Shaker furniture

Furniture designed for the religious colonies of Shakers founded in the U.S. in the last quarter of the 18th century. The Shakers' designs reflected their beliefs that good craftsmanship was in itself an act of prayer and that form should follow function, an attitude that anticipated the concept of Functionalism a century later. Constructed of pine or other inexpensive wood, each item was fashioned solely to serve its intended use and was devoid of decoration. Interest in Shaker furniture and other Shaker crafts revived in the 20th century, after most Shaker colonies had dissolved, and imitations are now widely produced.

Find more information on Shaker furniture. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Shaker furniture.