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| Home: About the Joinery |
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About Branch Hill JoineryI was first introduced to the Amish community in 1995. I was searching for "real wood" bookcases, which seemed impossible to find at regular furniture stores. Through a friend, became acquainted with a group of Amish in southern Michigan. From there, I met up with an extremely talented Amish woodworker and craftsman, who with his family, started making furniture for me. The Branch Hill Joinery custom Amish furniture and custom Amish cabinetry business began. I bought a small farm nearby and we built a wood shop suitable for more production work. The family still does a majority of their work right at their own home workshops, thus preserving their traditional use of hand tools and maintaining their work-at-home rural lifestyle.
To start out, I work individually with each client to design the furniture and cabinetry to meet their needs while incorporating classic styling and pleasing proportions. Once we are set on the design, I work directly with the craftsmen to make sure each piece is made to your exact specifications.
I have also found several women in the community who are talented quilters. I also work with them to design the Amish quilts. All Amish quilts and Amish custom furniture items are signed by the individual Amish artisan. I welcome you to visit our workshop near Coldwater, Michigan, or my showroom in Ann Arbor, Michigan. All visits are by appointment only. I am pleased to invite you to enjoy the exquisite Amish craftsmanship offered by Branch Hill Joinery for your custom Amish furniture, custom Amish cabinetry & Amish auilts. Sincerely, Ann Gordon Copyright Branch Hill Joinery Amish Furniture, Cabinetry & Quilts 2005 |
Now in our 12th year of business, Branch Hill Joinery continues to grow and develop. We are dedicated to
building high quality, hand tooled, custom Amish furniture and custom Amish cabinets using solid woods along with traditional
old-fashioned construction methods. Whenever possible, we utilize sustainable locally harvested wood. We also
utilize non-toxic finishes that are comprised of natural oils. Our designs are primarily created in a simple
Shaker, Mission, or Craftsman style, expressing the themes of Amish life: simplicity, utility, grace, and devotion.
At the workshop on my small farm, initial preparations for our
Amish custom furniture and Amish custom cabinets are performed using power tools such as planers and table saws.
The rest of the construction is done at the individual Amish shops which have no electricity, generators, engines or power tools.
Just a few hand tools including hand planes and chisels, quality lumber, and the spirit of true craftsmanship prevail. Hand tooling
provides a unique and lasting beauty to each piece. You can see and feel the difference. It is sometimes difficult to remember that
the much sought after early American antiques were once brand new, and made in a similar way.