Mission Style Furniture
Known for It's Straight Lines and Simple Style

Mission style furniture originated in the western United States in the 1890s, and was manufactured until about 1915. It is believed that this style of furniture was created by members of a church in San Francisco, who decided to build their own furniture because they could not afford to buy furnishing for their church. The style was based on the work of Indian craftsmen who built the furniture for the Spanish missions in Mexico. When a decorator sent models of the furniture made for the church to Joseph McHugh, a manufacturer in New York, he began producing his own version of the simple furniture. Later, when the furniture designers in the east and west merged, the style became known as the American Mission style.



Mission style furniture, then and now, is characterized by clean, straight lines and excellent joinery. The furniture is almost always made of oak and usually free of any ornamentation. Although, large nail heads, simple cut out patterns or hammered copper appliques were sometimes used for decoration. This style has continued to be very popular and has actullay grown in its popularity in recent years.




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