Amish furniture is the embodiment of quality. From the solid American hardwoods to the pigmented and durable stains, each piece is a thing of beauty. While the wood is often the most highlighted feature of Amish furniture, the finishes used by the Amish are truly a marvel. Each stain is made to offer a long-lasting color and smooth texture without masking the wood grain. We work with a large variety of Amish furniture builders that have a wide selection of stain options. If you don’t have a specific stain in mind, it might feel overwhelming to know which stain to pick. However, with a little more knowledge, it’ll soon be easy for you to pick the stain right for you. Here is our guide to Amish stain colors.
Why Amish Stain Colors?
Don’t just take our word that Amish stains are your best option. Just take a look at all the pros that come with the finish options offered in our store:
- Easy to clean. All it takes is a damp dishcloth and a gentle soap solution. This will remove any dust and dirt from the surface of your furniture without damaging the finish. You can see more care tips on our Furniture Care page.
- Durability. Amish finishing shops work hard to offer stains that are more durable than many other options on the market. Quality furniture deserves nothing less than a quality finish.
- Endless Customization. While we love the in-stock pieces in our showroom, we understand that the current trends and colors may not fit your preferences. That’s why we offer a seamless and detailed custom furniture program so you can have the colors that fit your perfect home.
- Satisfaction guaranteed. If there was a mistake or misjudgment when choosing a stain color, the wonderful builders we work with make it possible for us to work out a solution for you. Within 7 days of receiving your furniture, you can return the undamaged new piece so we can rebuild it to your specifications. Read more in our Shipping/Warranty.
Now that you know why we love Amish stains, let’s dive into how to pick the perfect color.
How to Pick a Stain Color
Whether shopping with us in-store or online, your color-picking experience should be seamless and insightful. Here are some ways you can prepare before viewing our color samples.
- Observe the lighting in your home – The presence of natural and artificial lighting can drastically affect the colors in your home. A space with little light will feel darker and may even feel smaller if filled with deep color-stained furniture.
- Think about the tones you like – Do you want cool undertones and desaturated neutrals, or would you prefer the warmth from red and yellow undertones? This preference must be considered for the wood type and the stain color. A stain color can change drastically depending on what kind of wood it is applied to.
- Decide what kind of wood you need – Wood types range in colors as we mentioned before, but they also range in hardness levels. For a quick overview, see the common wood types below:
- Hickory: This wood has the highest hardness rating out of the options listed, and the heaviest. This has been a popular wood for dining tables and other furniture that experiences frequent use. Hickory can vary in darkness but tends to remain fairly neutral, making it good for both warm and cool stain colors.
- QSWO (Quarter Sawn White Oak): The second hardest wood option in this list with small stripes in the wood grain – a pattern developed by cutting the boards into quarters. It is heavier than oak and a great wood for daily wear. While this wood is also neutral, some find it’s slightly warmer in tone than hickory, great for a variety of styles.
- Red Oak: This wood falls in the middle of the hardness ratings and handles tough use well. As the name implies, it is slightly warmer in tone than QSWO and has a strong arch-shaped grain that is seen in many traditional styles. This wood is often readily available, making it a common option for furniture.
- Brown Maple: This is a classic wood in Amish furniture, and is classified as a softer hardwood. This wood is lighter, making it desirable to bring out the pigment range of stains, but it can experience mineral streaking that can make the wood look gray. As such, it does better with medium and dark finishes.
- Cherry: A very smooth grain with the same hardness rating as Brown Maple. This wood is noticeably red/pink when compared to other woods. This elegant undertone is often seen in traditional furniture but has been making a comeback in some modern furniture.
- Do you want to match or complement colors in your home? – While some individuals like to make use of complementary colors in a space, we realize that’s not everyone’s preference. Color matching may seem daunting, but don’t be afraid to come to us with a color request. While preparing for your shopping trip, you can view and compare our color samples ahead of time. Please note, that most phone screens and computer monitors are not 100% accurate and there may be slight discoloration. (See more in the section below)
Need to Color Match or Just Want a Second Opinion?
Don’t leave yourself guessing. We encourage you to visit us in-store with your color requests and questions. Then, our knowledgeable staff can help you identify the wood and colors that will fit your needs. Your satisfaction is our highest priority through every step of your shopping experience.
If you’d like to see the experience of our past customers, please check out our Customer Stories. Here’s a Google review from one customer who needed help choosing stain and wood options.
“We worked with Curt and he was fantastic. We purchased the Herrington bedroom collection and it is beautiful. Curt was so kind and patient as we had different samples shipped in order to find our perfect wood and stain choice. We will definitely be working with this company again when we look for other furniture pieces. Delivery was great too, very good communications via text and email.” – Heather Wheeler
Check Out Our Products and Color Options Page
As you browse through our Amish furniture selection, we encourage you to pay attention to the product details. In this dropdown, we include as much information as we’ve been given by the builders to inform you about the features of the product you are viewing. Like the color used in the stock image of a product? Open the details tab to see the wood and stain used. If you like the product but know you want it in another color or wood, click the “More Color Options” button to see our database of stains and options. (As always, remember that your screen may not be 100% accurate in representing a color but this will be the closest online example)
Want to see products displayed in more than one stain color? Some of our builders have made their products customizable online. These products are called “Design Center” products. They allow you to view the product in multiple colors and options so you don’t have to guess what the product would look like with your ideal stain.
Discover More on King’s Amish Furniture
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