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!
Remember that old red wagon everyone used to have in the garage or the playroom? You probably hauled your dolls and stuffed animals around showing them the neighborhood sights—or fell asleep on a cozy pile of blankets while your parents pulled you around at the state fair. Thankfully, growing up doesn’t mean you have to leave all of your childhood staples behind.
Embrace the nostalgia by transforming a classic wagon into a one-of-a-kind piece of home décor! Invest in a good quality wooden wagon so you can turn it into a functional home accent that will have you feeling like a happy-go-lucky kid again in no time. Check out a few of these creative ideas to get inspired!
A Garden Planter
Spruce up your backyard terrace with a rustic wagon garden planter. A wooden wagon will infuse your landscape with charm and whimsy you won’t be able to find at Home Depot. There are endless opportunities for re-purposing a wagon into a fun garden accent!
Grow a full mobile garden by filling your wagon with soil and cultivating your favorite plants—just don’t forget to add a few small holes to the bottom for drainage. Or if you wanted, you could nurture some vegetable seeds and make yourself a little portable produce stand. If you want something with a little less maintenance, try using potted plants to fill up a wagon for a garden that’s already in bloom.
Use a wagon to house your favorite succulents; or make it a family project and create a magical fairy garden. There’s a lot of fertilizing fun to be had with a classic wagon—not to mention that when it needs some water you can just roll it right over to the hose and save yourself the trouble!
Book Storage
A wagon is a great way to incorporate storage space into your interior design. Fill yours with books to make it a cozy addition to your home library or child’s room!
Since a wagon is easily moved and arranged you can adapt it to any space, even if you have to switch up the room. So when your newborn baby is suddenly a toddler in need of a big-kid bed or another toy chest, there’s no need to worry about dragging around huge bookshelves or finding a new place to keep their favorite reads! A reading wagon works especially well for children because it’s low to the ground and easily accessible.
A Fun Beverage Cart
Tired of shoving the cooler under the table to keep it out of the way during summer barbecues? Lay a tarp on the bottom and fill a wagon with ice to turn it into a beverage cart! It’ll be a unique and convenient piece of party décor that your guests won’t soon forget.
It’s perfect for toting around Huggies and juice boxes when you take your kids to the beach; or for outdoor events so kids can grab a beverage when they need it without interrupting the adults playing cornhole. Use it to distinguish the adult from the under 21 beverages—if you know what we mean—so there’s enough room to keep your beer cold in the cooler!
Create a Porch Display
If you want to get really artsy with it, wheel your wagon onto the porch and set up a different seasonal exhibit every few months to keep things fresh. Pack it with fun décor or use it to add some sophisticated charisma to a couple of cheap decorations.
Fill it with pumpkins and crunchy red and orange leaves for the fall; or head to the craft store and get a few miniatures to construct a scary scene to frighten trick-or-treaters. When Christmas comes around you could fashion it into a Christmas tree stand for a small tree and light it up to decorate the front porch! Or you could wheel it inside, throw some fake snow on the bottom, and make it the platform for your mini Christmas village or nativity scene.
Adorn it with flower arrangements and bird statues for spring, and artfully display a beach ball with a pail and shovel or some cute summer flip flops when the sun starts to shine!
A quality wooden wagon is the perfect tool to use to channel creativity and snag a unique accent for your home! At Carriage House Furnishings we have top-quality wagons built with the finest craftsmanship for the best value—and you can get them in different colors too.
Head on over to our website to take a look at what we have available and liven up your interior design today!
Is the floor in your child’s bedroom covered with toys at the moment? If so, providing them with a place to put all of his or her toys could help solve the problem. One way to avoid a messy floor is by investing in a wooden toy chest for his or her room. It’ll give him or her more than enough storage space and provide several other benefits, too. Take a look at a few of the advantages of giving your child a wooden toy chest below.
It’ll teach your child about responsibility.
As a parent, you want your child to keep his or her room neat so that it looks nice. However, more importantly, you want him or her to learn responsibility for picking up after themselves and taking good care of prized possessions. What better way to illustrate that point than by purchasing a wooden toy chest for him or her? It can make him or her more responsible in no time and while also keeping his or her toys safe and sound.
It’ll last for a long time.
There are plenty of plastic toy containers out there that you can buy for your child. But they’re not designed to last for very long. In fact, you’ll be lucky to get more than a few years out of them before they’ll need to be thrown out and replaced. This won’t ever be an issue with a wooden toy chest. It’s built to last and will stand up to almost anything your child throws at it.
It’ll serve other purposes in the future.
Your child isn’t going to be a young forever. He or she is going to grow up, and when they do, they’re going to lose interest in most of the toys they played with as a child. When that day comes, you won’t have much use for an old plastic toy container. But you can easily repurpose a wooden toy chest and use it for something else around your house. It can be used to store blankets, pillows, and other household items if you want.
If you’re going to buy a wooden toy chest for your child, make sure you buy one that’s the very best. Carriage House Furnishings can provide you with gorgeous children’s toys and furniture, including toy chests. Call us at 717-768-8712 today to order a toy chest for your child’s room.
In addition to chocolates and flowers, Valentine’s Day is recognized as a time to gift jewelry to a loved one. Diamonds and gold are often seen as a sign of affection and can be a beautiful expression of love. However, over the course of many years, you’ll eventually need somewhere to store all that jewelry.
If you’re looking for a creative Valentine’s Day gift this year, consider giving the gift of jewelry storage such as a a jewelry chest or armoire.
It’s a Long-term Investment
While jewelry itself may have short-term shock value that eventually diminishes over time, jewelry storage could be considered as a long-term buy. The chests and armoires you buy for your jewelry, you’ll likely hold on to decades to come. They’ll accrue different items over the years and act as a display of your memories every day. Now isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is all about?
Safety and Security are Top Priorities
A major thing to think about when it comes to buying jewelry is protecting those expensive items. With jewelry storage, the safety and security of these precious possessions become top concern and you’ll only adding to their longevity by investing in a jewelry chest. All your items will be kept in one safe place and you’ll always know where they are. Believe us: you’ll sleep easier at night as a result.
Take Stock of Your Inventory
The last plus we’ll mention about buying jewelry storage is that you’ll take care of the jewelry you already have. It adds value to items already in your collection and allows you to truly take stock of what you have. In other words: it’s the gift that keeps on giving! When you do get a new piece of jewelry, you’ll have an immediate solution to storing it in a safe place that will maintain the condition of the piece.
If you’re looking for jewelry storage this Valentine’s Day, Carriage House Furnishings has a wide range of chests and armoires for you to consider. If you have any questions, contact us today!
A beautiful summer day illuminates your garden, yet you still feel like something is missing. Suddenly you realize; it is not what you see that is unsatisfying but instead what you don’t hear. The air is still and quiet without the natural ambiance of your favorite feathery visitors.
Investing in a quality bird house, often known as a nesting box, will attract birds and provide them with a reliable shelter.
Benefits of a Bird House
Not only will a bird house attract specific songbirds to your yard, but those birds will often eliminate pesky insects, fest on unwanted weeds, and assist bees with pollination. To do so, however, you must upkeep your bird house to encourages reuse year after year. When cleaning out your birdhouse, it is best to wait until the end of breeding season. By cleaning the bird house, you will reduce the chance of hazardous factors such as rodents, bacteria, and insects.
Easy to Upkeep
To clean the bird house appropriately, clear out anything the birds might have added to their temporary home. While scraping out clumped materials and potential feces is not desirable, they make for excellent compost. Once the debris is removed, scrub and rinse the house well with plenty of water. Allow the house to dry out in the sun, for at least a full day, before putting it back outside. To protect your visitors, check for loose hinges or screws when you clean it out as well.
Thoughtful Design
If you’re attempting to attract favorable birds to your yard, keep in mind that bright colored nesting boxes could discourage them. Some birds seek bird houses as a place of refuge from enemies and don’t want to stand out. Carriage House Furnishing paints humble houses using a subtle cream coloring. The wood is durable and porous allowing heat to escape, keeping birds comfortable. The pitched roof hangs over far enough to prevent larger predators from attacking from above.
Carriage House Furnishing takes into consideration not only what you might find appealing in a bird house but also the practical needs of the birds themselves. Shop our bird houses today.
Time flies by each year, quickly transitioning from one season to the next with fluctuating temperatures. Although for many parts of the United States, winter is just beginning, spring will usher in warmer weather before we know it.
Start planning an outdoor living space now to allow yourself plenty of time to turn your vision into a reality once the season shifts.
Prepare for spring and enjoy the following benefits of an outdoor living area.
Enjoy a Serene Recharging Station
Everyone needs some time to relax and recharge from a long day’s work. Whether you desire a serene escape perfect for a catnap or some space to reflect on your inner thoughts, an outdoor living space puts you in a calm and soothing natural environment.
Set up an outdoor area full of plant life with plenty of furniture to allow for napping and energy renewal. Outdoor spaces help you to clear your mind and to reset for the rest of the day.
Increase Your Guest List
When you throw a party or host a gathering in your home, you typically limit your guest list by the number of people you can realistically and comfortably accommodate. The amount of indoor space in your home often creates limits on the number of people you can host.
An efficient way to allow for more people on your guest list is by building an outdoor space for entertaining. Outdoor areas allow the people inside to spill outside to enjoy the extra hosting space.
Imagine listening to the sparrows chirp in the distance as you sip some iced tea and rock slowly back and forth in your glider. Sitting in your outdoor space helps you unwind, upping your creativity and lowering your stress levels.
Carriage House Furnishings is ready and waiting to construct high-quality Amish solid wood furniture for your outdoor living space. Fill up your space with wooden or poly gliders, rocking chairs, swings, fan back chairs, tables, and more.
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