We get asked quite often by people who have never been into our showroom, or Amish furniture in general, have questions about the Amish and buying furniture here. Over the years what we’ve learned is that is still plenty of questions and misconceptions about Amish built furniture and the Amish themselves. We’ll go over the following as an effort to give our readers an insight into Amish furniture and the Amish themselves.

Myth: The Amish aren't allowed to use or own telephones, so it's difficult to do business with them.

Fact: While this is historically accurate, many Amish churches now allow their members to own and/or use phones (even cell phones) and fax machine for business purposes. More and more are using email alongside of even having their own websites. Overall, phones are now widely available and used for business.

Myth: Customization is difficult or impossible when choosing furniture.

Fact: Custom furniture is the standard rather than the exception with other types of furniture. The vast majority of furniture is built on a made-to-order basis. Custom choices range from wood, stain and hardware selections to simple changes in dimensions, to “ground up” custom furniture. Lead times for customization are generally no longer than when a customer chooses a standard made-to-order item. However expect there to be a longer lead time when doing a “ground up” type of customization.

Myth: I've seen pictures of Amish furniture and it all looks the same.

Fact: People today expect Amish built furniture to be of a superior quality and in styles they like. Amish craftsmen have responded with dramatically different designs, colors, and finish choices. Twenty-five to thirty years ago, people where far less concerned with the look of Amish built furniture. That has changed and the way Amish furniture is built/designed along with it.

Myth: My taste is very urban and trendy. I'm sure the Amish don't have anything that I would be interested in.

Fact: There are a lot of talented furniture and designers that work with the Amish builders we work with. They work together to create entire new lines of furniture styles. New materials (distressed woods, metals, etc.) are being used and new designs reflect today’s looks.

Myth: This can't be real wood, can it?

Fact: Virtually all of the furniture built by the Amish is built from solid American hardwoods. That means, dimensional lumber harvested from native USA hardwoods. We are not aware of any veneers being used. Some case goods (dressers, nightstands, etc.) may have paneling or plywood used in the back or maybe sides, but this, too, is a solid wood.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *