Simply stated, Rustic Furniture has the ability to provide us with joy – the joy of having beautiful furniture, as well as the joy of knowing that we have made a good investment.

The variety of Rustic Furniture available today enables you to choose between different and popular styles such as Mexican, Southwest, Adirondack and twig – whichever best matches your current dcor. The woods that are most used, aside from the willow for twig rustic furniture, are pine and log.

When it comes to the care, cleaning and maintenance of your rustic furniture, though it is not difficult and does not require special products, you do need to follow some basic instructions.

If you have inherited, have bought or been gifted rustic furniture, and wish to know its value, there are special appraisers who will be able to provide you with accurate values and the required documentation.

What Is “Rustic” Furniture?

In America, the late 1800′s, well-to-do families like the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers and Morgans had homes in the country and/or mountains. In these homes some of the furniture pieces were simple and rough in comparison to some of the other expensive furniture found in the home and to the elaborate furnishings in their city residences.

“Rusticating became a popular expression in the mid to late eighteen-hundreds. Well-heeled city folks developed elaborate country retreats and cabins (many were called “camps”) and “rusticated” during the summer.” (log furniture directory .com)

Today, rustic furniture is understood to be furniture that is hand-made and untreated. “Rustic furniture is… furniture with a soul. Rustic furniture pulls together elements of nature – while craftsmen using special tools and inventive designs, create functional furniture that is as appropriate in a backwoods cabin as it is in a contemporary home or office…It evokes a memory of an earlier era when people fashioned their furniture from nature to serve their needs. A distressed appearance of some rustic pieces adds character, charm and a individuality not found in other furniture styles. Rustic furniture is warm, creative, and practical and it speaks to our appreciation of human genius and resourcefulness.” (log furniture directory .com)

Why Choose Rustic Furniture

The statement “Rustic furniture is not for everybody”, is not true. One simply needs to learn to appreciate the different styles and practice mixing and matching with what you currently have.

What constitutes “beauty” in rustic furniture? Firstly, there is the richness of the natural, unpolished wood. It is composed of a certain roughness which brings to mind the Old West. There is also “the sense of strength and power, which furniture with delicate legs and refined designs do not offer you.” (moms rustic furniture .com)

One thing to be said for rustic furniture is that it is practical. Every piece has a use while being, at the same time, beautiful, bold, elegant and simple.

Lastly, owners of rustic furniture are able to appreciate the workmanship that went into each individual piece and know that there isn’t another piece of furniture exactly like theirs anywhere else in the entire world. “As most log furniture pieces are hand-made, each one is a unique piece that cannot be exactly replicated. Another thing that leads to the uniqueness of each piece is the distinct characteristics of each individual log that is used in the piece. Hand-made rustic log furniture really is a work of art.” (moms rustic furniture .com)

Rustic Furniture Styles

Rustic furniture comes in a plethora of styles. Some of the most popular styles are Mexican, Adirondack, Southwest and Twig. The kinds of woods which are mostly used in the manufacture of rustic furniture are log and pine. The kind of wood used for twig furniture is normally willow and bentwood not from the Weeping Willow tree, which is a rather popular misconception.

Original Mexican rustic furniture will come from the towns of Durango and Chihuahua. The furniture is a mixture of a Spanish, Mayan, Indian and even Arab influence, and is made from soft Mexican pine. “Mexican furniture is a blend of formal Spanish colonial styling and native Mayan design. The rich ornamentation and iron scrollwork of the Spanish adorns simply constructed, straight-lined cabinets and tables reflecting the designs of the Mayans.” (furniture style .net)

The Adirondack Mountains, located in upper New York State, are considered the cradle of this type of rustic furniture. It was in these mountains where the rich of the Northeast retreated to get away from it all. The homes were furnished with pieces from local artisans. “Native artisans used the materials of the region -stones, logs, twigs, and roots – to create simple, rustic designs for chairs and gliders. Teak, birch, cedar, hickory, and oak-the woods indigenous to New York — were frequently used, often in combination to create a multi-hued design. Although many pieces looked basic, they were actually quite intricate. Ingenious inlaid designs and natural accents made each piece a work of art in itself. Many such pieces have survived and are highly collectible.” (furniture styles .net) The most popular rustic piece of furniture is the Adirondack chair, which is found in homes today.

Southwest rustic furniture has its origins in the region of the United States from which it gets its name. Similar to its cousin from Mexico, this type of furniture was built with purpose in mind. Southwest rustic furniture design is a mixture of Spanish and Indian influence. “The appeal of Southwest design furniture is its contrast between the rough materials and finish, and the truly beautiful and elegant lines of the design…Southwestern furniture is a unique blend of the rustic and the ornate, combining the elegant traditions of Old Spain with the “make do” tradition of the pioneers of Early American history.” (furniture styles .net) From the Southwestern style we have derivative rustic furniture known as Mission, Ranch and Prairie.

Furniture made from twig and willow is very versatile for when the natural color of the wood dulls, you are able to paint or stain it to make it look brand new. The willow is grown specifically for furniture making and is grown in France, Italy, Sicily, Madeira, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, Russia and the United States. “The best willow furniture is the lightest in weight because the least wood is used in the making of it. Almost no nails are used as the plaiting of the willow holds the wooden braces in the legs and under the seats.” (furniture styles .net)

Care, Cleaning And Maintenance

Don’t believe for one minute that because you own rustic furniture such does not need care, cleaning and maintenance. Caring for this type of furniture is rather simple. NEVER use soap and water for this causes the grain to rise. “Always dust with a polish moistened cloth. Polish cushions the cloth, eliminating the scratching that occurs with dry dusting. Dust will scratch the furniture surface if not removed properly. Use a soft, clean cloth that won’t scratch the surface. Avoid coarse or scratchy materials or fabrics. Be sure to use the same type of polish consistently. Your furniture will appear cloudy or streaky if oil-based and wax-based polishes are interchanged. Always use a fine furniture polish when dusting. Never dry dust, as it could case microscopic scratches on your furniture surface. Remember to change dusting cloths frequently since a dirty cloth may scratch your furniture’s surface. Spray your furniture surface evenly, but not too generously. Wipe in a circular motion with a soft, clean cloth to clean and loosen the old polish. Then, buff until completely dry for a beautiful shine and a smudge-resistant finish. For wood trim, spray polish on the cloth first, and then dust. ” (rustic furniture plus .com)

Appraising Rustic Furniture

You may have purchased a piece of rustic furniture at a flea market or was left some as an inheritance. How do you know if it is worth any money? Normally, there will be appraisers in your area whom you may contact to come see your piece of rustic furniture and provide you with a value. “In the Midwest the only company to provide appraising services is Chicago Appraisers (www.chicagoappraisers.com)… If you would like chicagoappraisers.com to appraise antique furniture for you, $695.00 – $895.00 minimum house call for the greater Chicago area. This can include numerous items. For out of state clients where a home visit is impractical or those that have just one or two pieces of antique furniture, chicagoappraisers.com can often work from photos. Minimum fee is $195.00 – $295.00 per item.” (moms rustic furniture .com)