A Brief History of the Mission- Arts and Crafts Movement

By now, most people have heard of the Victorian Era and how it influenced life here in the United States. While actually referring to the reign of Queen Victoria in Great Britain from 1837 to 1901, it represented advances in many areas, including science and engineering. Most importantly, the Industrial Revolution was ushered in during this time, thereby birthing the modern world as we know it today. One of the most poignant outcomes of the Victorian Era was its architectural style, which also had a strong influence on furniture and other products of the time. But, as with many design periods or trends, the general public eventually grew tired of the generally overwrought Victorian Era. A breath of fresh air was, rather unassumingly, taken in 1894, when a man named A.J. Forbes was commissioned by the Swedenborgian Church in San Francisco to design a chair.

Four years later, a New Yorker named Joseph P. McHugh copied the basic design elements infused within Forbes’ chair and offered it, along with a furniture line fashioned in the same style, for sale to the public. The Mission Style movement had thus begun, coinciding with the Arts and Crafts movement, which was gaining popularity at the time. Categorized by some experts as simplicity at its finest, Mission Style furniture is most recognized through the use of vertical & horizontal boards, and (predominantly) flat, unassuming panels for the front and sides; craftsmen typically went “with the grain” when fashioning boards, creating a very clean, handcrafted look in the process.

Mission Style Dining Sets

Mission-inspired dining sets capture the essence of the movement through furniture that you and your family can use and appreciate each and every day. Available in a variety of finishes guaranteed to complement any dining room, they feature quality craftsmanship and construction that promises years of usefulness and beauty.

Mission Style Bedroom Sets

Whereas the dining sets are meant to allow family members and guest alike the opportunity to experience the Mission design firsthand, the bedroom sets allow you to appreciate all the movement stood for in the privacy of your own bedroom. A poignant piece like a tall drawer chest pays homage to the style extremely well, and when paired with another piece of the same series, you have an incredibly capacious, versatile, and beautiful start to a Mission style bedroom set, using the available bed as its focal point. Available in many finishes and stains such as oak, cherry oak, Pasadena, and cherry.

This Style is Still Sought After Today

Throughout history, certain furniture and design styles withstood the test of time better than others. Mission style is one of them; its lends itself well as far as unique home furnishings go. All at once, it reflects traditional design and craftsmanship ideologies while setting the stage for more modern furniture trends that would soon follow (think: Art Deco).

Our design experts understand the charm that furniture inspired by the Mission-Arts and Crafts movement has on the public, and we offer an assortment of what we feel are the best home furnishings honoring this timeless style. However, it is important to remember that in many cases, pieces representing one style or another can be mixed and matched, allowing you to create a look all your own.

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