If you are familiar with our company, you have probably noticed that we have an interest in American history. In the state of New York, wood furniture has long been a part of the economic and cultural fabric. So, as makers of solid wooden furniture, we see ourselves as part of a centuries old tradition of American craftsmanship.
The fact that our furniture is made in the USA is not the only thing that makes us a part of this tradition: we draw much of our inspiration from the rich heritage of American furniture. In particular, our Shaker and Mission Collections feature variations on designs that have been popular in America for centuries. In fact, our factory is located less than 75 miles from the original Shaker settlement in Watervliet, NY, where the first shaker style furniture was manufactured.
Our Innovative Folding Adirondack Chair
Although we have significant respect for American traditions, it is important to remember that innovation is perhaps the most important of our national ideals. We continue to make shaker desks and shaker tables, but we have also created items like the Shaker Entertainment Console, which is designed to organize modern electronics while still maintaining a classic American style.
Another good example of how we move American traditions forward is our selection of Adirondack chairs. These rustic chairs were first produced over a century ago in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. Due to our close proximity to the Adirondacks and the simple design of Adirondack chairs, they were one of the first items we started producing over 30 years ago.
We saw the potential to make something great even better. The final result was our folding Adirondack Chair, which can be easily folded and stored during the winter months. Many people keep their outdoor furniture outside during the harsher months, drastically reducing its longevity, just because they don’t have space for it inside. This was the problem we sought to address with our Adirondack folding chairs.
Another important American tradition is conservation. It may be coincidental that Teddy Roosevelt created the first national parks right around the time that the first Adirondack chair was made, but we see an important connection between solid wood furniture made in the USA and a sustainable environment. All of our lumber is sustainably harvested from North American hardwood forests, and since all our furniture is made in the USA, you can be confident that it has a much smaller environmental impact that something sent here from China.
Enter this month’s free raffle giveaway by letting us know how you plan on spreading love this February. Whether on a night-out with your lovely ‘valentine’ on Valentine’s Day, or by simply expressing it to your co-workers, family, and friends, the limit is limitless when it comes to spreading love this month and we’d love to hear how you plan on sharing it!
The 22” Round End Table from our Contemporary Collection adds a natural sophistication and elegance to any room setting, it’s $219.95 value is given absolutely free to our random raffle winner drawn at the end of the month! Admittance to this month’s raffle drawing is by either emailing service@manchesterwood.com, writing on our wall on Facebook, or mentioning us on Twitter @manchesterwood with how you plan on spreading love this February.
Manchester Wood: American Made Furniture Jelly Cabinets
When searching storage options for the kitchen, as well as for the home office, dining room, or study room, look no further than the solid wood furniture made in the USA by Manchester Wood. Our well-crafted cabinetry with Americana country favored styling is one of the more popular, yet often overlooked, options in Shaker furniture style.
ABC World News with Diane Sawyer’s Made in Americaseries featured our Tall Double Jelly Cabinet on a ‘Made in USA Home Makeover’ edition last season. Among other options of our solid wood cabinets are the Double Jelly Cabinet, Tall Jelly Cabinet, and Side Table.
The term ‘Jelly Cabinet’ dates back to early America and it was used — as one might expect — for holding “the jams and jellies through canning from seasonal gardens. Jelly was important when fresh fruit was lacking from the diet due to the [area’s colder, non-harvesting seasons.] The cabinets protected produce (and occasionally baked goods) from rodents in days before refrigerators were widely used and homes lacked built-in cabinets. The cabinets were constructed of materials such as wood with iron strap hinges. They were mainly used in the kitchen, but as they became popular to place in other rooms of the house (and to store more than jelly), the wood and finish used became more refined.” *read more: What Is a Jelly Cabinet? | eHow.com http://bit.ly/14nw5TF
Support American furniture manufacturers and discover the quality of solid wood furniture made in the USA. Shop ManchesterWood.com today.
We at Manchester Wood thank him for his civil service and believe as his speech in the video link below states, that “the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.” May justice for all things that need to be made just, be found just today, and forever on.
TV tray tables became popular in the 1950′s, as the price of televisions fell to the point that middle class American families were able to afford them. Television trays were originally marketed as a way of conveniently eating meals and watching TV simultaneously, but have come to serve a variety of different purposes as well.
A tray table ad from the 50′s
These days, many people use their TV tray tables as a surface for their laptop or tablet so they can do things like check their email while watching the morning news or video chat with their friends while they watch the game. Who would have imagined that television trays, originally associated with 1950′s America, would become strongly associated with digital technology?
At Manchester Wood, television trays were some of our most popular items over the holiday season. One customer favorite is our Portable Folding Work and Laptop Desk, which is designed to be a versatile peace of furniture that can either be used as a folding TV tray or as a standalone desk.
Need more that one folding tray table? We also offer sets, like our Rectangular Folding TV Tray Table Set of 2 , which also comes in a set of four. These sets are great for couples and families. If you are interested in checking out our whole selection of folding tray tables, here it is.
Finally, a note about construction and materials. Since TV table trays were conceived in the 1950s, many of them were made with a miraculous new material called plastic, with metal for structural integrity. However, soon the novelty of plastic began to wear off, and its drawbacks, like brittleness and aesthetic shortcomings, became apparent. At Manchester Wood, we make our folding tray tables just like we make our other furniture: using sustainably harvested North American hardwoods. We hope you check out our wood TV trays and choose to buy American made furniture.
Finding furniture that fits can be challenging when living in smaller spaces. However, at Manchester Wood, many of our handcrafted wood furniture products can be an ideal match for apartment and condominium living.
For example, when looking for an end table for tighter spaces, try our narrow end tables, like the Chairside table series featuring our popular Chairside Storage Table and Chairside Bookshelf. While browsing the end tables with storage, check out our Periodical End Table with Drawer too.
Mobility, storage, and workspace are also key factors for smaller living quarters, and our answer to that is our Multipurpose Cart, a customer favorite for over 30 years.
We find home office furnishings are a need in any living environment; and although apartment and condominium living offers little space for these working areas, we offer affordable wood desks for home in compact fashion with our Mission Secretary Desk, Mission Compact Desk, Shaker Compact Desk, and the ultra-mobile TV tray-hybrid Portable Folding Work and Laptop Desk.
When it comes to the living room no home is complete without an effective and stylish handcrafted solid wood furniture item as a centerpiece of discussion and craftsmanship. Our two most accessible options to date for this sort of quality apartment condominium living furniture: the Oval Coffee Table and the Tray Top Coffee Table, which offers the mobility of a portable tray surface with classic Americana lines.
Whether shopping for a larger home or looking for quality furniture in a tight space with a reasonable budget, look no further than Manchester Wood for affordable, high quality, solid wood furniture that is completely made in the USA.
To view our entire catalog of American made furniture, visit ManchesterWood.com.
As we begin 2013, we at Manchester Wood would like to offer this month’s giveaway not as a raffle for a lucky winner but to everyone who orders during this month of January!
Order from ManchesterWood.com from Jan. 1st-31st and enter FREE in the coupon code box at checkout to receive a limited edition cutting board branded with our logo (see photo) free with every web purchase.
Our intentions are set for the New Year! Stay tuned for a new website, beautiful new products and collections, as well as our first mail-order catalog made available soon!
Manchester Wood moves into our 37th year of business, 122nd in a long-lasting family lineage of American woodworking.
What makes solid cherry furniture so special? Why offer a whole collection of cherry furniture? The answer lies in the unique qualities this wood has to offer.
Most of our solid wooden furniture is made out of ash, which has a nice, straight grain and is relatively easy to work for being a hardwood. Plus, ash takes stain very well because of its natural light color.
22″ Round Cherry End Table with Heritage Cherry Finish.
Cherry makes good furniture for other reasons. For example, cherry has a characteristic warm, reddish hue that pleases the eye and is accentuated by the wood’s rich and complex grain. We use two different kinds of finish (natural cherry and heritage cherry) on our solid cherry furniture to help make the gain and color of the wood really pop.
All of our solid cherry furniture is made using only sustainably harvested North American Black Cherry. This ensures a high quality, eco-friendly product.
If you are interested in finding out more, check out our Solid Cherry Collection. This collection showcases a number of quality pieces, including many cherry coffee tables and end tables. For example, our Round Cherry Coffee Table looks great in any living room, and offers a nice broad surface for magazines, remotes, books and more. It also offers a bottom shelf for out of the way storage.
Another great piece of solid cherry furniture is our 22” Round Cherry End Table. Designed to sit next to a couch or chair, this handsome cherry table is great for flowers or family photos. It also sports a lower shelf for extra space.
At Manchester Wood, all of our furniture is built to the highest standards, and our solid cherry furniture is no exception. The combination of quality materials and premium American workmanship results in a premium final product. Accordingly, we back all of our solid wooden furniture with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Shaker Furniture is named after a religious sect that developed during the 18th Century in England. Like many religious groups during the time, they emigrated to America, where they were able to practice their religion without fear of persecution or harassment. Once they arrived, they began to establish communities in upstate New York, just miles from our where our factory sits today.
Shaker spirituality placed a high value on workmanship, frugality and honesty. Accordingly, Shakers endeavored to provide for themselves; while they were not tending the fields, they would spend their time practicing crafts such as spinning, weaving and furniture making. Due to their spirituality and work ethic, the goods produced in these communities were of an exceptionally high quality and exhibited a humble, down-to-earth aesthetic that came to be appreciated by people outside of Shaker communities. Soon, a substantial market for these Shaker style goods started to develop.
Our Shaker Secretary Desk has classic lines and great functionality
One exceptionally popular piece of craftsmanship was the Shaker chair. Around the time of the Civil War, less than 100 years after the group came to America, furniture factories unaffiliated with the movement started producing their own versions of the Shaker chair. Other Shaker style furniture, such as Shaker tables and cabinets, quickly grew in popularity as well.
At Manchester Wood, we are proud to be a part of this tradition of fine craftsmanship. Our Shaker Collection offers many great pieces, including Shaker desks and tables. In addition to traditional models, we also offer a few more contemporary takes on Shaker furniture. For example, our Shaker Entertainment Console combines 18th century aesthetics with 21st century functionality and allows your living room to boast a modern entertainment without compromising its traditional appeal. We also offer a wide selection of Shaker desks, such as our Shaker Secretary Desk, a customer favorite. These desks are perfect for studying, surfing the web or paying bills.
Shaker furniture has a strong legacy of craftsmanship that dates back before the American Revolution. We understand the importance of this legacy, and we continue to produce quality solid wood furniture using sustainable timber that is 100% American made.
Last night was our annual holiday dinner at The Barn Restaurant & Tavern in Pawlet, Vermont. We thank you for making #GiftGiving2012 such a successful campaign. As we bustle around to fill these orders for you, all we can do is simply say THANK YOU for another great year of business.
We marvel at the feedback we’ve received, the joys of holiday memories you’ve shared with us in this month’s giveaway, and the amount of orders coming in for our quality-handcrafted furniture made in the USA. We planned on continuing to promote our products this week, but the truth is, we’re oversold this season! Any orders coming in today and the rest of the holidays will be received after the New Year.
Manchester Wood, with a family lineage of woodworking that dates back to 1891 couldn’t be more excited for our plans for 2013, and we can’t wait to fill you in on all of those details, so please stay tuned.
May you and yours be touched by the blessings of this season; and if an American made furniture piece from Manchester Wood is under your Christmas tree this holiday, we give our deepest gratitude of thanksgiving to you. Let the gifts continue to be given!
American Made Wood Furniture | C133 February 8, 2013 | 
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Finding furniture that fits can be challenging when living in smaller spaces. However, at Manchester Wood, many of our handcrafted wood furniture products can be an ideal match for apartment and condominium living.
month’s giveaway not as a raffle for a lucky winner but to everyone who orders during this month of January!
