When we talk about Shaker-style furniture, we consider simple, elegant furniture with clean lines. This style of furniture emerged in the 18th century. This furniture came from a religious movement called the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, which we commonly call the Shakers.
This guide to Shaker-style furniture includes what we know about the Shakers as having originated as an offshoot of Quakerism. This group had a powerful influence on American furniture design and the trend continues even today. The philosophy behind this style of furniture is on the principle of “truth to material” and based on the fact that form follows function.
Background
We can best describe Shaker-style furniture as “beauty for beauty’s sake.” We consider the 18th century the Federal or Neoclassic period. It means that ornate and exquisite patterns on furniture were in vogue.
In opposition to this trending style, the Shakers designed minimalistic furniture. It was in line with their disdain for material possessions and anything that promoted vanity or pride. The result was a new line of practical and humble furniture.
Shaker-style furniture began as a form where woodworkers of the time used traditional woodworking joints. These included mortise-and-tenon, dovetails, and half-lap joints.
Later, during the Industrial Revolution, they started to use machinery such as wood lathes, but the basic design remained the same. It resulted in mass-produced and more affordable furniture.
During this period, the Shakers also began to adopt steam bending techniques, which resulted in steam-bent components for furniture. You can see this development mostly in the chair backs and seats that they produced then.
Shaker-style furniture is usually made from natural and solid wood. The commonest types of wood that go into the making of this furniture are elm, sycamore, beech birch, cherry, poplar, ash, maple, and oak.
Another feature of this style of furniture is the lack of finish. It is left to age naturally and develop a classic aged look. The wood can however also be painted in shades of black, grey, or white.
You can identify Shaker-style furniture from its clean and simple designs, curves, and straight lines. There are no frills and fancies with this type of furniture. The furniture is commonly seen in classic or modern interiors, cottages or farmhouses. It might appear in the mid-century or contemporary style.
Styling Shaker Furniture
As we mentioned above, the main distinguishing feature of Shaker-style furniture is its clean, crisp lines. You will also notice the natural wood finishes. The furniture is basic and utilitarian, but you can add a few embellishments like fabrics, paint, and any other forms of decoration. You can style and vary Shaker style furniture in the following ways:
Using Clean Lines
You can add simple, clean, and crisp lines to your Shaker-style furniture to give it a stark and striking appearance. It is truly the simplest form of furniture.
Adding Bolder Colors
On completing the furniture, you can add some intense hues to add a splash of color to your Shaker-style furniture. Using stencils or stenciled paint to impart a scraped look is also a good idea.
Adopt a Rustic Style
You can adopt a rustic style by simply leaving the furniture unfinished. If you are bothered about protecting the surface, a light coating of clear varnish should suffice. Make the best use of knots and figuring to further enhance the appearance.
Modernistic Look
In contemporary surroundings, Shaker-style furniture might look a bit out of place. You can add a few modernistic geometric lines, prints, and patterns to give it a contemporary touch. Using industrial lighting with a few metallic surfaces like chrome or stainless steel will complete the look.
Shaker Style Furniture in the Bedroom
You can create a Shaker-styled bedroom by creating bed frames, headboards, nightstands, and other bedroom furniture in the Shaker style. Here are a few tips to make this happen:
The Bed Frame
Your bed is the main focus of your bedroom and the most vital piece of furniture in your home perhaps after your dining room table. Your bed is your refuge where you go to rejuvenate your body and soul with a good night’s sleep.
So, you would want your bed to look good too. The Shaker style can make it aesthetically appealing with its comfortable and solid construction. There are different styles to choose from for Shaker-style bed frames. Choose something that will make you happy and relaxed at bedtime.
You can also choose between contemporary and traditional Shaker designs. If you create modernistic bedframes then adding a bit of metal and white paint will help to complete the picture.
Storage Space
Storage space can be one of the most boring parts of designing furniture for a room. How do you make storage space look stylish? The functional design of Shaker-style furniture can work wonders in your bedroom by helping to hide away the clutter and yet look smart in a simple way.
From nightstands to wardrobes and chests of drawers, the sleek but functional lines of Shaker-style furniture will enhance the look of any bedroom. Having a dressing table that doubles up as a desk is also a good idea. Or you can add some storage space under your bed.
You need to give storage space a lot of thought. Think of the type of tasks you may have to perform in your bedroom, like writing, playing a musical instrument, listening to music, and so on. Plan your storage space in line with the items you will need to engage in these activities.
Bedroom Seating
You shouldn’t restrict sitting in your bedroom to sitting on the bed. Given adequate space, you can create some comfortable Shaker-style armchairs or basic chairs. A slatted chair with a comfortable cushion, for instance, would add class to your beautiful bedroom. Whichever way you look at it, the next thing to a comfortable bed in a bedroom should be comfortable seating.
Shaker-Style Furniture vs Mission-Style Furniture
There are quite a few discussions based on the comparisons between Shaker-style furniture and Mission-style furniture. Both styles are simplistic, appealing, and affordable. However, there are a few differences which would be good to know especially if you plan to build these styles of furniture.
Shaker-Style Furniture
The tradition of Shaker-style furniture is to use American lumber like cherry, maple, and pine. Homeowners value this type of furniture due to its minimalistic design, appreciating the basic style and functionality.
Shaker-style furniture is delicate-looking yet sturdy and is extremely relaxing to use. The basic, straight lines with gradually tapered legs are further embellished with round knobs.
Mission Style Furniture
Mission-style furniture has a similar clean-cut and elegant look. With this style of furniture, you will be looking at plain designs with square spindles. Known for its simplicity, Mission-style furniture is as coveted by homeowners as they value the Shaker style.
Woodworkers normally use oak to construct Mission-style furniture for the simple reason of a longer lifespan. But this style is a tad bit more ornamental than Shaker-style furniture. You can distinguish one from the other by the heavy carving work on Mission-style furniture as well as the abundance of vertical lines.
Conclusion
Shaker-style furniture isn’t a mainstream category. But If you want to create something unique in its simplicity, the Shaker style is a good way to go. Of course, you also get to build some durable furniture that’s going to be around for a long time.
This style of furniture looks even more striking in some of the bigger and more luxurious homes. So, next time you have a project where you need to make a statement through your furniture, perhaps Shaker-style furniture can come to your rescue.
Happy Woodworking!
