Tips for Bringing Amish Decor and Furniture into a Modern Home

The Amish lifestyle—foregoing publicly-generated electricity and other contemporary conveniences—isn’t for everyone. However, you can introduce Amish decorative elements into your modern home, evoking an undercurrent of tradition, pastoral grace, and hand-crafted quality. 

Below, we’ll explore guiding decor principles you can learn from the Amish, as well as ideas for Amish-made pieces that will be excellent in any home. 

Embrace Amish-made Wood Furniture

There are a handful of characteristics for which the Amish are well-known: their emphasis on simple living, their hands-on approach toward nature and agriculture, and their dedication to superior craftsmanship. Arguably, nothing demonstrates all three principles better than Amish woodworking, a craft for which they’re widely celebrated. 

As we explore in What Goes Into the Cost of Amish Furniture and Why It’s Worth the Expense, genuine Amish craftspeople utilize North American hardwood and high-caliber techniques like mortise & tenon joinery to individually shape one-of-a-kind pieces that are beautiful and sturdy enough to withstand decades of use.

Made-to-order Amish furniture can be surprisingly diverse, offering customers bold stains and paints and contemporary designs. However, if you want to weave Amish charms into your decor theme, opt for the following:

• Traditional furniture themes, particularly Shaker and Mission
• Natural stains that exhibit the wood’s natural grain
• Upholstery and fabrics should be understated

Additionally, consider furniture pieces that are more commonly associated with traditional homes, from rocking chairs to chifferobes to mule chests to roll top desks. 

Consider Amish-Made Decorative Accessories

Amish bring their skillsets to more than just their furniture. Other ways you can bring decorative Amish-crafted touches to the home include: 

Quilts - If there is one handmade good for which the Amish are most known, it may be their quilts. Quilts can take on a surprisingly diverse range of patterns and colors, and can even be inspired by important milestones like weddings and new babies. Best yet, you can even custom order Amish quilts online with sites like Amish Country Lanes, enabling you to flawlessly coordinate the exact shades of the fabric with your room’s overall theme. 

Clocks - Amish-made (or inspired) decorative timepieces run the gamut from mantle-sized to grandfather clocks. However, they should all have a solid wood structure. 

Oil Lamp - The types of lighting you’ll see in some Amish homes can include both propane-fueled and battery-operated units that are attached to walls or wheeled to where needed. However, oil lamps are also commonplace, especially in more conservative Amish homes. While you don’t necessarily need to rely upon oil lamps to light your rooms, they can serve as a uniquely traditional decoration. They can act as centerpieces or mingle amongst books on your shelves, but oil lamps may look especially fetching on your back patio or outdoor space. 

Storage Trunks - Countryside Amish Furniture offers made-to-order storage chests that can seamlessly coordinate with your living room, kitchen, or foyer. This practical piece offers extra seating and miscellaneous storage.

Further Reading Which May Inspire Your Home Decor

Countryside Amish Furniture happily shares our knowledge about all things decor and furniture-related. Articles that may further inspire your home’s themes include:

Modern Farmhouse Dining Room Decor Ideas - Modern farmhouse design seamlessly integrates with any Amish-inspired decor you may have. This piece provides tips and examples of how to invite farmhouse touches into your space while maintaining a contemporary feel. 

Our 2024 Picks for Best Farmhouse Dining Table Sets - Already convinced Farmhouse design is the best decor choice for your home? We compile our favorite Amish-made dining sets that bring this popular theme to the most important room of the house. 

Solid Oak Dining Sets - Our 2024 Favorites - There’s a lot to love about oak. It’s strong, accommodating to a wide host of stains, and relatively affordable when compared to other hardwoods. For this reason, it’s a common staple in Amish homes, and now it can be one in yours as well. 

- Amish home decor is all about tradition. However, “traditional” design can take on many forms. Learn about how various design themes compare with one another. 

Brown Maple Wood Furniture - Decorating, Color Combinations, and Other Tips - A wood species worthy of your attention is brown maple. In this piece, Countryside Amish Furniture discusses how it compares to other North American timbers and ways you can easily invite it into your home decor. 

Cabinets With Glass Shelves and Doors for a Light, Modern Aesthetic - While Amish craftspeople are most celebrated for their artistry with wood, it's certainly not the only material they've perfected. See some of our favorite cabinets with glass shelves!

How to Display China Inside Your Cabinet - Ideas and Tips - If inspired by Amish decor, there are two elements you probably have in your home: china and a cabinet in which to store it. However, you can’t simply chuck it carelessly onto the shelves. This guide explores the art of arranging china for maximum effect.

Why Decorate Your Home With Countryside Amish Furniture

There’s something special about handmade furniture that is built with American-sourced materials using timeless techniques. It’s even more special when those pieces are crafted based on your specific desires. Choose the hardwood, stain, and whether to incorporate special features, and our experienced Amish woodworkers will turn your idea into a reality. 

Our team is easily accessible, whether by Live Chat, phone, or email. We’ll answer all questions and even help you brainstorm. Our goal? To help you decorate your home with Amish furniture you’ll love for many years to come.

Want to browse for Amish goods? Read Our Favorite Online Stores for Amish Goods.

Bailiegh Basham is Lead Sales & Marketing Strategist at Countryside Amish Furniture. She's been a team member since 2014. Bailiegh is deeply passionate about furniture design and home decor.