The Advantages of American Made Furniture

When we started our company in 1976, American manufacturing was still on top. Then a little something called globalization happened. Companies began to realize that it was cheaper to make things in other countries with cheap labor and lower quality standards and then ship these inferior products back into the country where they could charge higher prices thanks to America’s strong economy. Throughout all this, we remained patient because we knew that we offered a superior product. As America turned its attention towards foreign, inexpensive furniture, we continued to make solid wood tables and chairs that met the highest standards of craftsmanship.

Slowly, as our landfills started to overflow with cheap and broken products made out of particleboard and plastic, America would start to change its habits. Over the past decade or so, there has been a real shift towards buying American again and our patience is being rewarded. Unlike all the new companies that are cropping up to take advantage of the renaissance of American manufacturing, we have almost four decades of heritage behind our USA-made furniture.

There are many advantages to buying our American made furniture. The first, and most obvious, advantage is the superior workmanship and materials that are used to make our products. A related advantage is our willingness to stand behind our products with our 100% quality guarantee.

Another important consideration is our appreciation for the rich heritage of furniture that is made in the USA. For example, our Shaker and Mission collections are both modeled on historically popular styles of design in this country. Another good example is our Adirondack Chair, which we see as the classic piece of upstate NY wood furniture.

Adirondack Chairs are a great example of classic American furniture

Another advantage to buying our furniture is our level of environmental awareness. All of our furniture is made out of North American hardwood from certified sustainable forests across the Northeast. Also, since our furniture doesn’t have to be shipped internationally, less energy is wasted on transport.

Remember to buy American, and we hope you consider Manchester Wood for your next furniture purchase.

Solid Wood Furniture in America

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.

A Word About End Tables

End tables can be underrated pieces of furniture, perhaps due to their diminutive stature or peripheral nature. Whatever the case may be, we believe that a nice wooden end table can be an integral aspect of almost any room, offering extra surface space and storage as well as contributing aesthetically.

End tables are great places for small lamps, family pictures or just the book you are currently reading. They are usually placed beside sofas and armchairs and are often paired with a coffee table in the living room. Like most furniture, end tables are made using a wide variety of standards and materials. Cheaper options, like particle board or veneer pieces seldom last and can look a bit tacky, so the top end tables are made with solid wood. One risk of end tables is that they tend to accumulate clutter, and while they may be convenient places to put things, those things can distract from the beauty of a well made, solid wood end table.

Our Slate Top End Table

At Manchester Wood, we offer a wide selection of end tables. Some popular options include our Shaker and Traditional end tables. These pieces have a reserved aesthetic and go great with other more traditional furniture.

For homeowners with a more contemporary decorating sensibility, we have options like our 22” Round and Square Cherry End Tables, which both feature beautifully contoured legs and a shelf for extra storage.

Speaking of storage, we also offer many end tables with drawers, shelves and other spaces to put things. A longtime customer favorite is our Chairside Storage Table, which has a hidden compartment that is great for keeping things out of the way.  Another good option is our Chairside Drawer Table, which (as the name might imply) offers a spacious drawer that can be opened from either side. This feature is great for open spaces.

So whether you are looking for that last piece of furniture to tie your living room together, or you just need a little bit of extra organization and storage, be sure to consider our collection of end tables and don’t forget that all of our products are made in the USA!

The Legacy of Shaker Furniture in Upstate New York

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.

Table Surfaces

Slate Top Coffee & End Table

At Manchester Wood, we offer a variety of table surfaces that are great for every room and need in the house. Whether for work, entertainment, or storing the necessities, we have several designs and collections available to fit your needs.

Also, while you picnic or work while enjoying the sun we have table surfaces for the outdoors that partner well with our Adirondack Chairs, Equinox Chairs, or our other seating options in our Outdoor Collection.

When looking for a solid wood table, there isn’t a better source than Manchester Wood as we provide not only solid wood tables, but also solid wood furniture in many designs and collections.

Glass Top End Tables, Coffee Tables, our popular Chairside Storage Table, locally mined Slate Top End and Coffee Tables. Our shaker style shaker tables with Shaker End Tables and Coffee Tables, the Solid Cherry collection with solid cherry tables in many shapes and sizes to fit your desired table surface area.

We believe when it comes to table surfaces and furniture made in the USA, you’ll find everything at Manchester Wood. Let us provide you with wood furniture that will last a lifetime.

Shaker Collection

Manchester Wood Shaker Coffee Table and Shaker End Table (Above)

As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, Shaker Furniture, John Humphrey Noyes was quoted in a book, “History of American Socialisms,” where A.J. Macdonald once commented Shaker furniture was originally designed in heaven and that the patterns had been transmitted to the Shaker people by angels.+

Furniture was treated by the Shaker people as any other form of craft in their communities. It was a strict and formal process with strength and quality never lacking. In fact, many Shakers treated each project as if it was their final product for God. Perhaps that’s the very reason that brought Macdonald’s comment on the heavenly appeal.

Although the furniture line began with this rigid religious order and simplicity, through the ages, and due to it’s continuing popularity, Shaker Furniture has flourished in many directions.

Our Shaker Collection at Manchester Wood keeps the tradition rooted in the beginnings, even being located in the colonial New York and New England area where it started, but with a constantly evolving touch in design as we continue to move through the 21^st Century.

A once humble, basic product we’ve now added with a contemporary design and craftsmanship that equals the essential character of its origins.

From our flat-screen, modern digitally designed Shaker Entertainment Console, to our more basic Shaker Tables and Shaker End Tables; we feel we cover the best in what Shaker Furniture has to offer.

Manchester Wood Shaker Secretary Desk (Above)

Our Shaker Desks range greatly as well, which include a Large Shaker Desk for maximized workspace, down to a smaller, more concealing desk in our Shaker Secretary Desk.

We believe you’ll enjoy everything that comes out from our Shaker Furniture here at Manchester Wood.

To view our Shaker Collection, click here.

+John Humphrey Noyes. History of American Socialisms, pp. 602-603.

Shaker Furniture

A.J. Macdonald once commented Shaker furniture was originally designed in heaven and that the patterns had been transmitted to the Shaker people by angels. +

I can imagine that feeling Macdonald once had regarding early pilgrims of America started their new lives in a world open to possibility. This furniture line shows the religious order and simplicity of the time.

Shaker styled furniture has craft traditions rooted heavily in colonial New York and New England. Farmers, Mechanics, Small Tradesmen made up most of the consumer base for Shaker Furniture in early America. A humble, basic product, with a thoughtful development of design and craftsmanship is the essential character.

At Manchester Wood, our Shaker Collection touches on the history of its lineage in design adding contemporary appeal for the 21^st Century.

We hope you find the basic needs in life, especially in furniture, as much fun as we do!

+John Humphrey Noyes. History of American Socialisms, pp. 602-603.