Our Classic Shaker Living Room Collection and Windsor Rocking Chair
It may be time for a yard sale if your living room furniture hasn’t been updated since 1995.
Over the years it’s easy to amass furniture from many different places. Yard sales, inherited heirlooms, estate sales and children have all been the cause of mismatched furniture pieces in homes across America. Even if you have matching living room furniture, chances are it’s been in your home for a decade or two.
With so many styles and designs out there today, sometimes it can be hard to keep it straight. We’ve got 4 of the most popular dining furniture designs and we’re breaking each one down.
Our Classic Shaker Flare Leg Hunt Board and Nantucket Dining Chair
More than just storage, I’ve come across creative uses of sideboards & buffets and I’m sharing them with you!
Before I worked in the furniture industry, I looked at China Cabinets and sideboards as clunky furniture that my parents stored their fancy fine china in. I didn’t look at them as a necessary piece of furniture. Now though, I know just important they are and how useful they can be!
Our Cherry Moon Office Furniture and Guest-Style Windsor Chair all in Cherry Wood.
When did using a desk become a thing of the past?
I want you to think about the last few homes you visited. Do remember if they had an office or designated area in their home for a desk? When I think about, the majority of the homes I visit, in fact don’t have an office space and if they do, it’s seldom used.
When did using a desk become taboo? While I know we won’t come up with an exact answer here, I have a hunch that it’s related to our constant on-the-go mentality and separation anxiety from our electronics.
A close up of our Cherry Moon Home Office Furniture
There’s a popular saying, “You weren’t born to just pay bills and die” and we agree.
When I was 20 and studying in the Netherlands, I took a weekend trip to Trapani, Sicily (those were the days) and instantly fell in love with the cobblestone streets lined with the famous stucco houses that Italy is known for. Every window it seemed had a small balcony often filled with planters full of flowers and herbs. The sky seemed bluer and the Mediterranean Sea greeted us like the North Star. Once we settled into our apartment we were renting, my friends and I went to a local market and bought enough fresh vegetables, pasta, garlic and Peroni for a feast.
Our Modern American Executive Desk in natural Cherry wood
With so much imitation out there, we’re here to help you see what natural cherry wood really looks like
Recently our Founder and CEO, Peggy Farabaugh, wrote about what to expect with natural cherry wood furniture. One of the key pieces of information she shared is that cherry wood furniture’s color matures over time. It will start in a light pink tone and as it’s exposed to light, it will ripen into a rich reddish brown color.
I wanted to create a list featuring a variety of our products in cherry wood to showcase the different stages of maturity you’ll see with real cherry wood. (note: Our natural cherry pieces are not finished with stains or toners to alter its color, just a surface protecting finish is applied. Stains are available on some pieces if a deeper, richer color is desired)
In this picture you see both light pink and golden red coloring amongst the boards, which is not uncommon as the lumber could be coming from two different trees. Over time as the wood darkens though, the pieces should blend into the same classic rich red color.
Our Modern American Dining Table in Natural Cherry Wood
Both of these modern designed pieces are made with real cherry wood and an oil and wax finish was used. As the picture shows, these pieces have a rich, golden-red color to them with the pink undertones still blending into the wood.
Our New England Shaker Bed in Natural Cherry wood.
As seen here, this piece has less of a pink tone to it and more of a red/brown coloring typically seen in cherry wood furniture that has aged over time. It has turned from a light colored wood, to a classic, rich red and golden-brown hued color.
Our Berkeley 3 Drawer Small Chest of Drawers in Natural Cherry Wood
Here you see a nightstand in natural cherry wood with a lacquer finish (walnut pulls) that looks very light in comparison to the rest of the furniture I’ve shown you. But even this piece will darken the more it’s exposed to light.
By now you’re probably noticing that cherry wood furniture really can vary in wood tone even on the same piece of furniture.
Click each picture below to see more examples of our cherry wood furniture.
Natural wood furniture is truly a unique and evolving investment and we hope this two part series on real cherry wood helped clear up any uncertainty you may have had. If you have further questions about cherry wood or any of the products featured, don’t hesitate to call our knowledgeable sales team at (888) 390-5571. If you’re in the area, we’d love to show you around our historic Stonehurst Showroom.
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Google image search results for ‘real cherry wood”. Half of these are NOT cherry wood. Many are illegal rainforest woods, brought to you by organized crime which has taken root in the global timber industry.
Cherry Wood: Will The Real Color Please Stand Up?
We have conversations with customers every day about the color of real cherry wood furniture. It’s no wonder! When I just googled “real cherry wood” well over 50 shades of red, brown and even yellow came up. Quite a variation, isn’t it? Truth be told, half of these images are NOT of cherry wood.
The Brighton Dining Set is shown in real, natural cherry wood. This photo was taken shortly after the set was made so the cherry is still a light color. Over time, it will darken to a rich reddish brown, similar to the color of mahogany.
When the big American furniture companies started off-shoring their furniture in the 1980s they found it cheaper to use rainforest woods than cherry. But consumers love cherry. So they stained rainforest woods and gave them various trade names containing “cherry”. For example Makore, an increasingly rare African wood being illegally logged in Sierra Leone and Gabon has been sold under the trade name Cherry Mahogany (though Makore is not closely related to either cherry or mahogany). Worse yet, it’s listed as an endangered species due to illegal logging and exploitation by organized crime which has taken root in the global timber industry.
Our Vermont Shaker Bedroom set shows how real cherry wood furniture “ripens” to a darker hue after about a month of exposure to moderate levels of sunlight.
Many times customers come to Vermont Woods Studios looking to buy real cherry wood furniture that matches existing cherry pieces in their homes. After discussions and emailing pictures back and forth they are shocked to find that their “cherry” furniture from Bassett, Ethan Allen or other big “American” companies is not cherry at all but rubberwood, poplar or engineered hardwood.
This rocker shows the range of colors for real, natural cherry wood. The chair’s darker than the cherry in the photos above because it’s older and has been exposed to more light. Notice too, that even within the one rocking chair, there are differences in cherry wood color that are created by grain patterns and grain direction.
At Vermont Woods Studios, our cherry furniture is indeed made out of real, solid North American Black Cherry wood. The color starts out as a light pink and slowly ripens to a rich reddish brown over time, as it’s exposed to light. Nina’s photo of the rocker above shows the range of natural cherry colors after the wood’s been exposed to light for a few months.
Are you interested to learn more? Find tons of information and photos of American made, real cherry wood furniture on our website & send us your questions on Facebook or in the comments section below.
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Modern American Platform Bed and Case Goods in Cherry with Walnut accents
Now your dreams can be a reality–Save up to 20% off handmade bedroom furniture during our Winter Bedroom Sale!
I’m deciding that 2016 is the year of YOU! You work hard, you take care of your loved ones and you go out of your way to be kind and helpful. I think those are great qualities, but I fear most people (myself included) forget to give themselves “me” time.
We all have a hobby or interest but I would guess the vast majority of people don’t give themselves much time to grow those interests. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of work first, play later, but a lot people are forgetting to take a break from the grind and enjoy themselves.
I want you to take a moment, think about something you really want to accomplish and create a feasible plan on how you’ll achieve that “me time” goal whether it be finishing that stack of books you’ve collected over the last two years or kayaking somewhere new every weekend.
Our American Shaker Bedroom Collection in Cherry
To help you on your road to success, here’s a list of methods I have used.
Get a good night’s sleep, every night!
Turn off cell phones, laptops and tablets at least an hour before bed
Get support from family and friends and challenge them to get more “me” time
Spend time outside everyday, even if it’s only for a few minutes (and no I don’t mean walking from your house to your car!)
The less time you spend with technology and the more time you spend outside or doing your favorite activities, you’ll quickly see how much you don’t miss Netflix, Facebook or your e-mails!
In addition to turning away from your electronics and other distractions before bed, a great way to get a good night’s rest is to sleep in a bedroom you absolutely love.
Make your room part of your success and turn it into an oasis and hub of relaxation. To help get you motivated, we’re having a Bedroom Furniture Sale starting today, February 19 and going through Thursday, March 3. You can save 10% off one piece of bedroom furniture, 15% off two pieces and 20% off three or more pieces.
Our Raised Panel Carriage Bed and Renfrew Shaker 3-Drawer Nightstand both in Cherry.
All of our furniture is handmade here in Vermont from local craftspeople and is available in Cherry, Maple, Oak and Walnut woods. We pride ourselves on our mission of creating a more sustainable furniture industry and all of our wood comes from sustainably harvested forests. You’ll rest easy knowing the bed you’re in is made just for you from someone who truly cares about the quality of your new furniture.
Spend less time this year worrying about everyone and everything and get back to the basics of caring for you! Why not start by rewarding yourself with a new bedroom and soon you’ll be happier than you ever thought possible!
If you have any questions about our furniture or the sale, our friendly and knowledgeable sales team is here to help at 888-390-5571. Shop conveniently and securely from the comfort of your own home or stop into our Stonehurst Showroom in Vernon, Vermont. We’re open 7 days a week and would love to meet you!
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Our Modern Shaker Wall Mirror in Cherry and Walnut
Why let the table and chairs have all the attention? We think what you put around them is just as important!
You’ve just invested a lot of time and money into your new dining table and chairs. The furniture has arrived and is set up in your dining room. Now what? You have the main attraction, so what you choose to decorate the rest of the room with should be selected with care. You wouldn’t buy a nice suit or dress and pair it with low-quality accessories, would you?
I chose four pieces that should be next on your list.
Dining Bench-It’s nice alternative seating and can be multi-functional if you decide down the road you’d like more chairs. What I like the most about benches is that they give the illusion of fitting more people. And I love the idea of having a lot of people around the table enjoying a meal together.
Sideboard or Hunt Board-More than just a storage space, these pieces can complement or accent your dining table and chairs. A sideboard, traditionally has more cabinet space and a hunt board you’ll notice is more table like with longer legs and usually offers less storage space. They’re great for hiding less commonly used china, silverware and other glassware. And, they act as extra surface space for large meals and decorations.
Mirror-I’m not sure where this idea came from, but I love when dining rooms have a large mirror in them. It gives the illusion of more space, it can take up a lot of wall space if needed to complement the size of your furniture and can be used for practical purposes as well.
Statement Chandelier-There’s nothing I like less than a missed opportunity and I think lighting (which is important for the ambiance of a room) is often one of them. A chandelier is like the icing on the cake. It completes the room. You can have one that’s simple or ornate in design but most importantly it should match the style/theme of your room. You don’t want to go overboard and end up with an eye sore.
Our Classic Shaker Hunt Board and our Modern Shaker Long Sideboard both shown in Cherry.
If you’re unsure of where to start, I’d choose a piece that you know you need. Do you need more storage and surface space, is your dining room small, does it need better lighting, etc. and go from there.
Let us know what you’d get next for your dining space in the comments section below! And remember, now through February 11th you can save up to 20% off your dining furniture purchase during our Winter Dining Furniture Sale.
Questions? Our sales team is always available and eager to answer any questions you may have about our furniture and can be reached at (888) 390-5571 or you can stop in our Vernon, VT Showroom open seven days a week.
Our Modern Shaker Wall Mirror in Walnut and Hubbardton Forge Flora #2 Chandelier
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Our Cherry Moon Bed, 9-Drawer Dresser and Nightstand all in Cherry Wood
Our Handpicked Bedroom Sets Are Now 25% Off-ALWAYS!
The other day as I was driving home, I decided to listen to the regular old FM radio instead of my usual selection of Pandora, Spotify and NPR Podcasts. Something I noticed after a little while was how often I was hearing furniture store commercials. And it wasn’t just the usual big box stores I was hearing the ads from–they were coming from locally owned stores, too. I heard everything from win tickets to see the Red Sox to visit our new IMAX screen. I wondered to myself, what are they actually selling?
