Where can you buy Amish furniture?

Thursday, January 16th

Where Can You Buy Amish Furniture?

Amish furniture is rightfully known for its durability, quality and craftsmanship. Amish furniture makers today continue to employ the same techniques that their ancestors have used for generations. They exclusively use quality hardwood with exceptional joinery techniques. At the same time, they produce timeless pieces that have the durability and style to remain desirable for decades or longer. While Amish furniture continues to be in high demand, finding the right pieces for your home can be a challenge.

The Amish are known for producing styles like Shaker, Missionary and others. However, these styles are also mass-produced using lower-quality materials and practices from other furniture makers. How can you find a great selection of authentic Amish furniture? There are a few options to continue as you shop for furniture for your home.

Direct from the Furniture Makers

In many Amish communities, craftsmen sell their goods in small stores. If you live close to an Amish community, your search for beautiful home furnishings could begin there. The largest and most well-known Amish community in the United States is in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Holmes, Ohio and Elkhart, Indiana also have fairly large communities that you could visit while searching for furniture. While there are smaller communities in other states, be aware that not all Amish towns welcome visitors or have stores that are open to the public. If you are in the market for custom pieces that are made to your specifications, this is a great way to get in direct communication with a skilled furniture maker.

While buying Amish furnishings directly from furniture makers may be an appealing option, be aware that stores in these communities are relatively small. As a result, your options will be severely limited unless you can negotiate the creation of a custom piece. It may be necessary to visit a furniture maker's store numerous times before you find furniture that is well-suited for your home's décor. If you need to make an immediate purchase, this may not be your best option.

In Local Stores

If you are not fortunate enough to live next to a large Amish community or if you have trouble finding the right pieces for your home in these small stores, another idea is to expand your search outside of the Amish communities. In most major metropolitan areas, you will find at least a few furniture stores that exclusively sell Amish furniture or that offer Amish furniture in combination with other mass-produced pieces. Because the local store acts as a middleman between you and the furniture maker, you can expect to pay a premium for these pieces. Local stores may have a considerable amount of overhead to cover, and they will also add in their profit margin to the sticker price.

If you are agreeable to paying more for your Amish furnishings by shopping at your city's retail stores, you may have access to a much larger variety of options than you will find in Amish furniture maker's direct stores. This is because the retail stores may purchase pieces from a variety of furniture makers in different communities. Retail stores also usually have a larger showroom than furniture makers have.

However, you should shop with caution at these stores. Authentic Amish pieces may be displayed next to cheaper, mass-produced pieces in some stores. Pieces that may be described as Amish may not have authentic Amish craftsmanship. This is because Amish styles are often mimicked by furniture manufacturers. Carefully inspect the materials and the joinery techniques to look for signs of quality craftsmanship. Keep in mind that true Amish furnishings do not use particleboard, fiberboard, veneer, nails, or screws.

Through Online Retailers

Many shoppers today prefer to shop online, so you may be pleased to learn that you can find Amish furniture at a variety of online retailers. Generally, you will be hard-pressed to find an Amish craftsman with his own website. With this in mind, online retailers act as a liaison between craftsmen and consumers. Many of these retailers will accept custom orders, or you can purchase furniture from their selection of in-stock pieces. Online retailers have a virtual showroom, so they can often display many more pieces than what local retailers may display. With this in mind, you may have the largest selection of options when you shop online.

Online retailers may not have the fixed overhead associated with running a brick-and-mortar store and maintaining a huge staff, so they may offer more affordable prices than what you will find in local retail stores. However, as you compare options at different online stores, you will notice substantial price differences. Before comparing prices online, ensure that the furnishings you are interested in are authentic Amish furnishings. Mass-produced pieces will understandably be cheaper in terms of quality and price. In addition, remember that each Amish furnishing is handmade and unique. This makes it challenging to make an accurate price comparison.

True Amish furnishings are handcrafted using generations-old techniques and some of the most durable materials available. With other types of furniture, there may be a question about quality when you shop online. However, this is never a concern when you buy Amish furniture online. Nonetheless, you may decide that a piece does not look quite right in your home after it arrives. As is the case with all types of online purchases, take a moment to read the online retailer's return policy and consumer reviews.

Through Resellers

In many homes, Amish furniture may be treasured for decades. In fact, because of their incredible quality and their timeless appeal, Amish furniture is often handed down across several generations. From time to time, however, someone may decide that a specific piece of furniture no longer appeals to them. Perhaps they are redecorating their home with a different style, or they may be relocating to a smaller house and no longer have space from some of their furniture. For these and other reasons, you may be able to find second-hand Amish furniture for sale. The best place to look for second-hand Amish furniture is through online platforms.

There are both advantages and drawbacks associated with buying second-hand Amish furniture. While you are assured of the pieces' craftsmanship, some sellers may not have taken great care of their belongings. As a result, you may find nicks or scratches in them. In addition, you will have a small selection of items to choose from. Often, sellers may only have one or two pieces that they are interested in getting rid of.

On the other hand, if you are looking at online classified listings for furniture in your local area, you generally will be able to see the furniture in person before you decide to purchase it. On the other hand, these furnishings usually will not be delivered to your door. You will need to make arrangements for picking them up and moving them into your home. Pricing is at the discretion of the seller, but you may be able to negotiate pricing with a seller more easily and successfully than you could through online and local stores.

Find Your Amish Home Furnishings Today

Do you have a solid idea of the style of Amish furniture that you are looking for? Do you want to shop around until you find items that speak to your sense of style? Regardless of your shopping strategy, a great starting point is an online search. In fact, you can conveniently begin exploring the beautiful possibilities right now without getting up from your chair. Given the fact that online shopping is hassle-free and gives you access to a wide range of options, you could easily find a few items that you would love to have in your home when you start your search today.