Beth Rice is a content writer for DutchCrafters Amish Furniture. She is the primary author of Timber to Table blog posts and has spent the last several years researching and providing knowledge on wood types, furniture styles, and design trends. As a busy mother of two, Beth understands the value of furniture in helping create a welcoming home for family and friends, and often writes on the ways our furniture can help support that. Beth is a published author with a gift for identifying the special moments in everyday life. Most recently, she had a short story included in Chicken Soup for the Soul's "My Amazing Mom" edition. Since 2012, the DutchCrafters Timber to Table blog has been providing customers and other readers with furniture and interior design tips, information about the Amish, and woodworkers’ stories.
Creating an outdoor furniture collection that’s attractive, comfortable, and supports your favorite activities is possible. Just follow these 5 easy steps to lead you to your best outdoor space. Step 1. Measure Your Outdoor Space What’s it like outside your home? Is it a wide open area or a more compact space? Measure your yard and consider the space you have to work with. Get measurements for deck areas, patios and porches to determine the… Tips For Choosing Outdoor Furniture
Since 1710 the Windsor chair has been charming us. Originally used as an outdoor garden seat, the comfort and form of the Windsor chair endures. The spindles, the seat and the unique features all contribute to our fascination with Windsor furniture. Fitting in with colonial, cottage and country furniture, the Windsor’s got staying power. In this three-part Windsor Chair Series, we’re examining Windsor styles, the features that make them great and the undying appeal that… The Windsor Chair Series: The Types, The Features and the Undying Appeal
When you need to add leaves to the dining table, do you always need someone to help you? Does the table open in one smooth motion or is there some tugging involved? What about your dresser drawers? Ever closed them too quickly and they slammed shut and woke the baby? These things have a lot to do with the type of table or drawer slide that’s in your furniture. They really do make a difference.… Why Table and Drawer Slides Make a Difference
Amidst the delight of choosing colors, décor and furniture for a new child’s room comes the task of ensuring their safety. June is National Safety Month, a time to focus on ways to prevent unnecessary injuries that prompts us to share ways to set up a beautiful, functional, reliable and above all else—safe—bedroom with Amish kids furniture! Cribs and Mattresses What to Look For: Guidelines recommended by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) Wood… National Safety Month: Focus on Children’s Furniture
To leather or not to leather? That’s a sound question to ask when it comes to choosing upholstery for your new furniture. New technology has custom fabrics making great gains, promising new durability and ease of cleaning like never before. What leather products do we offer at DutchCrafters and how do they compare to our fabric offerings? Let’s take a look. DutchCrafters offers the following selections that come from Heartland Fabrics located in Topeka, Indiana… The Great Leather Debate and Other Upholstery Options
No, you’re not a rule breaker. There’s a chance you might have a sideboard in your dining room or a buffet in your living room, since they’re very similar and the terms used to describe both are interchangeable. When it comes down to it, sideboards, buffets and hutches share the common goals of providing storage and offering a serving area or a display space. Here are the subtle differences that set them apart. LOCATION, LOCATION,… Buffet, Sideboard or Hutch–What’s the Difference?
From master bath to the kids’ sinks to the guest bath, bathroom vanities need to be ready for action. Used daily for washing and as storage and style elements, they offer a great way to dress up the bathroom. We’re taking you through the steps to choosing an Amish bathroom vanity to make sure you find the best fit, form, and function for your bathroom space. Start with Measurements Choosing a vanity will depend on… How to Select a Bathroom Vanity
Do you consider yourself a gadgeteer? Love kitchen tools and can’t get enough of them? Kitchen accessories make cooking chores easier and food prep more fun. While the Amish are no strangers to hard work, they certainly want to use their time as efficiently as possible. Here are some helpful Amish kitchen accessories along with a DIY project that puts an old whisk to good use! For Cookies-n-Pizza While your finger will still work just… Let’s Get Cooking: Fun Amish Kitchen Accessories
The popularity of the formal dining room is on the decline, as families are more content to eat and gather together in more casual ways. With conflicting schedules leaving many dining at different times, more homeowners are growing impatient with dining rooms taking up space. Elaborate kitchen islands, outdoor deck tables and living room coffee tables are becoming go-to spots for dining, socializing and entertaining, while the old formal dining room space is being put… Are We Done with Dining Rooms?
Wait a minute. You’re buying handcrafted, heirloom quality solid wood furniture. It is intended to last and look beautiful, but it’s costing you more. You’ve heard there’s a chance that there’s some plywood used in the building of solid wood furniture. Could this be right? Is this true? What’s the deal? The answer is yes, plywood is used even in the finest solid wood furniture. But there’s a very good reason for it. Simply put,… Avoiding the Cracks: Why Plywood is Used in Solid Wood Furniture
There will be holes. There will be marks. There will be imperfections. Rustic furniture and reclaimed furniture embrace the beauty of the natural and celebrate its flaws. This is solid wood furniture that exudes warmth with organic character that gives off a relaxing vibe as it provides a connection to the past. The Amish Rustic Hickory Panel Bed. If smooth, shiny and seamless are what you’re after, then rustic and reclaimed may not be for you.… Worn and Weathered with Worm Holes: The Nature of Rustic and Reclaimed Furniture
Alan Barkman is always one step ahead. On a recent visit to his woodshop in Ohio, our DutchCrafters team found it bustling with activity. At Barkman Furniture, Alan and his craftsmen use a blend of traditional woodworking techniques and state-of-the-art woodworking equipment. They remain devoted to their top two priorities when it comes to building Amish furniture: #1 is producing furniture of the highest quality. #2 is making sure it’s worthy of being handed down… What’s New at Barkman Furniture
Finish either makes a product or breaks a product. –Alan, Amish woodworker at the Mt. Eaton Woodshop in Dundee, Ohio The last steps to completing a piece of solid wood Amish furniture are applying the stain and finish. Finishing solid wood furniture is a combination of sanding, staining, and sealing that must be done with a careful eye, steady hand, and a good deal of patience. Stain and finish will enhance the color, protect the… Adding Color and Finishing to Solid Wood Furniture
The Amish woodshop that crafts solid wood dining chairs for the Prairie Collection is nestled in the heart of Amish country, Ohio. There, the talented Amish artisans, both men and women, take to their work producing solid wood chairs with care and precision, with each chair part handled by the craftsmen. The Prairie Collection features high quality Amish dining chairs, bar stools and benches in a variety of styles ranging from classic to contemporary. Here’s what… Amish Made Chairs from the Prairie Collection: The Habits of Handcrafting
Amish women are wives, mothers, homemakers and active members of their churches. They contribute to running households and making decisions for the home and family. Many Amish women branch out and work outside the home, creating their own businesses. It’s not unheard of for them to make and sell handcrafted items like quilts or to run restaurants, bakeries, or produce stands. Amish girls usually work until they get married. Many work in factories or furniture… Where the Women are in Amish Woodshops
