Mission style furniture is a look that can fit seamlessly into many different home décor styles, from contemporary to traditional. The Mission style, which is also often referred to as Amish furniture, has been a staple of the dining room furniture scene for more than a century. This dining room furniture style has stood the test of time because of Mission style’s simple, clean lines and classic features.

History of Mission Style

Mission style furniture originated in the late 1900s with a chair made by A.J. Forbes in 1894 for a church in San Francisco. Furniture manufacturer Joseph McHugh popularized the style in 1898 in New York when he copied the design of Forbes’ chair. He created a whole line of furnishings based on this look. McHugh also named this type of furnishing the term it is still called today, Mission style, which was a reference to the Spanish missions found throughout colonial California.

The style is largely associated with the American Arts and Crafts movement. The movement advocated the social virtues of good design and traditional craftsmanship, and produced dining furniture pieces that were simple in design and materials.

Capturing the Look

Mission style is all about simplicity. The predominant feature of Mission style dining room furniture is its simple, straight-line construction. The dining room furniture is usually made from medium or dark-stained wood. High quality woods are used, such as oak. Mission style dining room tables are often heavy and substantial, but well proportioned. As opposed to pre-Mission style dining furniture, this dining room furniture style noticeably lacks unnecessary ornamentation. If other materials are used, they are simple and unobtrusive, such as iron or copper hardware.

Dinette.com has many dining room furniture sets we would classify as examples of Mission style. A few examples of these simple masterpieces include the Apollo Dinette Sets (in Maple, Oak and Cappuccino), the Avanti 5-Piece Dinette Set, the Colby 5-Piece Dining Set—Light Maple and the Helena 5-Piece Cappuccino Dining Set.

Wenge is a weird and wacky word, we know. It has become common parlance in the dining room furniture world, but is likely less familiar to those outside of the industry. So we want to tell you a few very important things—namely, how to pronounce the word as well as definitions of what a “wenge dining room set” actually refers to. Who knows, you might find out that you love wenge dining room furniture, but just never knew what to call it!

Repeat After Us

We understand that the temptation is to pronounce wenge as winj (incidentally, this is how you say whinge, which according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary means “to complain fretfully”). However, the correct pronunciation is in fact when-gay.

Wenge: The Color

Wenge is actually two things: a color and a type of wood. The color is dark brown with copper undertones, and takes its name from the shade of the wood species it resembles. In the dining room furniture industry, wenge is used to reference nearly black pieces of dining furniture commonly identified as an “espresso” or “cappuccino” in color.

Dinette.com has many dinette sets that showcase this rich, dark color, including the Sullivan 5-Piece Dining Room Set, Apollo 5-Piece Dining Set, and the Carey 5-Piece Dining Set.

Wenge: The Wood

Wenge, which is also known as African Rosewood, is a tropical timber that grows in African countries such as the Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Gabon. It is a heavy, dense wood that is very dark in color (again, picture the shade known as “espresso”).

In almost all instances, when you hear someone say “wenge dining room set” they are referencing the color, not the wood itself. This is because this wood species is listed as endangered.

At Dinette.com, our wenge dining sets are espresso or cappuccino-colored, and are not made of wenge wood. We take our commitment to being environmentally friendly seriously; almost all of our dinettes are made from renewable, plantation-grown hardwoods.

In this first installment of our series on specific dining furniture looks, we are featuring art deco dining room furniture. Most people have a general familiarity with the term art deco, but are hard pressed to describe exactly what art deco dining room furniture looks like. Below is a quick overview of the history of the art deco design style as well as descriptions of what types of dining room furniture has the look of this famous design era.

History of Art Deco

Art deco began in Paris in the 1920s and thrived throughout the 1930s. The style, which is based on mathematical geometric shapes, also experienced a resurgence in the 1960s. The term “art deco” did not exist until 1968, when it was coined in a book by Bevis Hillier, Art Deco of the 20s and 30s. Prior to that, the design style was often referenced as a modernist follow-up to Art Nouveau style.

Art deco globally influenced all areas of design, from architecture and interior design to visual arts. A great example of art deco architecture is the Empire State Building in New York City.

The design style is eclectic, but the overall look is usually streamlined and linear. Art deco furniture and prints are often characterized by symmetry, angular shapes and bold, bright colors.

Sleek, Mod Dining Room Furniture

Art deco furniture is elegant, functional and, above all, sleek. Steel, aluminum, chrome, glass and dark, shiny woods are used to capture this modern look in dining room furniture sets. Dining room chairs stylized by this era would have seats covered in colorful patterns with zigzags or sunburst motifs.

Dinette.com has a number of dining room furniture sets that could complement a modern home that features art deco design style. For instance, the Park Avenue Glass Dining Room Set would fit beautifully into a dining room accented with Pop Art and boldly printed colors. The 5-piece set features a round, glass-top dining room table that is tinted black. The metal dining room chairs have a shiny black finish and black vinyl seat cushions. Trust us, it’s sleek and glamorous—all of the things that first made the art deco look famous!

It’s been a particularly erratic weather year, but snowy days are finally behind us and tulips are out in full bloom. These last few weeks you’ve probably jumped on every warm weather opportunity to work in the yard. It’s such an exciting time of the year—making your home look its best as prepare the ground for planting veggies and flowers and relish the bright green palette in your front yard. Soon, May showers will arrive, offering you the perfect opportunity to return indoors and think about sprucing up the inside of your house, too. Below, we’ve compiled a list of ideas to make your dining areas feel like they’re getting a fresh start, too.

Bye bye, winter décor. 

Get rid of the heavy velvet curtains that you delighted in while having cozy winter meals at your dining room table. Sheer, brighter colors will maximize the natural light of the room. (Be conscious of direct sunlight hitting your solid wood dining furniture, though! Visit our recent blogs on protecting wood furniture to find out more.) If your dining room table centerpiece is made of dark, dried flowers, switch it out for fresh flowers (from your yard, if you were proactive and planted bulbs last year!). In the kitchen, trade out winter throw rugs and hand towels for bright, fresh ones that remind you of the bright colors outside your window.

Pull a switcharoo. 

Shuffle around your dining room furniture; you’ll feel like you just went shopping and got all new things, at the bargain price of $0!

Dress the table. 

Don’t be color-shy—colorful placemats, napkins and table runners will make a huge difference to the look and feel of your dining room table. Embrace prints, too…this is the time of year to really liven your dining room furniture up!

Spring clean. 

You know the drill, so we want bore you with the details (we will, however, encourage you to use eco-friendly cleaning products!). Trust us—your scrubbing will not be done in vain; people will notice the freshly waxed sheen on your dining room table and that *gasp* the antique wood floor you had hidden under that heavy winter rug is absolutely beautiful.

The environment where you keep your solid wood dining room furniture is critical to the lifespan of the pieces. In an unfriendly home environment, dinette sets may fade, crack or swell. Not to worry—all of these degradations are avoidable! Below, we offer tips for maintaining spaces with the right temperature, humidity, and sunlight exposure so that your dining room table and chairs can last to become beautiful antiques. 

Buy a hygrometer. 

Your solid wood dining room furniture exchanges moisture with the air, shrinking and expanding in response to changes in relative humidity. A hygrometer (which costs around $20) will allow you to measure the relative humidity inside your home. Humidity is very difficult to measure accurately, but the relative humidity in a room gives an approximation of how much water the air is holding. A relative humidity level of between 25 to 45 percent (some furniture care experts recommend up to 55 percent) is recommended for a room with solid wood dining room furniture. 

Use a dehumidifier in the winter and an air conditioner in the summer. 

This will help to keep the humidity level in your home stable year-round. A dehumidifier is especially useful for removing excess moisture from the air (leading to furniture expansion) during times of heavy rain. 

Watch out for extreme temperatures. 

Wood dining room furniture doesn’t fare well in extreme hot or cold temperatures. Keep your home’s temperature around 70 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature itself is not as important as avoiding radical swings in temperature (which affects the moisture in the air), so bear this in mind when opening up, for example, a vacation home that has been closed for months.

Avoid heat sources. 

Keep dining room furniture as far away as possible from direct heat sources, such as radiators or fireplaces. 

Steer clear of direct sunlight. 

Over time, direct exposure to the sun will fade the finish on your dining room table. Prolonged exposure may even cause the finish to crack. Make sure your dining room has heavy drapes or blinds that you can close when the sun is strongest to prevent sunlight from hitting your dining room furniture. 

As discussed in our last blog, solid wood dining room furniture is an investment that, if cared for properly, should last for years. While solid wood furniture sets are built to last, their lifespan is dependent on how you care for them and the environment you keep the dining set in.

How to Clean and Protect Wood Furniture

Dust your dining room furniture at least once a week. This will keep dust particles from building up. A slightly damp lint-free soft cloth will do the job. Be careful not to use excess water, which can damage wood! Also steer clear of dusting with silicone-based cleaning sprays, which can attract dirt or leave a sticky finish.

Polish your dining room set one to two times per year. Before you begin polishing, make sure the surface of your dining room table is free of dust. Regardless of whether you use oil or wax-based polishes, make sure you wipe in the direction of the grain of the wood whenever possible.

Here are two recipes for homemade furniture polish recommended by the DIY Network. After determining what type of finish is on your wood, choose the appropriate formula below:

• Recipe #1: 1 cup mineral oil, 3 drops lemon oil or extract
• Recipe #2: 2 oz. grated beeswax, 5 oz. turpentine
• Recipe #3: 1 cup olive oil, ¼ cup white vinegar

Recipes #1 and #2 can be stored in plastic containers. Recipe #3 should be mixed in a spray bottle. Always remember to spray or pour the solution onto a cloth, never directly onto your wood dining room furniture.

In our next blog post we’ll discuss creating a hospitable home environment for your dining room furniture.

If you were to hear a 30-second elevator speech about Dinette.com, you can be sure the words “solid wood furniture” would make it into the synopsis of things you MUST know about us. Any furniture retailer selling solid wood products would want to tout this, because it instantly tells you the kind of company they are. By only selling solid wood dining sets, they’re giving you an assurance of their commitment to quality furniture. Solid wood furniture products reveal craftsmanship that is both beautiful and built to last.

What’s the Big Deal?

When shopping for a dinette set, you’re probably not in the mindset of “well, if it lasts a year that would be great.” Dining room furniture is an investment, and you’ll expect it to last for many years.

Bye bye, veneers. Solid wood means that all exposed parts of the furniture are made of solid board, which can be either softwood (such as pine) or hardwood (such as oak) lumber. Most importantly, it means that no veneers or particleboards are used. Veneers and particleboards (presswoods) are cheaper, denser composites (manufactured wood products) that are intended to give the appearance of real wood. Don’t be fooled—they may cost less, but they will not stand the test of time.

Hello, environment. Solid wood furniture supports sustainable harvesting practices. Plantations will typically plant two or more trees for every one they harvest, making solid wood a renewable resource. Almost all of Dinette.com’s dinette sets are made from plantation grown hardwoods.

My, that’s durable. Solid wood furniture is, well, solid. These products should last several lifetimes and can be passed down for generations if cared for properly (be aware of heat and humidity levels where you’re storing your furniture). Should your dining room furniture begin to show wear and tear, you could refinish it—an option not available with furniture made from veneers or particleboards.

Below are a few things that you should thoughtfully consider before purchasing dining room furniture off the Web.

Who am I buying from?

You wouldn’t mail a hefty check to a stranger without doing a background check; the same scrutiny should apply to retailers. Every legitimate business should have contact information (which you’ll want to call to confirm) and should be registered with the Better Business Bureau or a similar organization. Reviews are key in online shopping; check out what fellow buyers are saying about their customer service experience as well as their satisfaction with the quality of the dining room furniture purchased.

What if I’m unhappy with my purchase?

Many online retailers, including Dinette.com, have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you don’t like the product, you usually have 30 days to return it for a full refund (note: in many instances, you will have to pay the return shipping costs). This raises an important point: in purchasing large items such as dinette sets off the Web, shipping costs can be hefty, so this is an area you’ll want to explore fully (yet another reason Dinette.com’s current free shipping offer is so attractive!).

The Final Checklist

Before you hit the “complete purchase” button, make sure you know the answer to these important questions:

• What will be the cost of delivery?
• What is the expected time frame for delivery? Is furniture kept in stock?
• Does the dining room furniture set come fully assembled or require assembly? If it is fully assembled, can it fit through your doorways?
• What is the cancellation or return policy?
• Does the dinette set come with a warranty?

Finally, make sure you offer yourself an extra degree of protection by paying with a credit card (versus cash or check).

In a few short days your Christmas visitors will pile in and you’ll wonder just how far you can stretch the seating capacity of your dining room table. Try not to worry or stress—with a little pre-planning your dining room furniture can be prepped to maximize guest seating, accommodate endless serving bowls and platters, and still have plenty of room for mingling and merriment.

Make the Most of Your Space

By now you should have a general head count of how many people will be dining at your house on Christmas day. With this number in mind, let’s plan out where to put your dining room furniture to maximize space.

Place furniture at angles. Don’t be afraid to think out of the box in order to seat the most guests while still retaining walkways (leave 5-6 feet from the edge of the table to the wall) and mingling areas.

Utilize the golden solution: space-saving dining room tables. If you have a drop-leaf dining table (such as Dinette.com’s Jackson dinette set) or dining room table that expands with a center leaf, then now is the time to showcase these fabulous and functional dining room furniture pieces. If there’s a pub table set in your kitchen furniture that isn’t being utilized at the party, tuck it into a corner of your dining room for an extra serving station or cozy nook for guests to chat over drinks.

Choose the right chairs. The right chairs are key for maximizing the seating at your dining room table. Keep in mind that banquet dining chairs take up far less space than armchairs. Try not to crowd the table, though; as a general rule, you should allow 24” of dining table/chair space per person.

Use a sideboard. Often called a credenza or buffet, sideboards are extremely functional pieces of dining room furniture—particularly when you’re hosting a crowded gathering. Utilize the flat display-top surface as a drinks bar or buffet to save room on your dining room table.

A Steal of a Deal

A primary reason to do your dining room furniture shopping online this holiday season is the cost savings. Online-only stores such as Dinette.com tend to have much lower overhead than traditional brick and mortar stores and are able to pass that savings on to customers through lower dining room furniture prices. 

In some states sales tax is as high as 10 percent. By shopping online you’ve pretty much always got a coupon in your pocket—you only have to pay sales tax for an online kitchen furniture purchase if the store has a physical location in your state. So there’s a 98 percent chance you won’t have to pay sales tax on your dining room furniture purchase. We like those odds. 

Save Time, Buy Online

The convenience of online dining room furniture shopping is unmatched. At the mall, if you’re dubious about the price of the item you want, you’ll have to trek from store to store to do a price comparison. With online kitchen furniture shopping, price matching is just a click away. 

Additionally, we all know that the mall crowds in mid-December are a force to be reckoned with. Who wants to spend half an hour fighting for a spot in the parking lot and wasting gas when you can be click-click-clicking away at home on your computer and saving time and money?