What is a Vanity? Why you Need this Piece of Amish Furniture

The vanity can be explained as a combination of a basin and the storage surrounding it. Usually referred to as a piece of bathroom cabinetry, the vanity is designed to hold a sink and to conceal the plumbing. The vanity also provides essential storage in this area of the home for toiletries and other essential items.

What Makes a Vanity So Special?

Amish furniture holds an old world charm to it that has persisted even into the present day. This style of furniture gained attention in the 1920s and was hailed as early American folk art that had been ‘discovered’ by historians and dealers. The pieces were valued for their high quality, beauty, and different styles.

During this time many styles of furniture crafted by the Amish began to emerge. The reason being many craftsmen had developed their own distinctive styles over the course of generations passing down their skills to the next line of talented furniture makers. The Jonestown School is one such example that had been around since 18^th century in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. The Jonestown School became known for their painted blanket chests that were decorated with an assortment of flowers located on the three panels. Prime examples of these fine chests are displayed today in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Smithsonian Museum.

What’s the Difference in Quality?

Knowing the history of the best Amish furniture is fine and dandy, but what about its quality? This style of furniture is unique since each individual piece of lumber is hand inspected before being crafted expertly into the finished product. This accounts for the quality, grain of wood, and to ensure the furniture will serve its purpose once its complete.

The comparison boils down investment when comparing this type of furniture to commercial products. People prefer commercial quality furniture since it’s widely available, cheaper, and in general serves its purpose. People don’t realize they’re sacrificing for quality when it comes to these subpar pieces of furniture since they aren’t built to last. Commercial quality furniture tends to break down after just a few years of use and won’t hold up well if it’s an essential item of the household. Investing in ‘cheap’ furniture may be okay for a temporary home, but is not a good choice for a more permanent residence.

Amish furniture on the other hand is built to not only last, but to serve a purpose. Each piece of furniture is hand crafted using techniques passed down from generation to generation. The lumber is hand inspected ahead of time for quality and to amplify the distinctive style of furniture once it’s completed. People can admire the grain of the wood or peer over the intricate designs other pieces may sport once they’re completed.

The other benefit is each piece is completely unique since each one is handcrafted. No two pieces of furniture are exactly like even if they’re built using the same techniques and tools.

Why is the Furniture Built by Hand?

Amish furniture and how it’s made has gained it quite a bit of attention in recent years due to how unique it is compared to other products. Amish beliefs dictate they’re not allowed to use electricity, but instead woodworking tools. While electricity can’t be used, many Amish shops can use other means of power like diesel or hydraulic compressors. Communities usually allow some of this technology, especially when woodworking is involved. The craft is often practiced and is often able to support multiple families within one community.

Craftsman pay great attention to the details of the wood during their furniture making process too. Each piece of lumber is hand-picked to match the specific piece of furniture the craftsmen has in mind for the finished product. Great attention is paid to the grain of the wood itself, especially when gluing separate pieces together to achieve the desired appearance for the finished piece.

The furniture itself is also considered a green product since wood is a renewable resource. Should the furniture become unusable in an unfortunate event an accident, it’s biodegradable since it’s made out of lumber. This offers excellent sustainability and if well cared for the furniture can last for decades, generations even in some cases. Amish woodworkers put plenty of time and effort into their products since they consider them furnishing and even works of art. The furniture is meant to be lived in with and used for generations, making it the superior product to commercial pieces.