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Shaker Style Furniture |
Shaker furniture is a style created by the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing (aka Shakers), a religious sect that arrived in America from Manchester, England in 1774. Shaker furniture is cherished for its simplicity, creative joinery, high quality, and functionality. Many items of orginal Shaker furniture survive, including such popular forms as chairs, tables, rocking chairs (various sizes), and cabinets. The fundamental
principles of Shaker furniture design have been an inspiration to the best designers of modern furniture. The American Home Furniture heritage includes the wonderful old furniture styles from diverse parts of the country, which represents a huge selection for the discerning buyer. |
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The orginal themes of American furniture makers was strength and toughness. A huge variety of attractive woods were available throught the USA, and wood workers soon began to exploit the natural strength and beauty of the elm, oak and walnut. Soft fabrics were much more basic than now, and of course, all items were made by hand. Even today, when we have efficient machines to manufacture a wide range of items, furniture carrying the label 'hand crafted' is valued highly and is more expensive. Just like in pioneering days, American furniture says 'I am sturdy, I deserve my place and I'll be around for many years - just like the pioneers, in fact. Common woods used include traditional Oak, Walnut, Hickory and Cedar, and these are still hot favorites with the astute consumer. Oak has a special place in the American home, ofetn in the form of Shaker style furniture, and is used for a vast array of items - beds, sofas, screens, kitchen cabinets, tables, chairs and wardrobes. Of course, modern living has continuously called for pieces of furniture with a specific use, the first ones being the phonograph and then the radio. Both of these early modes of mass communication required a box to hold the contents, and why not turn them into a beautiful piece of furniture while we are about it? In later years, mankind has produced furniture to house television sets, DVD players, computers and ovens. It's a sign of man's ingenuity that American furniture represents a unique combination of form and function. The furniture needs to do it's job, but is also an integral part of our lifestyle, so should be nice to look at and comfortable to use. Shaker style furniture represents the ideal combination of comfort, simplicity and practicality.
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