Mission style furniture, inspired by the early Spanish missions in California, is as popular today as it was in the early part of the twentieth century. Here is why mission form furniture is so popular and functional and you may want to consider it for your home.

This type of furniture is known for its square and heavy look and orientation toward functionality. A core component of the arts and crafts design concept, mission style furniture is a fantastic choice for furniture that is built solid and long lasting. There are people who swear by the usability and form appeal of mission style furniture.

The key characteristics of mission style furniture include creation for functionality over style or fashion, and a simple lasting construction out of high quality woods and materials. Being of the arts and crafts period, little details such as the joinery are made in an excellent fashion to enhance the longevity and appeal of these pieces.

Mission furniture is available today in many different pieces. It is about always carved of oak and is traditionally designed to suit the bungalow type home surroundings. When decorating around mission furniture it is important to carry through the simplicity of design and focus on function if you want an accurate representation of the period. This means keeping walls plain and floors either polished or with very basic carpet options, in the one color.

Using mission style furniture will enhance your personal belongings as the furniture itself will not be overpowering. It will help to enhance and showcase other furniture items in your home.

Using mission style bedroom furniture will give you a solid resting place, as well as good quality storage options. It will last for years from college dorm to retirement home and beyond with ease. If it is cared for appropriately, mission style furniture will look as good as new decades down the road and because of this, you can also look for antique furniture pieces in this style.

It is traditionally colored with a medium to dark stain, and because of the color and materials, this furniture is best suited to larger more spacious sized rooms. It is often heavy visually, so light surrounding colors and paint on walls would be ideal.

When purchasing mission furniture, look for authenticity of the piece, quality of workmanship, and reputation of seller/builder. The best quality mission style furniture will be from Native American oak with exposed joinery. It will be hand finished, hand rubber and sealed in a soft satin finish. Real mission furniture also has upholstery made of real materials like canvas and leather.

This category of furniture is a great option for those with a bit of space and a penchant for traditional styling. By using this furniture, you can create a simple, functional and warm environment in which to live. Easy in variety and construction, graceful and useable with a timeless beauty, Mission style furniture will be a welcome addition and blend well with any decor.