Contemporary bench 156

wooden

Much more than for their work ethic, asceticism, abstinence and their shaking dances, the Shakers are known for their furniture. They displayed a great degree of creativity in the making of furniture intended to be of the highest quality of craftsmanship – but without any adornments or unnecessary decorations. This consistently minimalist attitude inspired our designers when they began working on freistil 156. In both the tables and benches, the visibly detailed craftsmanship is the only trace of decoration, with mortise and tenon joints where the legs meet the table top or bench seat, and transverse cross-frames lending support. These designs are a wonderful stand-out from the ordinary, monolithic heavyweights that dominate many homes, and they show us that solid wood and lightness are by no means a contradiction in terms! More generally, they reveal how furniture made in the Shaker tradition can communicate sensuousness and inspire us to celebrate.