Tag: amish furniture

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How to pick a Farmhouse Barnwood Table for your Holiday Dinner

Here are some tips on picking the right Farmhouse style table for your Hoilday Dinner

How to pick a Farmhouse Barnwood Table for your Holiday Dinner

How to Pick a Barnwood Table for the Holidays

Your dining table will be the center of attention for your cookie swaps, Friendsgiving, family feasts and cocktail hours. Our barnwood farm house tables are loved for creating a warm and cozy dining setting while still staying true to the classic and traditional styles we have always treasured.

1. Room size: First, measure the room where the  barn wood farm house table will go. You want to make sure the table will fit comfortably, without hitting any walls. In addition, choose a table width that allows everyone to pass plates around. You know everybody will be eager to eat all the delicious holiday trimmings, so you don’t want anything getting in the way.

2. Guest count: Next, take the guest count into consideration. On average how many people will be attending some of your holiday festivities? You want to make sure everyone has enough elbowroom when sitting down for a meal.

3. Table aesthetic: Lastly, you’ll need to decide on the shape of table that will work best for your home. A round table opens up conversation, where as a rectangle table may seat more.

 

We always have a variety of tables already made and in stock. We suggest taking a look at our reclaimed barnwood tables listed on the “In-Stock Unfinished Furniture” and “In-Stock Finished Specials” pages of our website.

Contact us if you have any questions, we’d be glad to help!

 

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Made in America: Celebrating Amish Craftsmanship

“Good character, like good soup, is usually homemade.” –Amish Proverb

Our Amish handcrafted furniture is not just a stylistic effort; it’s the product of hundreds of years of history. A staple of American folk art, the Amish woodworkers are known for their quality, being 100 percent wood, as well as the distinct traditional style that transcends generations.

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Where the American Amish Roots Came From?

The original Amish community dates back to the sixteenth century as an Anabaptist movement. During this movement three spiritual communities were formed; the Amish, Mennonites, and Brethen. While each community is unique with their own traditions, the Amish have their roots in the Mennonite community. The American Amish community flourished in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and to this day they have devoted their lives to the Amish traditions, to help carry out an expression of their ideals and simplicity as a society.

Amish-made furniture first gained popularity in the 1920s, when early American folk art was first discovered. Lots of vendors and historians, around the world, valued this type of work for its beauty and quality, especially since Amish reclaimed wood furniture is all about detail. After all, Amish woodworking is a reflection of the importance the community puts on the concepts of hard work, craftsmanship and durability. In addition, since the Amish community avoids electricity and modern conveniences, their tools are hydraulically and pneumatically powered. This mean all the finishing work is done by hand, making every American-made piece truly unique.

Barnwood Furniture

Benefits of Amish-made Barnwood Furniture

Amish furniture truly has heart. Traditional woodworking skills are passed by practice through generations and generations.

Not only is barnwood furniture made with so much history there are several other reasons why our Old Barn Star fans choose Amish-made furniture made in America:

  • Custom-made: Since barnwood furniture is handmade you can specialize each piece. The design and craftsmanship will speak for itself. No two pieces will ever be identical due to the nature of our work and the material.
  • Environmentally friendly: Barnwood furniture is focused around the idea of conserving and preventing the unnecessary falling of trees.
  • Strong and sturdy: Wood ages with time and since it was harvested a while ago its classic texture guarantees to be sturdy.

What questions do you have about our Amish furniture? You can ask us on Facebook and Twitter, and keep checking our blog for updates from our team!

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Barnwood Furniture: Where it All Began

Barnwood furniture has grown in popularity over the years along with reclaimed furniture from all different time periods. But when did this trend start?Barn Raising

The idea of using barn lumber to create furniture actually became very popular in the 1920s. During this time American Folk Art was discovered which had a heavy influence on this idea of barnwood furniture especially amongst the Amish community. The Amish dedicate their lives to a simple and non-materialistic lifestyle. As a result, the people of the community picked up different skills to make their essentials by hand; one major pastime being handcrafted furniture.

As many of you know, woodworking is not an easy task! A lot of time (and love) goes into every piece. Amish reclaimed barnwood furniture is all about detail. Each piece of wood is handpicked for its unique quality. These sacred woodworking skills are passed by practice through generations and generations, so while the furniture may not have been crafted in the 1600s, its methods have not changed over the years!

Alongside the Amish wood working tradition is the popular “barn raising” season, celebrating community, hard work and the common goals of the community. As part of the barn raising celebration, members of the Amish community build barns for different resources including housing, farming and schools. Over time the wood from these barns would be harvested and use to handcraft barnwood furniture.

Benefits of Amish-made Barnwood Furniture

  • Custom-made: Since barnwood furniture is hand made you can specialize each piece. The design and craftsmanship will speak for itself.
  • Natural look: No two pieces will ever be identical due to the nature of our work and the material.
  • Eco-friendly: Barnwood furniture is focused around the idea of conserving and preventing the unnecessary falling of trees.
  • Strong and sturdy: Wood ages with time and since it was harvested a while ago its classic texture guarantees to be sturdy.
  • Weather resistant: Most barnwood furniture is made for indoor and outdoor use, meaning there is a water-resistant topcoat.

Barnwood Furniture

A handcrafted piece of reclaimed wood furniture is truly one-of-a-kind. You’ll never see a duplicate because there’s something special and unique about the process of working with your hands.

That is why we love what we do – we are able to connect people with authentic furniture pieces that are rooted in centuries of tradition.

Why did you choose to invest in a piece of barnwood furniture? Tell us in the comments below!

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How a Reclaimed Kitchen Island Can Enhance Your Home

Rustic Kitchen IslandOne of the most popular additions that homeowners buy for their house is a rustic kitchen island. There are various reasons why people buy kitchen islands.

1. Adding counter space. One big criticism that homeowners have about their home is the lack of counter space. A barnwood kitchen island is a solution that provides the added counter space needed for the cook who needs a place to chop their vegetables or put a breadbasket.

2. Adding storage space. The lack of cabinet space is another big criticism that homeowners complain about regarding their kitchen. When purchasing a reclaimed wood kitchen island, you’ll have the option to get the style of storage space you want. These islands can come with small drawers as a place to put recipes or takeout menus and bigger spaces where you can put appliances or pots and pans not in use.

3. Adding a seating option. For many families, cooking is quality time that’s cherished for a lifetime. Standing on your feet all day isn’t as memorable, which is why kitchen islands are designed to fit reclaimed wood stools, making the cooking process as painless as possible. Family members or friends who are not fond of cooking can also take a seat and join the conversation.

4. Providing a different vibe. If you have an island that doesn’t match the décor that you want in your kitchen, then considering a piece of our Amish furniture could be a good option. If you want a more rustic yet elegant look, find the wood that matches your kitchen cabinets and base your island around that.

Amish Furniture

Advice on Buying a Kitchen Island

Before you spend money on a kitchen island, we have a few suggestions. First, make sure you consult everyone responsible for big purchasing decisions in the household. Second, you should measure the space you have available to ensure that you invest on one that’s not too large.

Finally, figure out what functionality you’re looking for in your kitchen island. This will be an investment similar to your couch: it has to be something that you’re really comfortable with and will want in your home for years to come.

We offer custom-made Amish kitchen islands, so feel free to get in touch with us if you’re just starting your search or if you’re having trouble finding what you’re looking for!

What would you use your kitchen island for? Tell us here in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter!

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Old Barn Star Sets up Shop on Etsy

The popular e-commerce site Etsy recently welcomed Old Barn Star to its rich network of suppliers. If you’ve never used Etsy, now’s a great time to check out our reclaimed barnwood furniture on it.

Amish Furniture

Etsy, a Brooklyn-based company, was launched in June of 2005 to provide a fresh perspective on e-commerce — a grassroots alternative to sites like Amazon and E-Bay. Founder Robert Kalin came up with name as his interpretation of the Latin word “etsi”, meaning if. He saw it as a nonsense word and an appropriate moniker for a brand built from scratch.

As more consumers realized the merit in the original products offered by Etsy compared to mass-produced corporate output, more people have used Etsy to buy things for themselves and as gifts for their loved ones.

With its homespun and handcrafted offerings, we thought Etsy would be the perfect place for our Amish furniture. On our page, you’ll find a tasteful mixture of the labor intensive, rustic furniture you’ve come to expect from us. As always, you also have the option of contracting us to make the furniture you want. Make an account today and get started!

What would you like to see on our Etsy page? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook or on Twitter!

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Our In-Stock Amish Furniture Specials

Historically, Old Barn Star has offered a wide variety of customized Amish furniture. We’ve decided to also offer you readymade in-stock items since we want to provide gorgeous furniture, handcrafted by the Amish, that you can bring home the same day.

Don’t worry; you can still order the custom reclaimed barnwood furniture you envision for your unique space, but now we have pieces ready to pick up right now, too!

reclaimed barnwood furniture deals

On the Old Barn Star In-Stock Specials page, you’ll find our most current batch of readymade furniture. If you have the itch for a beautiful piece of reclaimed furniture and you don’t want to wait, you can swing by our store and purchase whatever you see featured on this page.

Rest assured that all of our current and future in-stock specials have been instilled with the same patience, careful craftsmanship and rustic reclaimed barnwood that define all of our pieces. We just thought we’d go one further and make something available at a moment’s notice.

What kind of Amish furniture would you like to see in stock? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook or on Twitter, and keep checking the page since our inventory of in-stock pieces will be frequently updated!