No matter the size of your outdoor space, it’s always a great idea to have outdoor seating options available for you or your guests. Whether you’re looking for a cozy spot to have an evening drink with your friends, or somewhere to sip your morning coffee, your dream spot is achievable. To get started, let’s look at some outdoor seating ideas that will allow you to sit back and relax all spring and summer long!
Create a Cozy, Secluded Outdoor Space
Having a secluded area in your yard is perfect for those moments when you need to take some time for yourself. Start by adding a dining set like our Poly Bistro Table and 2 Chairs to create the perfect setting to sip your morning coffee with a good book. To brighten up your space add hanging string lights and decorate the area by strategically placing lanterns and candles around the seating area. For an extra touch, add a colorful outdoor rug to tie the space together!
Add Some Pops of Color
To spice up your seating arrangement in your yard, incorporate pops of color to help brighten up your yard. Plus, you can play around with different patterns and complimentary colors to make your area feel like another room in your home. Try incorporating colors and patterns through outdoor rugs, pillows, and seat cushions!
Gather Around the Campfire
Fire pits are a great way to keep your guests warm during the cooler nights. If you usually host a lot of night-time get togethers, a fire pit would be a great investment for your yard. To offer maximum comfort, add lounging chairs like our Poly Fan Back Chair and a basket of blankets will help your guests sit back and relax.
Hangout for Awhile
Sometimes you just need to kick back and take in the fresh air. There is no better place to relax than rocking back and forth on a swinging bench. The rocking of the bench is soothing and often can make us feel calm and relaxed. Swing alone or accompanied by your loved one!
If you’re looking to add more outdoor seating to your yard, Carriage House Furnishing offers high quality Amish outdoor furniture that will tie together any yard.
Browse our collection online or in store to find sturdy pieces to add to your yard!
Whether you’re running out of space in your kitchen, or you don’t want your garbage can on display, then built-in garbage cans are the perfect option for you! They are sleek, convenient, and look great in your kitchen. Here are a few more reasons why you should consider adding a built-in garbage can to your kitchen!
It Keeps Garbage Out of Sight
When you think about your dream kitchen, it’s doubtful that your garbage can is something that you picture in it. Regardless, you’ll need to have a garbage can in your kitchen, so you might as well keep it hidden! Built-in garbage cans are easy to use, and they blend right into the kitchen. Usually, these fixtures will have multiple false fronts that allows them to blend in naturally in your kitchen.
Helps Control Garbage Odor
The last thing that you want is to have an unpleasant smell lingering around an area where you handle food. Built-in garbage cans help eliminate odors and neutralize unpleasant scents. To further reduce unpleasant scents, you can use odor-controlling garbage bags and add lids to the top of your cans! All of these tips combined will help keep your kitchen smelling pleasant.
Allows You to Sort Your Waste
There is more than one way to dispose of your waste. Besides throwing it away, you can also recycle and compost certain products! You can recycle products such as plastic bottles, paper, glass, and more. You’re also encouraged to compost items such as vegetable waste, coffee grounds, and fruit scraps. Purchasing a double trash cabinet allows you to sort your garbage accordingly, and makes it easy for you to dispose of your waste.
Easy to Manage
Garbage
Built-in garbage cans are very easy to manage. Garbage cans easily slide in and out of the frames they are placed in. Plus, you can use any drawer space around the storage area to keep extra garbage bags, so they are always close by when you need them!
If you’re looking for a new way to store your garbage can, Carriage House Furnishings offers built-in cabinet garbage cans that conveniently tuck away the garbage in your kitchen. Browse our collection online or in-store to find your one-of-a-kind Amish built-in cabinet garbage cans today!
Farmhouse kitchens have become very popular across many households. There are plenty of different ways that you can creatively incorporate new pieces to your kitchen to create a more functional and cozy space. Let us help spark some ideas to get you started creating the farmhouse kitchen of your dreams!
Add a Neutral Colored Bookshelf
Although bookshelves aren’t usually found in the kitchen, adding unique furniture pieces are a great way to make your kitchen stand out! You can use a bookshelf to incorporate neutral colors and natural woods into your kitchen. Also you can dress up your bookshelf with different antiques, baskets, cookbooks, metal accessories, and even plants. Our medium sage-colored bookcase is a great way to add a pop of color, while still sticking with your neutral color scheme. Plus, the storage cabinets at the bottom are perfect for storing kitchen towels or cleaning supplies.
Incorporate A Wood Hutch
A wooden hutch is a farmhouse kitchen staple that you can’t forget to include in your kitchen. A hutch is a great piece to have in any farmhouse kitchen because it’s an eye-catching and vintage-looking piece. The 3 Door Hickory Hutch with Glass Doors is a great way to store your glassware, silverware, and bakeware. You can also get more creative and transform it into a bar or coffee station!
Accessorize with Farmhouse Signs
Adding signs ties your entire kitchen together. You can personalize them by using quotes that define your family, or you can keep it simple and add signs that say “market” or “farmhouse.” Signs are a great way to incorporate more wood or rustic metals into your kitchen too! Check out our farmhouse style signs to help get you started.
Add a Rustic Island
People are starting to repurpose old dressers to create unique kitchen islands. You can use the dresser drawers for extra storage! Repurposing dressers can be a timely process. To save time, consider adding a light-wood kitchen island. Our Lahoma island has drawers for storage and even has sliding barn doors!
At Carriage House Furnishings, we offer a beautiful selection of high-quality kitchen furniture to help you create your perfect farmhouse kitchen. Browse online or stop into our store to find your perfect pieces!
If you’re a parent, then you know how challenging can be keeping track of your children’s toy collection. Even if you have a room dedicated to storing their toys, they somehow still end up scattered all around the house. It can be overwhelming, trying to keep track of all your child’s toys. Try these easy storage ideas to help keep children’s toys organized.
Add Baskets to Your
Bookshelf
Bookshelves aren’t limited to just storing books. If you add storage baskets to the shelves, they can be a great way to organize toys. Adding labels to your baskets can help your child put away their toys neatly while keeping them sorted. Eventually, as your child gets older, you can remove the baskets, and transform it back into a bookshelf!
Rotate Your Child’s Toys
One of the best ways to declutter your toy room is by going through your child’s toys and deciding what toys they are currently playing with. Just because your child owns many toys does not mean that they all need to be in the playroom. Invest in a toy chest that you can sleekly store in any room and rotate your child’s toys every few weeks. Rotating their toys is the perfect opportunity to re-introduce toys that your child may have forgotten about, limiting the need to purchase new toys to add to their collection.
Store Toys Within
Furniture
Another creative way to store your child’s toys is through your furniture. If you own an ottoman or a cushioned chest, you can also use it as a toy chest. It’s a great solution because you can hide your toys in the seat and use the top for decorative items. This kind of storage is an excellent addition to any bedroom, living room, or mudroom.
Make Use of Your Toys
If you own a dollhouse, store all your dolls within the home, so all pieces are stored together. If your child has a play kitchen, store all the kitchen accessories within the accessible compartments. This is a convenient way to make some space in your room while keeping all like items together.
If you’re looking to organize your playroom, Carriage House Furnishings can help you find your perfect piece. We carry a wide range of Amish wooden furniture, including children’s toys and furniture that will endure any playroom.
There are a few furniture pieces that are and always have
been considered staples in the average household, chief among them a sturdy
bookshelf to hold all of your favorite stories!
The great thing about a nice bookshelf is that it’s no longer just for books, especially a strong and durable Amish-built bookcase that can hold a lot of weight. Try decorating your bookcase with a few of these fun items to transform it into a gorgeous piece of home décor!
Seasonal Décor
Choose a shelf to leave empty in your bookcase so you can decorate
it for each season. Use it in the fall and winter to display handmade holiday crafts
from children or your own little Halloween and then Christmas village. In the
spring and summer, it’ll make a great spot for fresh flowers and warm décor!
Personal
Items
The top or second shelf of your cabinet is an ideal place to set up family photos and other sentimental objects, since they’ll sit right at eyelevel to greet you! If you opt for an Amish bookcase, display your pictures in rustic style frames to keep the décor style cohesive.
Other
Media
Books are by no means the only form of entertainment kept in the home—especially in this day and age. Save a few shelves not only for books, but for your DVD or video game collection too. You can even use the sturdier bottom shelf to hold your DVD player, gaming console, or favorite board games!
The higher quality of bookshelf you invest in for your home, the better it will look holding your books and decorations. Get your money’s worth when you furnish your home with a beautiful wooden bookcase from Carriage House Furnishings!
All our pieces are Amish-made and handcrafted, built to last for generations. Stop into our showroom or browse our online selection to find the perfect bookcase to fit your space!
You probably come across a few fun and unique mailboxes every once in a while that make a house look so good you think about getting one yourself! But more likely than not, you dismiss the idea as an unnecessary waste of money. Your mailbox is still standing, which means it’ll serve you just fine—right?
You might be surprised to learn that a whimsical wooden mailbox is an investment that will prove its value time and time again. Consider a few of the advantages a decorative mailbox made with quality wood and craftsmanship can offer your home!
Boost your curb appeal.
Do you know why passing those eccentric mailboxes made you think the houses behind them were so inviting? Your mailbox is often the first impression visitors get of your home! An old, damaged, or mundane mailbox detracts from the appearance of your property. A unique decorative mailbox will enhance your exterior and make your house more valuable.
Wood is durable.
People choose wooden mailboxes for the same reason they ultimately choose outdoor wooden furniture—durability. Wood is incredibly sturdy and resistant to damage from the elements, which makes it the perfect material to build a long-lasting mailbox. Wood retains natural qualities that make it repel water and protect against rot and decay. This natural stability makes a wooden mailbox a low-maintenance option for your home as well!
Express your style and tastes.
Your mailbox is a great opportunity to reflect your personality and interests! Choose a design that matches the style of your home and your personal preferences. Show people who you are before they even step through the front door! A fun embellished wooden mailbox will make your property stand out and enhance the overall appearance of your home.
Starting to think a decorative wooden mailbox is just the feature to spruce up your home exterior? At Carriage House Furnishings, we offer a selection of Amish-made mailboxes to compliment your tastes and your property! Constructed and painted by hand, any one of our gorgeous mailboxes will secure your mail and liven up your home. Find your perfect mailbox at Carriage House today!
Amish heritage is filled with time-honored traditions that often inspire—or are inspired by—other cultures. One of the most celebrated practices is the creation and passing down of the hope chest!
Hope chests are often some of the most beautiful works of art that come from the hands of skilled Amish craftsmen. They’re made with the same, if not more, care as all Amish furniture, stunning ornamentation, and impeccable quality. Let’s explore the history and meaning behind the concept of a hope chest a little further!
What is a hope chest?
A hope chest—also called a cedar chest, dowry chest, or glory box— is a special box intended to be filled by unmarried women with the essential items she’ll need for married life. A young girl spends years building her collection as she acquires and comes across these necessities. Customarily, a hope chest will include bed and table linens, quilts, special clothing, sometimes kitchenware, books and inspirational readings, and other sentimental relics.
What does a hope chest symbolize?
In Amish culture, hope chests are considered special pieces of art and often serve as a family heirloom. To a woman, the box represents the hopes she has for marriage and the journey toward an important milestone. A hope chest is typically handed down through generations and has come to symbolize the enduring emotional bond within a family.
Do people still use hope chests?
Europeans brought the tradition of the hope chest to America centuries ago, and their prominence has not waned. While they have evolved to be created more with sentiment and nostalgia in mind than necessities, they are still an integral part of Amish culture. Mothers often fill them throughout their young daughters’ lives and hand them down symbolically when they leave home.
The hope chest and other authentic Amish chests have become stylish and revered pieces of many family homes and histories. It’s not too late to make one a part of yours!
Carriage House Furnishings carries a diverse selection of hand-crafted chests just waiting to become a part of your family’s story. Browse our collection online or in-store to find your one-of-a-kind Amish hope chest today!
One of the biggest draws of authentic wooden furniture is the individuality within each piece. Wood occurs naturally in different tones and grains that mix together to create unique furnishings. If you’re shopping for handcrafted Amish wooden furniture, you’ll never find two pieces that are the same!
Wood is adaptable to any style preference and can be seamlessly incorporated into every interior design scheme. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you need to stick with the same color finish for every accent you use though. With a little bit of strategy and a few expert tips, you’ll be able to mix your wooden tones to create a cohesive and elegant space!
1.) Choose a dominant tone.
Blending different tones of wood is an exciting way to infuse your home with a rustic feel. What you don’t want to do though, is overwhelm the senses with too many conflicting shades. Select one tone to be your dominant color and use it as a starting point to add more wooden touches to the room.
If the room has hardwood floors, that should be the primary tone. If not, go off of your largest piece of furniture. Design the rest of your space so that the dominant tone you choose is the focus. This will help keep the room visually interesting.
2.) Play with contrast.
Because each piece of authentic wooden furniture is one-of-a-kind, it’s going to be difficult to match tones exactly—but you don’t need to! Choosing finishes that complement one another is always better than trying to match tones and failing.
Try using a dark finish for your floors and a lighter tone for your furniture to create a refined distinction. Be sure to match your undertones across the room though, to maintain a continuity that makes the design flow.
3.) Break it up with a rug.
Balance out your harsh wooden surfaces with soft textiles like an area rug! A tasteful carpet is a great way to provide a common ground for your various tones and soften the transition between pieces. If you have wooden floors, a rug will also help prevent your pieces from being washed out by the effect of wood on top of wood.
If you’re looking for a quality selection of unique wooden pieces to furnish your home, Carriage House Furnishings has what you need! We carry a wide range of Amish wooden furniture for every kind of space, all hand made by local expert craftsmen.
Visit our showroom or browse our website today and discover your new favorite piece!
Wood is one of the most popular resources for creating exceptional quality furniture! It’s strong, long-lasting, and makes a beautiful rustic accent to any space.
One of the great things about using wood to make furniture is that you have a wide variety of types to choose from—all with their own set of unique and valuable characteristics. Natural wood comes in two expansive categories: hardwood and softwood. Each kind has distinctive advantages that make it a wonderful resource for producing excellent pieces of handcrafted Amish furniture!
What is hardwood?
Hardwood comes from flowering trees—also called Angiosperms—that lose their leaves annually. This type of wood has very dense fibers and is primarily characterized by the presence of vessels that make it porous or absorbent. Variations of mahogany, oak, maple, and hickory are all examples of hardwood.
What is softwood?
Evergreen trees are comprised of softwood. Evergreens are coniferous, meaning that unlike Angiosperms, they retain their foliage year-round. Softwood tends to be lighter in color and is considerably less dense than hardwood. Its fine wood texture makes it ideal for making furniture. Examples of softwood include pine, spruce, red cedar, and fir, among others.
What are the advantages of hardwood furniture?
Furniture made with hardwood is going to be extremely durable and sturdy, as a result of the wood’s complex structure and compressed fibers. Hardwood furniture is harder to come by, but it’s one of the highest quality materials available. Its strong framework makes it optimal for heavy-use items—like a dining room furniture set—and more resistant to damage and decay. Hardwoods are typically richer and deeper in color.
What are the advantages of softwood furniture?
Softwood is our primary source of timber and is the most common type of wood used to construct furniture. This makes softwood furniture significantly cheaper than its hardwood counterpart, and more readily available in a wider variety of pieces. Because the fibers are less dense, this kind of furniture is easy to work with in development and not as difficult to move around. Softwood is lightweight and lighter in color, giving it a charming rustic look. It also takes stain and paint very well.
Whether you opt for a sturdy piece of hardwood furniture or more delicate, softwood furnishings, there’s no debate that wooden furniture is the most reliable and unique kind on the market! Each and every one of the pieces at Carriage House Furnishings has been crafted by hand with great experience and care. Check out the wide selection of superior quality Amish wooden furniture we have available online and in-store!
The kitchen is one of the most frequently used rooms in every household—everybody has to eat! It also happens to be one of the most opportune spaces for incorporating stunning design features and unique functionality into your home.
If you’re looking to add value and style to your kitchen, consider investing in a visually striking and practical kitchen island. There are a lot of advantages to having an island that make it an ideal amenity for any home!
1.) Add storage space.
Many kitchen islands come equipped with supplementary storage areas to maximize your kitchen space without sacrificing interior design appeal. Choose a structure that includes cabinets, shelving, or drawers in which you can keep your culinary tools and appliances. Some islands can even be customized to fit your specific storage needs!
2.) Make room for extra seating.
An island is the perfect place to bring your family or dinner guests together for a cozy meal. Create an informal dining area by staging chairs around your island. You can even make it a designated space for your kids to do their homework!
3.) Give your kitchen a focal point.
A lot of kitchens have a ton of open floor space, making it difficult for the eye to find a place to land. Enhance the style of your kitchen by adding a sophisticated island to serve as the focal point of the room! Choose something elegant and opulent or opt for something with a little rustic charm. Use a kitchen island as an opportunity to infuse the space with tasteful touches of your personality.
4.) Include extra features.
Use the additional space an island offers your kitchen to splurge on a few special amenities you’ve always wanted! Invest in one that comes with an oven or extra stovetop. Or, find an island with one or two auxiliary sinks to use for cooking prep. Some even come equipped with unique features like a wine cabinet or a built-in refrigeration section!
Enhance your kitchen space with a quality, handcrafted Amish island! At Carriage House Furnishings, we offer a beautiful and distinguished selection of kitchen furniture to meet all your dining and culinary needs. Browse our stock online or stop in at our store to fall in love with your next home accent piece today!
Nowadays we see bird houses integrated into front and backyard landscapes everywhere! They’re popular outdoor accents often used to add rustic charm to a home and complete the tranquil atmosphere of a backyard garden. People also use bird houses in an effort to attract beautiful songbirds that further satisfy their image of a picturesque spring morning with soothing, delightful melodies.
Have you ever wondered though, where the concept of a bird house originated? What were they used for prior to the development of the suburban backyard and garden? Luckily, Carriage House offers not only unique, Amish-made bird houses to complete your home, but the answers to your questions about them as well!
Bird Houses in Europe
The European bird house has beginnings that can be traced back to 15th-16th century Belgium and Holland. Initially, they were used to capture eggs, and sometimes the birds themselves, for food. These types of bird houses were made primarily of clay and styled like vases.
Over time, several different functions evolved for the European bird house. Primarily they began building them to provide refuge to birds, protecting them from harsh weather conditions and predators. Some people used them similarly to how many are used today—as home ornaments or even talismans. A bird house was also a desirable solution for keeping birds out of other outdoor aesthetic features of the home.
Bird Houses in North America
Native Americans crafted bird houses out of birch bark and built them with platform feeders, before European colonists even arrived with their version of the structure. As their culture heavily reveres nature, the purpose of Native American bird houses was always to attract and shelter birds right from their origin. The indigenous peoples taught their technique to English and German immigrants who settled on the east coast in the 18th century.
Some of the early colonists in Williamsburg, Virginia, wanted to use birds as a form of best control and used bird houses as a tool to draw them to a property. They would make and sell bird bottles as well, fashioned with an entrance hole and mounted horizontally on the side of buildings.
At Carriage House Furnishings, we create our bird houses with alluring style and practicality in mind. Visit our website or stop at our Ronks, PA store to browse our selection of gorgeous, hand-crafted bird houses today!
When you envision a child’s nursery, what do you always picture? A few pieces that come to mind would probably be a crib, changing table, some toys and stuffed animals, and a classic wooden rocking chair. What about when you think of a cliché grandmother’s house? Do you picture her in a robe and slippers sitting by the fireplace, knitting a scarf and moving back and forth in a rustic glider?
Rocking chairs are beautiful, traditional furniture pieces that make a special addition to any home. They’re a family staple that offer many benefits aside from being unique, gorgeous accents in any room, and creating a cozy atmosphere. Read on to learn more about why we believe no home is truly complete without a classic wooden rocking chair.
Surprising Physical Health Benefits
You may not instinctively put a rocking chair on a list of physical therapy tools, but it can be very helpful with the healing process for a number of ailments. Rocking chairs have been proven to help ease back pain and symptoms of arthritis. President John. F. Kennedy’s doctor actually prescribed him a rocking chair to help manage his back pain!
The continuous back and forth motion of rocking increases blood flow through the body, allowing joints to get more oxygen and easing pain associated with arthritis and other conditions. The movement aids in the prevention of pain signals traveling to the brain by tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system. Consistent use of a rocking chair also helps to build strength and flexibility in the knees.
Believe it or not, a rocking chair can be an effective form of exercise as well as a therapeutic pain management tool. Older individuals or those with conditions preventing them from partaking in more vigorous or challenging forms of exercise can get in a workout just by rocking back and forth. As a weight loss and fitness tool, a rocking chair burns on average 150 calories an hour, improves knee extension, and strengthens hand muscles.
Improve Mental Health
The benefits that using a rocking chair has on your mental health are reason enough alone to invest in one for you and your family. The rocking motion is not only effective at soothing physical pain, but it relaxes the mind as well. It has been known to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression through triggering the release of endorphins that improve mood.
When you think about it, rocking is an instinctive form of movement that many individuals use to self-soothe. You might be reminded of the way a baby can be lulled to sleep when being swayed back and forth—often in a rocking chair—or how a small child or someone with autism will naturally engage in the motion to calm themselves down. The soothing effects of a rocking chair also help to foster deep sleep.
We mentioned how the repetitive act of rocking can quell anxiety and help to relieve feelings of depression in general; it has also been known to have a notably positive impact on patients suffering from dementia. Dementia patients are often told to use a rocking chair because of its proven ability to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety—as those with the disease often find themselves dealing with an overwhelming sense of both. The movement also has been shown to improve their balance as well.
Build a Family Tradition
A beautiful, hand-crafted, wooden rocking chair makes an incredible family heirloom to pass down from generation to generation. Rocking chairs promote child-parent bonding and enhance a baby’s emotional, social, and cognitive development—which is why you’ll find one in most nurseries. This often makes them the origin of many fond, meaningful memories for both children and their parents.
Even after an infant has grown too old to be rocked, a rocking chair is an excellent addition to a child’s room as a place to set aside time to spend together as a family, unwind and talk, or even read a story. It serves as a place of comfort during one of the most crucial points of your child’s development, fostering sentimental value that cannot be assigned to just any random object. This transforms the rocking chair into a piece of beloved family history.
Now that you fully understand everything a rocking chair has to offer, you’ll probably want to get started on choosing the right one. Don’t waste your time or money on one that isn’t going to last to see the growth and development of your family for years and generations to come.
Check out our diverse selection of high-quality, uniquely hand-crafted, wooden rockers and gliders. Stop by or contact us today to invest in a timeless and meaningful addition to your home!
Having a secluded area in your yard is perfect for those moments when you need to take some time for yourself. Start by adding a dining set like our Poly Bistro Table and 2 Chairs to create the perfect setting to sip your morning coffee with a good book. To brighten up your space add hanging string lights and decorate the area by strategically placing lanterns and candles around the seating area. For an extra touch, add a colorful outdoor rug to tie the space together! 
Recent Comments