10 Tennessee Furniture Styles Making A Charming Comeback
Tennessee has a rich furniture-making history that blends rustic charm with timeless craftsmanship. Many classic styles from the Volunteer State are finding their way back into modern homes, bringing warmth and character to living spaces.
I’ll show you ten Tennessee furniture styles that are making a comeback and why people are falling in love with them all over again.
1. Smoky Mountain Hickory Chairs
Hickory wood from the Smoky Mountains creates chairs with incredible strength and natural beauty. Craftsmen bend the wood into graceful curves that feel comfortable and look stunning in any room.
You’ll love how the bark-on branches add rustic texture while keeping a refined appearance. Each piece tells a story of Tennessee’s forests and traditional woodworking skills passed down through generations.
2. Memphis Mid-Century Walnut Sideboards
Memphis furniture makers created stunning walnut sideboards during the 1950s and 60s with clean lines and practical storage. These pieces feature gorgeous wood grain patterns and tapered legs that give rooms an elegant, retro vibe.
I find them perfect for storing dishes or displaying collectibles while adding architectural interest. The warm walnut tones complement both vintage and contemporary decorating styles beautifully.
3. Appalachian Ladder-Back Rockers
Woven seats and tall slat backs define these iconic rocking chairs from Tennessee’s Appalachian region. Mountain families have crafted them for centuries using simple tools and local hardwoods.
Sitting in one instantly transports you to front porches overlooking misty valleys. The gentle rocking motion soothes stress while the handwoven seats provide surprising comfort for hours of relaxation and conversation.
4. East Tennessee Pine Pie Safes
Punched tin panels decorated with stars and hearts make pie safes both functional and decorative. Early Tennessee settlers used them to store baked goods while keeping insects away through ventilated metal designs.
Today’s versions work wonderfully as unique storage for linens, dishes, or pantry items. The folk art patterns punched into tin doors add whimsical charm that catches everyone’s eye.
5. Knoxville Arts and Crafts Oak Bookcases
Influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, Knoxville furniture makers built substantial oak bookcases with exposed joinery and honest construction. Quarter-sawn oak displays beautiful ray fleck patterns that shimmer in changing light.
Heavy shelves hold extensive book collections without sagging. I admire how the simple, honest design lets the wood’s natural beauty take center stage without unnecessary ornamentation or fussy details.
6. Bristol Shaker-Style Cabinets
Clean lines and perfect proportions define these storage cabinets inspired by Shaker principles of simplicity and utility. Bristol craftsmen built them with careful attention to detail and hidden joinery that lasts for generations.
The unadorned beauty celebrates fine materials and skilled construction rather than applied decoration. I find their timeless design fits seamlessly into modern minimalist homes while offering practical storage solutions.
7. Chattanooga Spindle Beds
Turned spindles arranged in decorative patterns create headboards and footboards with delicate Victorian charm. Chattanooga furniture shops produced these elegant beds using local hardwoods turned on foot-powered lathes.
The intricate spindle work adds romance to bedrooms without overwhelming small spaces. You can paint them for cottage style or leave them natural to showcase the wood’s character and craftsmanship.
8. Tennessee River Valley Windsor Chairs
Steam-bent backs and turned legs characterize these versatile chairs that Tennessee Valley craftsmen adapted from English designs. Multiple spindles support your back comfortably while creating visual lightness.
They work equally well around dining tables or as accent seating throughout your home. The saddle-shaped seats conform naturally to your body, making them surprisingly comfortable for extended sitting without cushions.
9. Great Smoky Burl Wood Accent Tables
Burls from Tennessee hardwoods create one-of-a-kind accent tables with swirling grain patterns that resemble abstract art. These unusual wood growths produce incredibly dense, figured wood that polishes to a glass-like finish.
No two pieces ever look alike, making each table a unique sculpture. The organic shapes and natural edges bring outdoor beauty inside while providing functional surfaces for lamps and decorative objects.
10. Cumberland Plateau Chestnut Chests
Before the chestnut blight, Tennessee craftsmen built magnificent storage chests from this abundant hardwood. The straight grain and natural resistance to decay made chestnut ideal for blanket chests and hope chests.
Surviving pieces are treasured heirlooms with incredible historical value. Their simple dovetailed construction and beautiful aging make them conversation starters that connect us to Tennessee’s forestry heritage.
