Jacobean style antique furniture

Jacobean is a term used to cover all English style furniture from the reign of King James I to King James II. However, throughout this span of time Jacobean furniture showed markedly different influences. The earliest Jacobean furniture was influenced mainly by Elizabethan (1603 -1688) styled furnituremonwealth Style (1649-1660) marks the middle of the Jacobean Period, when the furniture was of simpler design and undecorated. The late Jacobean Period is that of the Carolean period, named for King Charles II. In this period the furniture was influenced by Flemish Baroque design. Early English Jacobean furniture was widely copied by the colonial Americans, although the furniture was more primitive, due to the fact that there were fewer skilled furniture makers living in America at the time. In true patriotic form, American colonists renamed their Jacobean reproductions to that of “Early American” furniture. Jacobean furniture was very sturdy, massive in size, notoriously uncomfortable, and made to last. The furniture pieces that were produced consisted mainly of chests, cupboards, trestle tables, wainscot chairs, and gate legged circular tables. Brewster and Carver chairs (made with numerous spindles filling their straight frames) were also produced, their names taken from two distinguished American Colonists of the period. Oak and pine were the most popular woods of choice. Chairs would often have split spindles, bulbous Spanish carved feet, and rush seats. Chests, large cupboards, and trestle tables were embellished with Flemish scrolls, ornately carved panels, and ornamental twists. These design elements made the massive Jacobean pieces appear very formal and stately. As a rule, Jacobean furniture construction was simple. It was assembled with mortise and tenon joints, held together with pegs. The majority of lines are square and rectangular, most with flat-fronted surfaces. The art of inlay and veneering added a wonderful ornate look, especially in cupboards and cabinets. Many pieces were painted, which further added to the style of the piece. Upholstering materials used for Jacobean chairs and settees were of very fine quality and ornate. Materials such as silk, tapestries, crewelwork, linen, velvet, and even leather were used on various types of chairs. Jacobean period furniture can mainly be found in the auction houses of England. Being built to last, many pieces have not only survived, but are still in good condition. Although centuries old, Jacobean furniture is still well sought after, and continues to provide an elegant option in home decor. There are many furniture makers today that have copied and reproduced fine quality Jacobean styled furniture, and made it affordable to own.

The soul of rustic design

Almost anything can be rustic: a home, furniture, clothing and even shoes. Rustic is country, cottage, wild gardens, earth, natural fabrics, leather, wood and poles. It is not gaudy, plastic, chrome, mass-made or stainless steel. Rustic doesn't mean ramshackle or badly made. The sometimes simplistic designs are partly deliberate and partly involuntary – the designer's make-up prevents them from creating differently. If you are a rustic person, you will understand the intangible aspects of a rustically designed item. There are thousands of alleged "rustic" products available: products that use the title and promise the design but fall short on delivery. The look, feel, smell and aesthetics don't match the title. There is no sense of the piece having a part of its maker imbued in it – a quality that cannot be polished, scrubbed or sandpapered out of it. Rustic things are made by rustic people, not by machines. If you know about rustic people, you'll have no difficulty in identifying their designs. They are calm people with peace in their eyes even in crowded places. They smell of the woods, of leather and cotton and wet petals. Children are naturally drawn to them. If you are always busy, always frenetic, you will miss them. You have to be still a while and quietly observant. Rustic is muted. Such people prefer rainy days, walking in the forest and cooking with fresh herbs. They see the hidden magic in a garden that ordinary people can't. Rustic pieces stand out. Even in a crowded mall there is something peaceful about them. It may be a bed, a flower barrel or a skirt but there will be an indelible part the maker in it - that is part of its beauty. There are no reasons for buying rustic except for kindred spirits, for understanding, for feeling. Heirlooms are rustic; they pass down well. If you want the experience, you will have to seek it out. Rescuing a rustic piece from a mall has its rewards but the true experience is watching the creation. You may visit websites with the names bentwood-, briar-, pioneer - and Mayflower -.com, but unless you spend time with the smell of the wood shavings on the barn floor, the sound of clay being sucked from the earth, and the gentle faces, you won't find rustic and your soul will be lonely. The experience has a flow in both directions and you will get infinitely more than you give. Copyright © Jared Winston, 2006. All Rights Reserved.