Are you familiar with Shaker furniture? If not, I want to take a moment to provide you with an overview of this style as it may be something for you to consider during your initial commission process.

Source: Richard Oedel – Furniture Master

The Shakers first migrated to America from England in 1774. They separated themselves from the outside world by creating self-sufficient communities with a strict set of rules for governing their behavior and the environments that they created.

The three principles that the Shakers thrived on were honesty, utility, and simplicity, and this philosophy carried on to everything that they did, including furniture making. The Shaker furniture embraces a minimalist design, and the style focuses on form and proportions and creative ways to put them together (such as symmetrical drawer arrangements). They placed emphasis on quality when making furniture, which stood out in a time when mass produced furniture was on the rise.

While Shaker furniture pieces offer visual interest, there are certainly not ornate or overly detailed. Typically, Shaker pieces were painted or stained, which made them more attractive and helped to extend the life of the wood. The most common colors of this type of furniture include blues, reds, greens, and yellows.

As a fine furniture maker in Boston, one of the most common examples of Shaker furniture that I see today is the Shaker chair, which features turned posts, a ladder back, and a woven seat. This type of chair is often used in dining rooms and kitchens and offers a classic look that will never go out of style.

To learn more about a minimal approach to your custom piece, please feel free to contact me, Richard Oedel, fine furniture maker in Boston. I’m happy to talk with you further about this style to see if it will fit your needs.