Where Is Amish Furniture Made?

Amish furniture gained widespread attention and popularity in the U.S. with the rise of folk art in the 1920s. Amish woodworkers generally make more traditional furniture pieces with clean, modern and elegant designs and great attention to wood details. Today, Amish furniture pieces are still highly sought after for their unique craftsmanship, durability and classic style. 

Each piece of wood that goes into Amish furniture is hand-selected to match the specific furniture in mind. These pieces are also valued for their sustainability, with Amish woodworkers priding themselves on the artfulness of their products and furnishings that can be used and lived in for generations.

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Keep reading to learn more about the origins of Amish furniture and where to buy Amish-made furniture. 

Where Is Amish Outlet Store’s Furniture Made?

Amish furniture makers in Ohio and Indiana craft all of Amish Outlet Store’s furniture, including all oak, brown maple, cherry, hickory and quartersawn white oak furniture pieces. Locally owned and operated by the Hilty family, Amish Outlet Store offers a wide selection of functional, durable and beautiful handmade Amish furniture. We are located near the heart of Amish country in Smithville, Ohio. 

Our skilled crafters use construction techniques passed down through generations, such as using northern kiln-dried hardwood and never using particle board or other low-quality materials. These techniques result in strong, durable furniture and personalized products that fit any design style. We customize our Amish furniture pieces to your specifications, ensuring you get the stain and type of hardwood you need for your home at competitive prices. 

The best Amish furniture manufacturers use tried and true construction methods to craft durable pieces. Combining functionality, practicality and unmatched beauty, we create furniture you can use and admire for decades.

Which States Are Known for Amish Furniture? 

The states best known for Amish furniture include Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio. And while most people think of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, or Homes County, Ohio, when they think of Amish communities, there are more than 30 other states with an Amish population. Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio may be best known for their Amish furniture, but you can also find unique and detailed furniture pieces that withstand the test of time in states like Illinois, West Virginia and Michigan. 

Visit any Amish community, and you’re bound to find a store selling locally-made furniture. The furniture can vary depending on the community, with many offering primitive styles while others may provide softwoods like pine and fine-finished hardwoods. This depends on the particular Amish woodworker’s skills and what they think will sell best in their area. In recent years, Amish crafters are also lending their woodworking skills to creating modern furniture styles, so customers can find high-quality, solid wood furniture pieces that are at home with their modern decor. 

The Amish Outlet Store offers fine-finished hardwood furniture that’s built in Ohio and Indiana. The Amish furniture builders in these communities work together to allow pieces to match finishes easily across many different shops. 

Where Does Amish Furniture Come From?

Historically, Amish furniture is from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. Amish furniture has deep roots in the U.S., with Amish furniture pieces originating before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

The Amish movement began when Swiss immigrants settled in the Pennsylvania colony in the early 17th century. They created close-knit communities based on the ethics of integrity, hard work and self-sufficiency. These principles permeated all aspects of their culture, including the crafting of furniture.

American-made furniture became more widespread with the emergence of the folk art movement, where European settlers began to resurrect the artistic traditions from their home countries. These included Amish furniture accenting the Shaker and Mission styles brought by Swiss settlers. 

From the late 1800s through the 1920s, the Arts and Crafts movement directly responded to the poor design quality and lower aesthetic value of mass-produced items from early factories. Americans craved top-quality products with creative styles and began embracing handcrafted Amish furniture. 

What Are the Distinct Styles of Amish Furniture? 

Amish furniture is best known for its distinct traditional look and durable hardwood pieces. Amish furniture origins and design stem from two well-known styles, including the Soap Hollow School and the Jonestown School. Today, the Mission, Shaker and Queen Anne furniture styles are more popular. While all five share many similarities, each has its unique characteristics: 

• Soap Hollow School: The Soap Hollow School was developed by Henry Lapp, a furniture maker in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His style most closely resembles what we think of today as Amish-made furniture, with its undecorated, simple details. 
• Jonestown School: The Jonestown School furniture design is known for painted blanket chests with colorful floral designs, first developed in the late 18th century in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.
• Mission: The Mission furniture style is clean and modern, known for its straight lines and exposed joinery. These pieces are also traditionally made from oak, emphasizing straight vertical and horizontal lines and flat panes to accentuate the natural wood grain.
• Shaker: While simple, clean and elegant like the Mission style, the Shaker style is designed with durability in mind. The style was developed by the Shakers, who arrived in America in 1774. Shaker furniture pieces like the blanket chest are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York City and are generally made from maple.
• Queen Anne: The Queen Anne style is another option for people seeking Amish furniture. The designs are a departure from the Mission and Shaker styles with their more lavish, ornate designs. 

Amish handcrafted furniture is always made from solid wood. The best Amish furniture manufacturers never use particle board or laminate and pay great attention to the materials they choose to create long-lasting furniture. Amish furniture makers closely inspect each piece of wood they use, paying close attention to its grain. Common types of wood used in Amish furniture include red oak, beech, cedar, elm, maple, hickory, pine, walnut and mahogany. 

Woodworkers use old-fashioned and modern tools to make their pieces, with intricate details and finishes all completed by hand. These construction techniques allow pieces to fuse seamlessly. What’s more, Amish woodworkers finish their furniture with open-air seasoning and kiln drying, which enhance both the beauty and strength of the wood. 

Shop Amish Outlet Store for American-Made Furniture 

Due to its high quality and resilience, Amish handcrafted furniture is made to be handed down for generations. You can buy top-quality, beautiful Amish-made furniture at Amish Outlet Store. Our woodworkers are experts in their craft and use techniques that transform gorgeous wood into long-lasting, functional furniture.

Choose from several types of hardwood and customize your finish, stain and paint color. We offer many species of wood to bring various styles and appearances to your home. 

Shop handmade Amish furniture today!