I’m an Anglophile when it comes to furnishings and design. Not intentionally, but nine times out of ten when I spot a piece of furniture or a fabric pattern I want a closer look at, it’s from a UK maker and either they don’t ship to the US, or shipping would be disproportionately expensive. (Pooky Lights, sadly, falls into the latter category. I had a few lamps and lampshades picked out, and followed the instructions for emailing about US shipping. The quote was $170. UK manufacturers need more US distributors. I digress.)
So I was delighted to stumble across a few indie furniture shops that have the solid wood craftsmanship and rustic aesthetic I love, but are located here in the US. These pieces are made to order in America from solid wood. That doesn’t come cheap, and I’m not about to fill my house with new furniture. But I do think, if a piece here or there could be worked into a budget, they could become true heirloom pieces that would only look better with age and wear.
English Farmhouse Furniture
The shop’s name is a bit on the nose for this post, right? No surprise that I love their pieces. “Built to order in our Los Angeles workshops using solid woods, time-honored woodworking methods and finished with a layered blend of eco-friendly paints, stains and wax. English Farmhouse Furniture is built to last a lifetime.”
I love their dressers with the chunky wooden feet (adorably called “bun feet”), and the Petite Lamp Table would work great as nightstands in our guest bedroom. English Farmhouse Furniture offers three stain finishes and eight Farrow & Ball paint finishes.
Brian Persico
Brian Persico’s furniture is inspired by Shaker and New England styles, and he works from a foundation of dearly-held principles about history and origin. From his About page: “My greatest inspiration comes from handmade vernacular tools and objects, especially those made in places/times when these pieces were used every day and often as a means for survival. I am also committed to using only natural materials and the wood I use is often from less than 20 miles of my home.”
The Celine Bed and Manago Table are particular favorites. The product styling is also on point and highlights the rustic simplicity of the pieces.
Elsie Green
Elsie Green sells a mix of vintage and new furniture pieces, and the new pieces are made from reclaimed wood. It’s a family-run shop based in California and they offer six stain finishes.
My favorites are the cabinets and dining tables. I love a painted cabinet with a contrasting interior finish. (There’s a beautiful one in the historic house featured in Gentleman Jack, a TV show I’m blasting through right now, but sadly I can’t find a good still shot of it online.)
I’m on the hunt for other American furniture shops with a similar style and philosophy, but they’re hard to search for. If you know of others, please share in the comments!
Coordinating Vintage Prints from Our Shop
Given my love of this style, I’ve gathered loads of vintage art prints that pair perfectly with rustic farmhouse furniture. Here are a few to browse through, and see the full range on our e-commerce site. As always, these prints are affordable without sacrificing quality, and are offered in standard sizes to make framing a breeze.
