Amish House Painting Traditions
Simple decorating techniques are in fashion, and many of these techniques come from traditional cultures. Whether they are Japanese, Shaker or Amish, many cultures have traditions of strong, beautiful and basic decorating. Amish decorating is simple, based on religious traditions of hard work and handcrafted, functional objects. All colors are based on what was historically available.
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Paint on Natural Wood
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Paint so that natural materials show through. Whenever possible, begin your Amish house painting project on a base of natural wood. Hand-cut wood that shows the grain and has a cabin-like style will give a feeling of practical simplicity. You may even want to allow the grain of the wood to show through. This will complement any wood furniture you have. It will also complement simple interior decorations like baskets and vases, all items that showcase nature and are extremely functional.
Choose a Soft, Natural Palette
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Amish paints are based on natural dyes and everyday products. Amish paint colors are often natural tones because traditionally paints were dyed with whatever could be found locally. Choose soft greens and tans along with an accent color if you wish. New lines of heritage paints sometimes emulate these colors, so look into historic or heritage color lines.
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Exterior House Painting
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Amish homes have plain paint on the exterior. Amish house exteriors are often very simple and painted white. A plain, large and functional house found in Amish country is often an Amish house. Some doors may be painted blue. Many think that this tradition indicates that a daughter of marriageable age is in the home. It appears instead to be out of tradition, possibly to keep a feeling of safety in the home similar to feng shui painting and home design traditions.
Gloss or Traditional Paints
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Frequent fires can lead to particulates on the walls. If possible, choose a natural paint like a milk paint for interior decorating. These are nontoxic and low-chemical traditional paints. These natural paints tend to have more traditional color lines. In the interior, some Amish choose a high-gloss paint to ensure the walls are easy to wipe down, especially since coal and wood are used for heat and light and may create soot on the walls.
Amish Furniture Painting
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Amish wood furniture is often unpainted. Most Amish houses have boxy, bulky furniture that is plain and bold and made of wood. This furniture is not traditionally painted, although sometimes it is stained. Occasionally Amish furniture is painted a light white to allow the grain of the wood to show through.
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References
- Photo Credit brush in paint image by Vladislav Gajic from Fotolia.com cabin image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com Milk, milk and hands image by Mykola Velychko from Fotolia.com white house image by Josef F Stuefer from Fotolia.com fireplace image by Ekaterina Sidorenko from Fotolia.com wood work image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
