Make Your Den More Cozy

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Home FixturesAs autumn winds swirl through the neighborhood trees, causing colorful leaves to dance towards the ground, conversations between friends move from outside on the porch to inside in the den. Make your living room space more cozy and inviting by incorporating the following pieces of living room furniture.

Coffee Table

There is nothing like a steaming cup of coffee or hot chocolate to warm up with during the autumn and winter seasons. Hot drinks bring comfort with their warmth and create a relaxing vibe for any room. Setting a coffee table in the middle of your den allows for guests to have intimate conversations over seasonal beverages. The round coffee table from Carriage House Furnishings comes with a maple top, instilling an earthy, laid-back feel into any space.

End Tables

End tables create bookends for your furniture, providing the feeling of safety. You can place lamps on each end table to add a warm glow to your den or stack books and magazines on the bottom shelf of an end table or in the drawers to encourage relaxation. After all, during the colder seasons, snuggling up with a good book proves a wonderful way to pass the time and a great way to catch up on your backlogged reading queue. These end tables from Carriage House Furnishings provide room for lamps, books and more. Don’t forget to place some spare candles in the drawer for when you would like a lower-lit room or in case the power goes out.

Gliders

Nothing creates a cozy atmosphere like a comfortable glider. Adding gliders to your den rather than couches allows for more personal space and comfort. Gliders move back and forth, allowing you to rock at your own pace. Upholstered gliders with comfortable cushions invite family and guests to sit down and relax for a while.  Get a glider from Carriage House Furnishings and add an ottoman to prop up your feet, achieving the ultimate in relaxation.

Small Side Table

Tables can be used for a variety of purposes. To make your den a more welcoming space, use a side table to add some decorations to the room. Set up framed photos of your family, friends and pets, or turn the table into a place where guests can set down their belongings. Use the table to set up a buffet-style meal or snack trays during a house party or while having guests over for the football game. Small tables, such as this one from Carriage House Furnishings, placed along a sidewall in your den can add to the homey ambiance of the room.

There’s no shortage of great options to make your living room or den more cozy and comfortable. Check out our full inventory online, stop in and see us in Ronks, or call us today at 717-768-8712.

Refresh Your Bedroom Set this Fall

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Fall is the perfect time to hit the refresh button on your entire bedroom set. With the cooler months rolling in, you’ll want to spend those cozy fall nights snuggled up in bed with a glass of wine or a hot chocolate, watching an old movie or reading your favorite book. So make sure your bedroom set is as comfy as possible to prepare for hibernation season.

Our Lexington bed set has everything you need, including a bed, an armoire, two dressers to choose from and a couple of nightstand options. This classic set is sturdy and handmade, so the quality is incomparable to what you’ll find in regular furniture stores. Depending on your style preferences, the set is available in a number of different finish options from very light brown maple for a more rustic look to a dark cherry that provides a more modern look. Depending on your tastes and preferences, we’ll work with you to find the perfect finish for your set.

Hickory Bedroom SetIf you want to update your bedframe and are looking for a funkier option, check out our hickory bed. This bed is built to last and is tougher than nails. Hickory is a great wood for furniture making because it’s particularly sturdy, so when you buy a sturdy hickory wood bed frame, it can easily be the last one you ever buy. We offer this bed in all common mattress sizes and each one is built to order, sure to pair nicely with any of our other bedroom pieces.

Carriage House Furnishings has tons of options to choose from for anyone looking for the perfect rustic-chic-inspired bedroom set to complement your style and upgrade your cozy bedroom. The best part is, we’re a one-stop shop for all the furniture you need, and all of our pieces are handmade by extremely attentive and talented Amish craftsmen.

The cooler months are nearly upon us, so don’t wait – update your bedroom furniture this fall so that you can spend the cozy fall months snuggled up in your newly refreshed bedroom, courtesy of Carriage House Furnishings. Stop in and see our inventory in person at the former Lapps Coach Shop in Intercourse or call us today at 717-768-8712 to learn more.

Advantages of Hickory Furniture

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Hickory is a fantastic furniture-building material. It’s tough, resilient and durable, and has held that reputation for decades. In fact, during his tenure as our president, Andrew Jackson was consistently referred to as “Old Hickory” because of his staunch demeanor and toughness in the face of battle.

Today hickory accounts for roughly 2 percent of total U.S. hardwoods commercially available, according to the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, which makes it an exclusive but highly prized furniture material. Let’s take a look at a couple of reasons why hickory is a great choice for your furniture.

Hickory Wood FurnitureColoration and Appearance

Depending on your individual taste, you can find hickory in a variety of different colors. The color of hickory is always beautiful on its own, but can vary with a bit of varnish, offering different shades from natural or light finishes to auburn and even ebony hues. The grain of the wood is distinctive as well, offering unique patterns and styles that add character to any hickory element. No matter what your taste, you can always find something that will catch your eye with this wood grain.

Durable and Resilient

We mentioned that Jackson was nicknamed after hickory, and with good reason. The wood is incredibly durable and will last for a very long time. It’s incredibly strong and is sure to fantastic in your home. If you have children or tend to be the sort of person prone to spills, a simple trick to increase the life of your hickory furniture is to apply a simple clear-coat or a stain yourself. This can help seal the wood and keep spills from soaking in. If something does spill, be sure to wipe it up quickly with soap and water and avoid using bleach, which could cause the colors to run.

Availability

Hickory is extremely easy to get a hold of, due to the popularity and availability of hickory cabinets. It has historically been a hardwood of choice, and Wood Magazine reports that with its reasonably high availability along the East Coast, it continues to be easy to find. However, that’s like saying paper is easy to find – it’s what’s done with it that matters – and the Amish craftsmen who build the hickory furniture at Carriage House Furnishings take care to ensure that every piece is comfortable, appealing and made to last.

Hickory continues to be a wonderful furniture-building material. Hickory can take a long time to grow and mature – in some cases taking as long 200 years to grow and fully mature before it can be used – but like many things in life, the best things are worth waiting for. We’ve made some fantastic items with hickory, including cabinets, benches, tables and more.

To learn more about the full range of hickory products available from Carriage House Furnishings, call us today at 717-768-8712 or stop in and see us at the former Lapps Coach Shop in Intercourse, Pennsylvania.

A Lasting Tradition: The History of Amish Furniture

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Amish Furniture Amish furniture first rose to popularity in the 1920s as people of the time looked for furniture made a simpler way of life from a simpler time, without all of the technology used at the time.

Sound familiar?

Amish furniture dates back to the early days of the Amish themselves in the 1690s when a group of traditional Mennonite Christians in Switzerland split from their church, says The Barnyard Gazette blog. During the 18th century, many of these people immigrated to Pennsylvania where they formed tightly formed communities around their strong belief system.

A part of that culture included sustainability. The Amish grew, made or built everything they use – and often still do – and throughout the decades since, people in contemporary culture have come to appreciate their work for the skill and craftsmanship that goes into it.

Today, people still look for Amish-created furniture for those same reasons. Amish furniture has a distinctive look and feel that comes from simplicity of design, but built from strong materials and crafted with incredible detail.

At Carriage Home Furnishings, we sell some of the finest Amish furniture available. Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the heart of Amish country, our products can add beauty to your home while also being highly functional and reliable.

We sell major pieces for bedrooms and dining rooms, along with accent pieces and many other types of furniture. Amish furniture comes in a variety of wood types from the local area including northern red oak, cherry, maple and elm.

With all that’s available today, it’s easy to forget about the finer goods available. If you want furniture, you may be tempted to buy a do-it-yourself piece from the mall or from a designer showroom, but those pieces will not have the authenticity and the true beauty and charm found in Amish-made furniture.

If you are interested in decorating your home with true Amish goods, stop in and see us at the former Lapps Coach Shop in Intercourse or give us a call today at 717-768-8712.

Gear Up for School with a New Desk or Bookcase

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The summer is heading into its final month and back-to-school shopping has likely begun in your home. In addition to the traditional school supplies and clothes, you may find yourself in the market for a sturdy new desk or bookcase to help store all your supplies and provide a quiet, comfortable place to learn.

Carriage House Furnishings offers well-constructed, Amish-made bookshelves and desks that are perfect for any student. Although each product is designed with solid hardwoods, there are a variety of finishes, styles and sizes to choose from.

Desk with Hutch TopIf your son or daughter is in need of a durable and attractive desk, we’ve got you covered. You can choose from a simple black desk with a walnut finish and keyboard drawer or a larger desk with a hutch top and light walnut finish for more storage space. If you are looking for a premium school desk, Carriage House Furnishings offers the Eshton Oak Desk — also available in maple. No matter what you decide, each option has been expertly crafted to provide a dependable place for students to work on projects throughout their school years into their professional lives.

In addition to a well-made desk, complete your back-to-school furniture set with an Amish-built bookcase. For a student with few books or a smaller living space, we carry a small, two-shelf bookcase with a sandy buff and nice walnut finish. You can also find medium, large and extra-large open-shelf bookcases in a variety of finishes for students who are expecting more books and need more storage space than their desk can provide. We’ve even crafted various sized bookshelves with doors for students who prefer to hide their clutter out of sight.

With the wide array of choices of back to school furniture Carriage House Furnishings has to offer, you will be done checking off your to-do list in no time. For questions about our products and designs, call us today at 717-768-8712 or stop in and see us today on West Newport Road in Ronks, Pennsylvania.

Sitting in a Porch Rocker: Is There Anything More Summertime?

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What do you think of when you think of summer? If you’re anything like us at Carriage House Furnishings, you think of spending a gorgeous, warm summer evening out on the porch in a beautiful and comfortable handcrafted porch rocker.

If your picture of summertime matches ours, you’re in luck, because Carriage House Furnishings has a few pretty spectacular models of porch rockers for you to choose from! Just imagine sitting on one of these sturdy and comfortable chairs, having an iced tea and soaking up the summer breeze – what could be better than that?

A porch rocker is a great addition to any porch for many reasons. For smaller porches, adding a pair of rockers transforms it from an entryway into extra living space. If you have a larger porch, it can be hard to create comfortable living spaces out of the odd angles of a porch, but a few rockers or a nice swing can change all that.

For those of you looking for something very traditionally summer, check out our Hickory or Oak Swing! This beauty is four feet of comfortable swinging that offers room for two – a perfect addition to any type of porch or deck. What’s better than a classic porch swing in the summer?

Ash Lumbar RockerIf you don’t want to go with a swing, we have plenty of other rocking chairs available. Our Ash Ladderback Rocker or the Ash Lumbar Rocker are great options for any porch furniture design, and are built with comfort in mind. These chairs add a touch of simplicity and comfort to any outdoor space.

For something a little more detailed, check out our Bent Oak Rocker with a curved or flat arm. These chairs are a bit bigger than the traditional porch rocker, but also make more of a design statement. The handcrafted design of these chairs will add a new favorite place for you to sit and entertain guests or relax the day away during the summer.

If you need a few more options, check out our full collection of gliders and rocking chairs online now or call us at 717-768-8712. In the area? Stop in and see us at the former Lapps Coach Shop in Intercourse today.

A History of Pie Safes

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DoublePie SafeAre you looking for that one piece of quality furniture that will transform your kitchen or foyer into a beautiful picture of the past? Then you should look into a gorgeous and beautifully crafted pie safe. But what is a pie safe, and where did they originate? Read on for a history lesson about these impressive pieces of furniture.

Also known as pie chests, pie cupboards and kitchen safes, pie safes are well-crafted pieces of furniture that have been in existence since the 1700s. Between the 1700s and 1800s, pie safes were a standard piece of furniture found in almost all households until ice boxes replaced many of them in later years.

The primary use of pie safes was to store and protect pies, bread, meat and many other perishables so that they could be protected against insects and other vermin and stay fresh. Usually made of wood, these pie safes were about the size of a large bureau with perforated shelves and two hinged doors in front.

It is often believed that pie safes were first brought to our country when the first German people immigrated to Pennsylvania. These Pennsylvania Dutch brought their new way of storing baked goods to the United States, and it was then when the pie chest was born. Upon their introduction, these chests were very much in style and anyone looking to keep their food fresh had one in their home.

Obviously, technology and furnishings have changed throughout the years, and the invention of ice boxes and then refrigerators made these pieces more of a want than a need. Now, in the 21st century, collectors and fans of fine furniture are still thrilled about their well-crafted pie safes.

Add a festive country touch to your kitchen space with an elegant pie safe from Carriage House Furnishings. We offer a variety of different styles, from those with double doors to gorgeous models with copper doors, and all made with the quality craftsmanship that you expect from Carriage House Furnishings.

To order your new pie safe or for more information, give us a call at 717-768-8712 or stop in and see us today in Intercourse, Pennsylvania at the former Lapps Coach Shop.

Blend Modern and Classic with Entertainment Centers

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Nowadays, all entertainment centers seem to look the same. Many are black, have a couple doors on them and maybe a glass door sprinkled in somewhere. These may work well for some, but if you’re looking for something different, you may want to try one of Carriage House Furnishings entertainment centers.

Plasma CabinetThese entertainment centers, or “plasma cabinets” as we refer to them, are the perfect furniture for all of your electronics. They are available in numerous sizes, so if you love your televisions big, chances are we have the perfect plasma cabinet for it. In addition, our cabinets also come in different grains woods and colors, so you can easily to match them with the furniture you currently have in any room of your home.

Our entertainment centers will give your latest, state-of-the-art technology an Old World look that is very uncommon in today’s world. You will have all of this cool new technology like your television or stereo system in this beautiful wood entertainment center that will really make it all look great. Entertainment centers like ours will really make your home feel more warming and welcoming as well, and our plasma centers might be just what you’re looking for to add that homey, old-country feel to your living space.

Another great reason to get one of our plasma centers is because of the craftsmanship involved with creating it. Many modern entertainment centers don’t last very long and fall apart a few short years after they’re purchased. On the other hand, an entertainment center from Carriage House Furnishings is built to last and will hold all of your entertainment toys for many years to come.

In addition to entertainment centers, Carriage House Furnishings offers a wide range of Amish bedroom and dining furniture and so much more. To learn more about any of our products or to order one for your home, call us today at 717-768-8712 or stop in and see us in the former Lapps Coach Shop in Intercourse, Pennsylvania today.

Create a Classic Country Look in Your Kitchen

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Kitchen counter space is at a premium in most homes, especially smaller apartments and condos. Luckily for those counter-deprived chefs, the folks at Carriage House Furnishings are here to help, with a selection of collapsible tables and kitchen cabinets perfect for small spaces.

Kitchen CabinetOne of our best sellers is the Double Trash Cabinet. This gorgeous walnut piece features a black finish with a naturally stained countertop. The two bottom bins lean out to collect your garbage stylishly – one side for trash and one side for recycling – and there are two small drawers for keeping kitchen odds and ends. The countertop on the cabinet measures 13 by 17 by 35 inches, giving you a bunch more chopping and storage space to work with.

If this option is too big for your space, check out our Single Trash Cabinet. Available in a number of finishes, including black and white, this cabinet features one trash bin that leans out and one drawer on top for collecting things. This option is perfect for compact spaces, where you don’t want your trash bin sitting out in the open. This trash cabinet also features a decorative rail that gives you a great surrounded edge that allows you to keep loose items on, like mail, seasonings or even wine.

If your space is so small that you’re only looking for temporary seating or countertop space, our folding tables are perfect for you. We have oak folding tables and pine folding tables, both of which are great for small spaces. These tables are about the size of a TV dinner tray, so they’re great for adding an extra bit of counter space to a small kitchen or to add a convenient surface to eat dinner on while catching up on your favorite shows in the living room.

All of the high-quality furniture pieces at Carriage House Furnishings are handmade from solid woods, built to offer beauty and lasting functionality to your home. For more information on our handmade products and to learn about the other furniture we have to offer, give us a call today at 717-768-8712 or stop in and see us in Intercourse, Pennsylvania, at the former Lapps Coach Shop.

Add Elegance and Class with a Handcrafted Bench

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At Carriage House Furnishings, we pride ourselves on creating the most welcoming and housewarming wood furniture that money can buy. We make well-crafted furniture for every room in the house, so whether you are looking for a toy chest for your child’s playroom or a beautiful dining room table, we have got the perfect item for you.

Upholstered BenchOne of our favorite items to create is our handcrafted benches, which add a level of class to any area of the home, inside and out. We have a large variety of benches, including those with high backs that are perfect for entryways, smaller storage benches for family rooms or bedrooms and  and beautifully upholstered hickory benches that are perfect for adding sitting space on a porch or patio.

When you choose a bench from Carriage House, you are buying an item that will last you a lifetime. That is because we pride ourselves on providing the type of workmanship seldom seen in today’s market. We put heart and soul into our products which result in sturdy, affordable and elegant products that will complement your home.

The beauty of these benches is that they look great anywhere. Put them indoors or outdoors and witness that area immediately begin to glow. Here are a couple of places that are instantly improved with a high-quality bench.

Entryways

These gorgeous and sturdy benches look fantastic in entryways. Not only do they look great, but they create a place to sit to take off your shoes or just take a load off after a tough day at work. Even if you don’t use them for seating, a great entryway bench adds a classy touch to any entrance because of its rustic looks and instant charm.

Gardens

These benches look great in gardens as well. Find a color that blends with the shades of your garden growth and you’ll see a whole new level of beauty added to the area. Plus these benches create an excellent space just to sit and gaze at your flowers, fresh vegetables and other splendid foliage.

Don’t worry about wear and tear, because due to the sturdy craftsmanship, these models can easily withstand the elements, even if kept outdoors. That’s just what you get with Carriage House Furnishings – high-quality, handcrafted products that will keep you satisfied for years to come.

To learn more or to purchase a new handcrafted wooden bench for your home, give us a call at 717-768-8712 or stop in and see us in the former Lapps Coach Shop in Intercourse today.

Looking to Freshen Up Your Home’s Look? Check Out Our Charms and Accents

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After a dreary, gray winter, spring inspires us to add color back into our world. With the flowers blooming, sun shining in blue skies and growing green grass, the joyful outdoor scene sparks creativity in our home décor. Spring is the perfect time for change, so why not add spring-like rustic charms and accents to freshen up your house?

The first room in your home to receive a reboot should be the most popular one. For many of us, this is the kitchen – the gathering place in the home. A simple way to add both color and texture to the kitchen is with a decorative, spring-themed plate. Place the plate on a stand on the counter top or above your cabinets if there is space. The best part about such a simple fixture is that it can be changed from season to season, allowing you to keep your décor in line with the calendar.

Cambridge Dining TableIf you are looking to make a bigger change to the space, consider spicing up the kitchen with a new table set. A light-colored set like the Cambridge dining table set from Carriage House Furnishings will immediately brighten the room and make it feel refreshed. You can also change out your lighting by replacing your traditional light fixture with a rustic conversation piece like a wooden wheel-shaped overhead light to add a new kitschy look to your kitchen.

The living room is another space that often needs decorative attention from time to time. Add a new cabinet can provide your room with extra space to display crafts, your child’s artwork, picture frames or your various accent pieces. You can even place this cabinet between the kitchen, living room or dining room with a display of upscale plates that offers a classy and elegant look and an easy transition between rooms in an open floor plan.

Need even more space for all your accents and charms? Include an entertainment center flanked with bookshelves in your living room featuring a rustic lantern or wooden block letters in various colors spelling out words and phrases like “Family” and “Home Sweet Home.” Or, add spring and summer crafts and florals like decorative white picket fences, birdhouses and colorful vases to the shelf to create a springtime scene to mimic the rejuvenated world outside.

Don’t neglect other high-traffic zones in your home like a wide hallway or the man cave. A classic wooden bench or a wall hanging with a catchy saying brings life to a boring hallway. Plus, there are great ways to surprise your husband with an accent in his man cave that he will love too. Nothing says “rustic” like a bourbon barrel table!

Let your ideas go rampant or come visit Carriage House Furnishings with an open mind and see what catches your eye. Either way, our friendly staff is ready to help you freshen up your home for the new season. Have décor questions? Call Carriage House Furnishings at 717-768-8712 or stop in and see us today at the former Lapps Coach Shop in Intercourse, Pennsylvania.

Play Outside With Scooters and Wagons

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Wagons With the temperatures becoming more mild, that means spring is on the way, creating great opportunities to get outside and enjoy the weather. However, with the video games becoming more and more the common way for children to spend the time at home, many kids don’t feel the need to go outside and play as they used to. This spring, give them a reason to head outdoors and play with one of the wagons or scooters available from Carriage House Furnishings!

Scooters are a great way for little ones to ride around the driveway and get some exercise. We have small, medium and large scooters available for riders of any age. They also come equipped with baskets, perfect for carrying items if they are heading over to a friend’s house or if you need them to head next door to pick up something from a neighbor. The scooters also are so easy to ride that kids can just pick them up and go for a ride without hardly any learning curve.

Our wagons, on the other hand, can be used for numerous fun reasons as well. One of them being if your kids have friends over, they can use it to pull toys from one area of the yard to the other. That way their fun won’t get stalled by them having to make multiple trips across the yard.

The wagons can also be used if you’re looking to get out and enjoy the weather with them. You can load up the kids into it and pull them around the neighborhood for a nice little ride – great exercise for you, too! If you have multiple kids, you could also have one who is older get out and pull the younger kids to add a little more fun to the trip.

Carriage House Furnishings offers Amish-made bedroom, dining room and children’s furniture and so many more great hand-crafted wooden products. If you would like more information on our available products, feel free to call us today at 717-768-8712 or stop in and see us at the former Lapps Coach Shop in Intercourse!