Trendy Arts and Crafts Mission Style furniture was very
popular between 1880 and 1910. Now over 100 years later the trend towards Arts
and Crafts décor is making a very strong comeback.
Some of it is due to the quest to find and rehabilitate old
Craftsmen Style homes built during this era that were finished, trimmed and
furnished with Mission style quarter sawn white oak.
Others just like the rich vintage look and feel of the old
Mission Style furniture. It’s a 180° turnabout from when people moved away from
the Mission Style in the early 1900s to a more modern look.
That road has
weaved in and out from painted to stain and varnish finishes with a mix of
futuristic chrome and bright colors. It now
appears to be returning back to the old Mission Style as people flock to
antique stores in search of that perfect Mission Style piece or accent.
Mission Style furniture had it’s on unique appeal with very
squared corners and simple lines that transitioned into the Arts and Crafts
interior designs and furnishings.
Quarter sawn white oak with its unique cross cut grains
brought the true beauty of oak used in Mission Style furniture. Today white oak has become very difficult to
obtain and most can only find or afford standard red oak for new items.
What is also missing from that period and has now become
prized collector pieces is the many Mission Style coat and hat racks.
Hat and coat racks were very common in homes offices and
commercial buildings. The clothing attire was very formal during the Arts and
Crafts Period as well with ladies coats, and men’s suit jackets, overcoats and
hats. All these clothing accessories
needed a place to land when people were at home, visiting or enjoying an
evening meal out.
Today the dress code is very informal and a good solid
functional coat rack is hard to come by especially during the winter months.
Most families end up cluttering the home and furnishings with coats, hats and
gloves.
The Amish who also love the true beauty of solid oak Craftsman
Style furniture have been producing items just as they were being made at the
turn of the Century.
The Amish also practice sustainable forestry allowing them
to continue to harvest beautiful white oak logs and mill it for their wood
furniture and accessories.
The good news is that you don’t have to travel to the Amish
country to find these items. USA Amish handcrafted Mission Style furniture,
coat and hat racks are available online at Cottage Craft Works.com.
Cottage Craft Works is a unique online store bringing back
old fashioned products of charm and integrity still being made in the USA by
the Amish.
