Put in a Hope Chest

Amish Hope ChestAs we said before there are many people who will use their hope chest for storage, but that really isn’t the intended purpose. A hope chest is designed to be passed on to a daughter to be sure that she is ready for adulthood, and that can be a tall order. So what does that mean exactly? The following are a few of the items that you might find inside a typical hope chest:

  • Blankets – Quilted or knitted blankets are essentials for a new home, and they are the perfect item for a hope chest.
  • Dishes – When moving into a new home dishes are essential and they can be prohibitively expensive, at least for the best sets. Plates, cups, and bowls are essential for starting a new life and if you can, throw in some silverware.
  • Sentimental Items – While we won’t go into every single item that you should be putting in a hope chest but we will say that certain sentimental items should be passed down. The definition of sentimental is going to be up to you, so think about it before you fill your hope chest.

Choose Amish Furniture for Sale

Obviously, the hope chest is not a concept exclusive to Amish furniture, but it is one that is better executed in Amish hands. The same can be said for most pieces, and the best Amish furniture will last a lifetime and beyond. Just imagine being able to give your daughter a hope chest that she will then pass down to her children, and even further. It’s an amazing concept and it’s one that you can fully realize by visiting an Amish furniture store. Check out our selection today and invest in a hope chest that will last a lifetime!

 

 

Quick Ideas for Extra Seating

At some point you might find yourself taking a look around your living room and maybe, just maybe you’ll come to the conclusion that you need some extra seating. The same could apply to your dining room or even your sunroom. No matter what, you’re going to have some issues, so how do you find extra seating and what should you go with? When it comes to Amish furniture for sale in Washington you happen to have plenty of choices, so let’s get started!

Choose Benches as your Secondary Amish Furniture Seating

A really quick solution for your seating issues would be to use benches. These are available in many different styles, from the typical four-legged option all the way to the trestle style that fits in quite well with the more rustic settings. Benches are perfect for informal environments and are a great item to place along the edge of the room.

Try Some Chairs on for Size

Amish FurnitureAnother great option for you would be to add some chairs to your environment. For example, it would be a great idea for you to consider a Queen Lounge chair which comes in a beautiful leather backed format. You may also think about adding our high back panel chair with cloth upholstery for a more informal environment. Keep in mind that if you browse through our selection, you can easily find chairs that match your existing seating.

Consider a Love Seat

You might not have the space to add a full-size couch to your room but you CAN consider adding a love seat which is a bit smaller and still just as functional as a couch. They normally sit 2 adults, but you can accommodate up to three children if they are small enough. As always, loveseats are available in either the upholstered or the fabric variety, making them incredibly useful on all levels and in all settings.

Add Bar Stools to your Kitchen

Finally, as you browse our Amish furniture store for seating, don’t forget to look at barstools. These are a great addition to your kitchen and you will find that they are the perfect extra seating option for when you have multiple people over and no more room at your table.

When you buy Amish furniture you’re getting a high level of quality for your money. Yes, it can be a bit more expensive than your average furniture investment, but in the end, it’s well worth it. Start looking into it today and make sure you’re ready to receive company.

 

A Quick Guide to Living Room Arrangement

You already have your eye on some Amish furniture, and maybe you’re thinking about adding a new table to your dining room, but how do you arrange your living room? It’s much easier than you think, but if you’re trying for the first time then it can probably become a bit overwhelming. Don’t worry, we’re here to help.

Tips for Setting up your Living Room with Amish Furniture

Starting with your living room, you can really make a difference with the best Amish living room furniture, but where do you begin? We tend to start with the sofa.

Amish FurnitureSofa – Place your sofa at a prominent location in your living room – either against the wall or in an area where it will face the television. Make sure that there is adequate space to walk around it, and ensure that it’s not taking up the entire living room.

Endtables – In our Amish furniture store, we offer plenty of end tables whether they’re the alive edge or fully formed. These tables can be placed at either end of the couch, or you can place one against the wall to hold a lamp.

Coffee Table – You’ll find that we not only have the best Amish furniture for sale, we also have some of the best coffee tables. Just like our end tables, we have a great selection of live edge furniture as well as more domesticated styles. The coffee table needs to be placed near the sofa, but once again, make sure you can walk around it while being able to sue it.

Chairs – The couch provides lots of seating but chairs can give you the little bit of extra you need. An empire style chair can be amazing for the company, but recliners are good for relaxing at the end of the day. Position your extra chairs near the walls or in the vicinity of your couch.

TV Stand – If you look through our online Amish furniture store you will find plenty of plasma TV stands, and they are well suited to your living room. When you are setting it up, place it at the head of your living room and make sure that it is well within view of your couch and the rest of your chairs.

Use the Best Amish Furniture

When you buy Amish furniture you’re not just purchasing a product; you’re making an investment into the future of your home. Our store contains some of the best pieces you’ll find anywhere, and you’ll discover that they can last for generations, giving you something to pass down to your children. That’s just not a claim you can make with most pieces of furniture! Make the right investment and make your home look amazing.

 

How to Refinish Solid Wood Furniture

Amish furniture is an amazing addition to nearly any home, but as with any other type of furniture there is going to come a point where you need to make sure it remains intact, and that’s not always easy. Today we’re going to be talking a bit about how to properly refinish furniture and how to make it last for a very long time. Let’s start at the very beginning!

Refinishing Amish Furniture

Refinishing Amish FurnitureThe concept of refinishing the best Amish furniture might seem very simple but there is in fact quite a bit to it. You need the right tools, you need to be patient, and you need to get the job done right. Keep in mind that you can turn this into a weekend project, but you do need to make sure that you give yourself the time to complete the following steps:

  • Remove Finish
  • Fill Grain
  • Apply a Sanding Sealer
  • Stain the Wood
  • Apply Clear Coat to the Wood

Now that we know what to do, let’s take a quick look at these steps in detail.

Step 1: Removing the Old Finish

In order to remove the old finish you are going to need chemical strippers, but do make sure you’re practicing safety when using them. For example you’ll need to make sure you’re wearing rubber gloves, eye protection, and most certainly a dust mask. Most importantly, make sure that the room you’re working in has adequate ventilation. Once you use a paint stripper, do make sure that you allow the wood time to dry before you move on to the next steps.

Step 2: Sanding it Down

There is a common misconception that after you use a chemical stripper you won’t need to sand, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. As always, make sure you have adequate ventilation and eye protection! When you are sanding, go in the same direction of the grain, and use a palm sander of 80-150 grit to complete the removal of the finish. Continue until you see bare wood.

Step 3: Time to Fill the Grain

Theoretically this would be an optional step and it all depends on the grain type. If the wood has a tight grain you can skip this step, but if it has open grain, filler might become a necessity. Woods with open grain include oak or mahogany.

Step 4: Sanding Sealer

A sanding sealer is a great idea because it will help your Amish furniture to absorb the stain you apply evenly so that it looks amazing once you are done and have it sitting in your living room. You’ll want to start by applying a heavy coat and permitting it to soak into the wood, and then wipe of excess with a rag before you allow it to dry. Once ready, proceed to sand the surface to get an even application.

Step 5: Stain It!

You’re almost finished! All you need to do is stain the wood, and you can choose from several different types of stain which include:

  • Water Based
  • Oil Based
  • Gel
  • One-Step

As always, no matter which of these you choose, start by applying a generous coat, and then removing any excess with a clean cloth. Then, apply another coat to the surface. This may need to be done multiple times, just make sure you allow the stain to dry between coats.

Step 6: Apply the Clear Coat

Once you apply a clear coat you can make your piece of furniture look just as it did when you first saw it at the Amish furniture store. Simply apply a clear coat tot he wood, and the surface, and apply one more layer. As always, make sure you’re allowing the coat to dry between layers!

You can expand on these steps as you learn your own new tips and tricks, and you’ll definitely want to keep expanding your knowledge! When you pick up any Amish furniture for sale you want to make sure that it lasts for a very long time, and refinishing is one sure way to guarantee that it does!

 

New Year’s Home Decorating Resolutions

We’re getting close to the end of December and we all know what that means: it means it’s time for new year’s resolutions! Whatever you happen to have planned for this new year, there is absolutely nothing wrong with changing it up a little by adding some new furniture to your home. Maybe you want to add a new chair, or maybe you want to take it a step further by replacing your entire couch.

Decorating for the new year is a serious challenge, but you don’t need us to tell you that. We’re going to spend some time going over the different pieces of furniture you’re going to want to buy fresh or completely replace during your New Year’s shopping trip. Let’s go over some of the best in Amish furniture!

Amish Furniture your Home Needs in the New Year

Amish Furniture

It’s a new year and a new you, so take these suggestions and get your home renovation underway:

Try a New Couch

Whether you like it or not, the couch is the centerpiece of your home and you need to treat it as such! It is front and center when your guests come over and you can rest assured that it’s going to see a lot of use over the years. That said, when you are buying a new couch you need to make sure that it looks good, and you need to make sure that it’s going to withstand some serious use. Tapered legs and leather upholstery are a great combination, but no matter what you choose to go with, you’re going to find that it looks amazing in your living room.

Replace that Old Coffee Table

If you’ve had your coffee table for a while then it might be time to replace it and you have lots of options. Coffee tables come in many different styles, giving you plenty of leeway in your living room design quest.

Consider an Endtable

Endtables are yet another important part of your home whether you’re putting them in the living room or going so far as to put them in bedrooms or sunrooms.

Do you Need a New Bed?

One of the most important questions that you can ask yourself is whether or not you need a new bed. The bed is a crucial part of your bedroom, your children’s bedrooms, and even your guest bedroom if you have one. A bed purchased at an Amish furniture store can last for a very long time and is without a doubt one of your greatest home assets.

Get Ready for 2018

It’s time for you to get into the cleaning and renovation mood! The New Year is almost here and you’re riding into it with a new home aesthetic. Take a look at our inventory today and get ready to renovate!

 

Designing a New Office? Here’s what you Need to Know About Choosing Furniture

We’re coming up on 2018 very fast and there is no reason you shouldn’t want a new office for a new year. You might be planning on redesigning the entire thing, or you might be planning to completely rework your entire office or maybe you’re just planning to replace a few pieces of furniture. No matter what the plan is, you need to make sure that it all matches and that it’s in place to last for a very long time. Let’s go over some of the things that you’ll need to know about Amish furniture before you really get into it.

Amish Furniture Needs to Match the Room

When we say it needs to match the room we have several different meanings:

Color – When people go out and buy Amish furniture they often pay no mind to the color but there is actually a significant difference and you can see it clearly under the stain. The stain does play a part in whether or not the piece is dark or light, but the tone of the wood is the determining factor in what the piece looks like and how effective it will be in the existing setting.

Style – If you’ve been reading our blog posts then you already know that there is a significant difference between the Mission and Shaker styles, so choose carefully. Remember, Mission style Amish furniture for sale is usually much more plain while Shaker style is more ornate.

Pay Attention to the Size

The best Amish furniture looks great but if you don’t size it properly you’re going to find that it takes up far too much space making your office non-functional or too little space which makes space look ridiculous. It is important to find a healthy medium and to make sure that you’re measuring the space out before you commit to buying any new furniture. The right size furniture can make your space much more functional!

Choose the Right Pieces

There are many great Amish furniture pieces out there and when you’re outfitting your office you will need to choose carefully. Pick from desks, end tables, chairs, and much more, all of which are designed to help you and your office to reach their maximum potential. Check out our inventory today and start building your ideal work environment!

 

A Guide to Wood Regions – Where is your Furniture From?

buying Amish furniture Buying furniture is easy but getting exactly what you want? That can be a bit of a challenge. In our opinion, buying Amish furniture really starts with the type of wood the furniture in question is made out of. Today we’re going to take a quick look at different wood variants and most importantly, where they come from. The best Amish furniture can be made from any number of different wood species and it all depends on what you need. Let’s start by taking a look at Cherry

Cherry – A Staple of Amish Furniture

Cherry trees are popular, but they only make up 3% of the commercially available hardwoods in the United States. Cherry has a long history, often used in the highest end furniture. It has a high shock resistant, is easy to carve, and brings a smooth finish when properly polished.

Location: Eastern United States

 

Hard Maple – A Tough Alternative to Cherry

Hard maple is a little more popular than cherry, making up a full 8% of the hardwoods commercially available in the United States and they are often called the ‘cold weather tree’. You will find hard maple in the Northern United States, and the heartwood is a light reddish brown.

Location: Northern and Eastern United States

 

Hickory – Heavy and Coarse

Hickory isn’t the most popular wood out there as it makes up just 2% of the available hardwood in the US. It has a slow growth rate, meaning the harvesting is not equivalent to the growth rate. In fact, many of these trees will take up to 200 years to mature! The wood itself is very heavy, difficult to machine, but worth it in the end.

Location: Eastern United States

 

Soft Maple – A Good Substitute for Hard Maple

Soft maple is a great alternative for its more expensive cousin, and it is often used as the substitute. It is a straight-grained wood and features a fine texture, exhibiting good bending properties, and of course being an outstanding candidate for glues, nails, and screws. Soft maple is also very easy to stain, making it a great choice for those who want a cheaper alternative to the more costly woods.

Location: Central and Eastern United States

 

White Oak – Denser and More Popular

Amish furniture for saleWhite Oak is a bit more popular and more widely available than some of the other options, comprising a full 15% of the available hardwoods. These trees are normally 70 to 80 feet tall, and the resulting wood is extremely strong.

Location: Eastern and Southern United States

 
These are only a few of the wood types used in Amish furniture for sale, and you now have a pretty good idea of which woods are cheaper, which ones are more expensive, and why. Visit our Amish furniture store today and start the process of outfitting your living room with the best woods and the best pieces.

 

What is a Butterfly Leaf Dining Table?

When you are working on putting your living room together space is often one of the toughest things that you will need to take into consideration. Small dining spaces are going to require interesting solutions, especially when you’re shopping for Amish furniture, which is exactly why a butterfly leaf dining table is going to be one of the best solutions you can go for. These tables are created with the highest quality craftsmanship and can last a lifetime, just like any other Amish furniture online that you might buy. So, what is a butterfly leaf table? How will it help you to alleviate your space issues?

Amish Furniture Facts: What is a Butterfly Leaf Table?

Amish Furniture Butterfly Leaf TableThe first thing you need to know is where the ‘butterfly leaf’ table gets its name from. When it’s opened in place it appears to have wings, just like a butterfly, and the center seam allows for folding. Butterfly leaf tables are among some of the most popular Amish furniture for sale and they are far more reliable than some of the big box furniture that you are bound to find. Amish craftsmen have invested well over a century into perfecting the mechanism required for changing the shape of the table and expanding it. When you are installing a leaf, you simply need to pull the ends of the table apart and then lift the top half of the leaf open.

Available in All Shapes and Sizes

As you head out to any Amish furniture store and look into butterfly dining tables you will quickly notice that they come in various shapes and sizes. In addition to that they are sold in varying styles including:

  • Trestle
  • Legs
  • Pedestal

Surprisingly, all of these different styles can come in the form of a butterfly leaf and in small spaces it really is the best option. As you are using it in your home, you can simply add a single leaf and have space for two more adults – perfect if you have guests coming over or if you are adding more people to your family. You will also find these tables to be very useful if you are moving to a home with less space but you still wish to bring your furniture with you. They are easy to work, easy to use and they look just as beautiful as any other table on the Amish furniture market. Butterfly leaf tables are an outstanding investment for you, and definitely, something that you should be looking into if you want to bring both beauty and functionality to your house.

Look through our extensive inventory and find a butterfly leaf table that suits your dining room; there are lots to choose from and they’re all bound to make your living room a little bit more complete.

 

Use Amish Furniture to Create a Warm, Welcoming Environment

Creating a nice, warm, welcoming environment in your home is always going to be a matter of difficulty especially if you have no idea where to start. Using Amish furniture is a great first step, but what else do you need to do? Don’t worry, we’re going to outline a few steps that you need to take in order to build a home environment that you can be proud of whenever guests come to visit.

It’s All about the Color of your Amish Furniture

If you have never looked for Amish furniture online before then you might not realize that the wood grain has a color accent and the accent really needs to match. If you take a look through many of the living rooms in America you will probably come to realize that quite a few people didn’t even consider the color accents when they were shopping and ended up with a completely mismatched living room so yes, for the last time, it DOES make a difference. If you want a cozier environment you should probably go with a darker undertone, but if you want something a bit lighter, you know which direction you want to go in when you buy Amish furniture.

Pick a Style and Stick with It

buy Amish furnitureThere are multiple styles of Amish furniture available and it goes far beyond the Mission and Shaker stereotypes. In each of these types, you will also have multiple sub-types to consider and it’s important that you stick to one consistent style throughout your entire home. If you feel like being creative, you could use a different style in every room, just make sure it’s consistent so that it doesn’t look like a complete mess.

Use Accent Pieces

Even after you buy Amish furniture pieces for your home you will want to add some accent pieces, like a tray, or even a bench. The little pieces can be function and add more utility to your room, making them a welcome addition to a well-designed furniture scheme.

All About Lighting

If you want to justify the Amish furniture prices that you paid then it would be a great idea for you to start considering new lighting options. You can use track lighting or spots to ensure that the right parts of your room are properly illuminated, creating a beautiful space for yourself and for any company that happens to stop by.

You can buy Amish furniture and use it to create an absolutely wonderful living environment, all you need to do is follow the above tips and if possible, try speaking to an interior decorator for more information. The most important thing to remember is that every home is different and will require a completely original design concept. How will you decorate yours?

 

Amish Dining Tables: Leg vs. Pedestal

Amish Dining TablesTables are an important part of our décor but sometimes it can be very difficult to settle on any particular style. For example, there are some who prefer the butterfly leaf table for more functionality and then there are those who would much rather stick with a one-piece table. In the Amish furniture lineup, you also have to consider the types of legs.

For example, you have the standard four legs and then you have the pedestal, both of which are viable options. The big question is which of these sounds better and which is going to look better in your living room. Before you head out to buy Amish furniture for your home make sure you read through this blog and get a good idea of what you should be looking for.

Amish Furniture Buying Guide: Legged Tables

Amish Leg tables are probably going to be the most versatile option out there; they usually open on wooden slides and can seat more than twenty people when fully extended. If family or group dining is what you’re looking for, then this is an outstanding option. Also, keep in mind that they are extremely easy to store as they are usually the butterfly leaf model.

The stylistic implications are also important to consider with the legged table as with any other piece of Amish furniture that you buy online or in the store. Leg tables are beautiful and they have a place in nearly any dining room. The one drawback is that they are a bit more formal looking than other tables, so unless that is the look that you are going for, you might want to second guess your purchase choice at the Amish Furniture store.

The Trestle Dining Table Look

Amish Furniture storeThe trestle dining room table is a style that goes back hundreds of years and it has been used in many different stings. Public parks, for example, are always home to a picnic table or two, and you can even find them in backyards. Indoor trestle tables are also quite popular and the question is whether or not you need one. Trestle tables are perfect for informal dining and can work well in patios or sunrooms. Additionally, you don’t need to provide chairs for your trestle table as it will already have a bench built in. The only drawback is that it tends to be a bit of a trip hazard, so do keep that in mind as you outfit your dining area.

When it comes down to it this is a choice between formal and informal. Leg tables are great for the formal dining room and trestle tables are better for situations where you want a casual dining experience. Choose your experience by looking for Amish furniture online, especially right here in our store. We have what you need, are you ready to take it home?