As a place of rest and refuge, a bedroom should have furniture that reflects peace and security. Well-made Amish furniture can provide just that. The Amish make their furniture by hand, employing the best traditional furniture-making techniques known in our day. Sons are trained by their fathers as they work side by side to build furniture that will endure for generations. Construction woods are chosen for their superior quality and beautiful grain. You can trust that every genuine piece of Amish furniture is of solid wood construction, with no particle board or veneers.

Amish furniture is a big investment, but the returns will far exceed your expectations. When choosing Amish furniture, look for the highest quality construction materials and techniques. The piece should be of solid wood, including solid wood backs on upright pieces such as dressers. Wood choices most commonly include oak, quarter-sawn oak, cherry, maple, hickory, and sometimes pine. The best quality hardwoods are kiln-dried to assure proper moisture content, which helps to prevent splitting and cracking throughout the life of the piece.

Whether you choose an entire bedroom set or a single piece, examine the construction carefully. The Amish are renowned for their handcrafted furniture and use generations-old techniques to build solid and enduring works. Pieces such as dressers, nightstands, chests of drawers, armoires, or chifferobes should have drawers that hold up under rigorous daily use. Look for dovetail joints holding the fronts and backs of drawer boxes together with very tight tolerances. Keep in mind that English dovetail joints provide more storage capacity than French dovetail joints. Also inspect the drawer slides, which should ride smoothly in both directions.

As the centerpiece of a bedroom set, the bed should be made with solid wood side rails and slats which eliminate the need for metal mattress frames. Cross slats should be tongue-and-grooved or doweled into the side rails. This construction makes the bed extremely sturdy and eliminates any swaying. Look for headboards and footboards constructed with full mortise and tenon joinery, further providing superior strength. Beds are usually constructed in styles such as Mission, Shaker, Sleigh, or Traditional. True Amish-made furniture can be custom-ordered to fit your exact needs.

A final point of consideration when selecting a quality piece of heirloom Amish bedroom furniture is the finish. The best craftsmen sand down the wood in several steps to ensure a smooth surface inside and out. Some shops finish each piece of furniture in a 5-step process using a top grade catalyzed finish so strong it stands up to acetone nail polish remover. Every surface, from top to side to undersides are finished and sealed to protect your investment for many years to come.