Mission Style Decor

Mission style decor often refers to the warm color palette, the use of stained glass, and the clean straight lines used in the wooden decor of the Art and Craft movement popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 20th century, rather than to its more sinister roots in the 19th century Catholic missions. It is also reference to the use of stucco walls and terracotta colored ceramic tiles and roof shingles that are suited to the climate in hot dry areas, like Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and the like.

Joseph McHugh, a New York furniture manufacturer and retailer, first coined the term "mission furniture", to describe the collection of straight lined and rustic styled furniture that he began producing in about 1895. Based on furniture that had been designed for a church San Francisco between 1894-1985, McHugh's was a simple rush-seated chair.

The generic term "mission furniture" includes a wide range of quality levels in the materials and manufacture of the furniture. The European term "arts & crafts" is used to describe the upper end of that spectrum, which includes the award winning work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Elbert Hubbard, and Gustav Stickley.

The advantages of using "Mission" style furniture:

By 1910 mission style furniture was ubiquitous, and now, a hundred years later, it is making a comeback. People like the clean minimalistic lines of mission style furniture. At its best, it is gracefully proportioned and elegantly simple, done in rich toned wood. The effect is a very calming aesthetic that is sophisticated with out being fussy or uptight.

The lower end of the mission style furniture gives a room a rustic look. The proportions are chunkier, and the craftsmanship is rougher and less precise. This works for rooms that have a Prairie or Country theme as well. When you want furniture to look as though improvised by practical folks who know how to make do, the lower end mission furniture fits the bill. These chairs, couches, and beds look particularly good with patch work quilts on them.

Another way to work the furniture into a decor theme, is to dress it up. The higher end pieces make excellent dining room furniture, and look right at home with wine glasses and fine place settings.The craftsman ship is so pleasing, you won't want to cover it with a table cloth, but rather use place mats to reveal the luster and graceful lines of the wood. Look at Frank Lloyd Wright's work for ideas.

Frank Lloyd Wright's windows are big enough to make the outdoor trees feel as if they're a part of the room decor. Windows are generally not covered in curtains, but rather use symmetrical designs within the window pane itself to create decoration and a sense of separation. Much of this uses the techniques of stained glass crafting to achieve the design.

Weather high or low end, the trick is not to clutter your mission style decor. It must be allowed to breathe, with plenty of airy space between each object. Earth tones and creams work best with this style, and stained wood or large tiled floors, rather than wall to wall carpet, keep the look consistent. Wall art should be sparse, using the play of shadows on the bare walls as design elements. Choose pictures of nature and the patterns within the natural world as subject matter when decorating a mission style home. Karl Blossfeldt's black and white photographic close ups of fiddle head ferns and other natural forms make perfect wall decor in a mission style design theme.

Large open floor plans are ideal for mission style home decor.