If you love that rustic look and are finally ready to buy wood furniture for your home, there are a number of “rules of thumb” that can help you make good decisions.
Start by considering the overall style of your home. Do you have a log home that is overwhelmingly rustic? Or are you looking to add a rustic touch to one or more rooms in a more conventional home?
size is everything
Homes that feature large logs, roomy ceilings, or are spacious in general require a different flavor of rustic furniture than their more conventional counterparts. If large logs form the walls of your room, or you have a fireplace made of monster rocks from Montana, you’ll need a huge log look for your furniture as well. Otherwise, your wooden furniture will seem small and insignificant.
Even if the home for your log furniture is an 8-inch log cabin, a few large pieces of furniture will look better than a lot of small ones. Larger pieces of furniture make a room feel full without being cluttered.
If your bedroom has a high cathedral ceiling, a log canopy bed can help round out the dimensions. There’s also a lot you can do with artwork and lighting to make the most of your space.
types of wood
A variety of types of wood are used to create rustic furniture. Below is an overview of several that are available on our website:
Steamed Bent Hickory
Hickory is a very durable and flexible wood. Many children have climbed on top of a green hickory sapling to lower it down as it yields to the weight without breaking. When heated with steam over a period of time, hickory posts can be easily transformed into various unique pieces of furniture. Steamed posts are placed in a template and allowed to dry. They will become very stiff and will retain this shape when dry.
Steam-bent hickory is strong enough to be used in tools like hammers and axes, and raw hickory represents one of the best-selling lines of wood furniture. The Amish use steam-bent hickory to make dining chairs, as legs for dining tables, coffee tables, and rocking chairs.
Northern White Cedar
Northern white cedar grows in northern Michigan and Canada. Withstands the abuse of seasonal elements without splitting or rotting like other woods. It has a beautiful light tan color when freshly ground.
It turns silvery gray over time but can be treated with a good quality finish to help retain its colour. You will notice cracks, some small and some larger in your rustic furniture. This occurs naturally in the drying process and adds to the rustic look of our products. These cracks do not diminish the function or design of our furniture. They are not a manufacturing defect, but a natural part of curing, which enhances the beauty of the wood.
Red Cedar
The most surprising thing about red cedar (also known as aromatic cedar) is that it is not a member of the cedar family, but rather belongs to the juniper family. Everyone knows the deep aromatic smell of red cedar. The wood is heavy and naturally resistant to insects and rot.
Clothes stored in a chest made of red cedar will be protected from moths. Red cedar has tight knots that give it character and beauty. It is sometimes purple in color, but more often a brownish red that over time becomes browner even when preserved. Furniture constructed from red cedar will last a long time and can definitely be passed down from generation to generation.
quality shopping
Not all wooden furniture is created equal, no matter how stylish or comfortable. The quality of the materials used in log furniture and the craftsmanship employed vary widely, and this is often reflected in the price. While there are always some bargains to be had, it’s quite true that you get what you pay for in wood furniture.
With this thought in mind, buy the best furniture you can. It will look better and last longer if you do. Also, look for all-wood or solid wood furniture (as opposed to veneered plywood or particle board). Solid wood furniture tends to show less wear on joints and hardware, and also reacts better to seasonal changes in humidity.
Look for well-fitting, carefully designed connections. Dovetail drawers are especially known for holding together well. If you want your furniture to be finished, look for a coating that is durable, strong and evenly applied. A word to the wise: Unless you have experience applying furniture finishes, leave the finishing to the furniture maker.
Choosing a log furniture store
Let buyer beware: There is a wide range of customer service among wood furniture stores. If you want to shop online, look for a store where quality furniture and customer service are top priorities. I have seen wood furniture manufacturers and stores that always deliver late, and I have seen some that deliver on time with poor quality.
Look for testimonials on the site you are considering. Call and talk to a salesperson at the wood furniture store. A word to the wise: log furniture websites that simply ship log furniture have much less control over quality than those that build, finish, and/or ship the furniture themselves.
The ideal online log furniture store has many repeat customers who not only buy from their store again, but also recommend them to others. Quality stores are interested in more than just a quick sale. They understand the value of delivering high-quality log furniture, furniture that will last a lifetime and add a truly rustic touch to your home.
