About Amish Dining Room Furniture

The Dining Table

• Amish dining tables are hand-built and come in a variety of shapes. Tabletops are a minimum of 1 inch thick and are solid. Veneers are not used in Amish furniture. Table leaves are hand-sanded to blend seamlessly with the table top. Table legs are turned or solid, depending on the style of the table, and are substantially load-bearing.

Dining Chairs

• Spindle backs are traditional in Amish dining chairs. The shape of the chair backs varies, from oval to a tapered rectangle. The slats are either round or flattened for a more comfortable back position. Creative designs for the slats include those shaped like a sheaf of wheat, a feather or a paddle. Legs are turned or solid and feature crossbars for stability.

The Sideboard

• Sturdy and solid, the Amish sideboard is influenced by the Welsh cupboard and built for heavy storage. Rectangular and unembellished, the front panels and hardware are the only decorative elements on the sideboard. Legs are either flared or solidly straight. Spindles are often used between the bottom of the cabinet and the lower part of the sideboard.

The Hutch

• The Amish hutch is the most elaborate piece of dining room furniture in the room. Cabinetry with glass or wood shelving provides display space for decorative pieces and is placed atop a solid sideboard. A lifted hutch gives room on the base piece for use as a buffet. The lines of the hutch are simple and hardware is unobtrusive.

Amish Dining Room Accent Pieces

• Pie safes and jelly cupboards are common items in Amish dining rooms. Both types of cabinet are constructed with simple lines and solid doors and legs. Interiors of the cupboards contain planked wood shelving. If glass fronting is used, it is modestly etched. The cupboard designs emanate from the practical needs of the Amish housewife.