Mission-Style Furniture: History, Key Features & Modern Appeal

Mission-style furniture has a rich heritage and timeless features that make it a standout choice in design. If you're considering adding this style to your outdoor space, it's a good idea to know more about it first. Outdoor furniture is a considerable investment, and understanding Mission style can help you make informed shopping choices for your home. 

Mission style is an American design aesthetic that emerged in the late 19th century. It’s characterized by clean, straight lines and minimal details, with a focus on functionality and simplicity. Pieces were traditionally built from quarter-sawn white oak and feature exposed joinery, honoring quality craftsmanship and the beauty of natural wood.

Mission style originated in the U.S. during the late 19th century. No single person invented the distinctive aesthetic; it evolved over time, shaped by various designers and movements.

New York furniture designer Gustav Stickley played a key role in creating the classic furniture design, and American furniture craftsmen A.J. Forbes and Joseph P. McHugh are credited with refining and popularizing it in the 1890s. McHugh is credited with coining the term "Mission furniture," as the simple and functional wooden seats found in Spanish missions throughout the Southwest inspired the design.

Mission furniture was a countermovement against Victorian design, a European-born aesthetic many viewed as overly ornate. The ideas this style represented were influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, an international initiative that stressed the importance of natural materials and visible craftsmanship.

At its core, Mission design is about simplicity. The approach is clean and straightforward, with minimal details. The straight lines primarily featured in the aesthetic create balance and harmony.

Hardwoods were the preferred materials for Mission-style designs because of their natural beauty and durability. Quarter-sawn white oak was the most popular choice, but furniture makers also used cherry, brown maple, and walnut.

What is quarter sawing?

Quarter sawing is a wood-cutting technique. Lumber is cut with the annual growth rings running perpendicular to the surface, resulting in boards with a straight grain that often features a unique pattern known as medullary rays or "ray fleck."

White oak: The most common Mission-style wood furniture material, white oak is a light-colored hardwood with exceptional durability. The detailed grain pattern resulting from quarter sawing is the most prominent in white oak, making it a preferred material for the design style.

Cherry: A sturdy and stylish hardwood, cherry has a warm, tawny hue that adds elegance to Mission furniture designs. Cherry ages gracefully, darkening and developing a rich patina over time, making it a favorite among craftspeople.

Brown maple: Versatile and durable, brown maple offers a lighter appearance and subtle grain pattern. It's the preference of woodworkers and designers who want natural wood furniture with a less pronounced texture.

Walnut: Walnut boasts a dark chocolate hue, a dramatic contrast to the lighter woods mentioned above. The deep tone lends an air of sophistication to Mission designs, and the high durability makes it a preferred furniture-crafting material.

Identifying Mission furniture can be difficult due to design elements that overlap with Craftsman styles and Arts & Crafts furniture. To spot an authentic piece, pay attention to the following details:

Ornamentation: Mission style is simplistic and spartan, offering minimal decorative elements. Furniture with ample decoration represents another design aesthetic.

Materials: Traditional Mission designs are made of hardwood, most commonly quarter-sawn white oak, with dark metal hardware. Pieces built from softwood, aluminum, wrought iron, or plastic with light-colored hardware aren't the real deal.

Joinery: Exposed joinery is a mainstay of Mission style, showcasing the skill involved in construction. If the joinery is covered, it's safe to assume that the furniture features a different design or is inauthentic.

Price: Genuine Mission-style furniture, whether brand new or antique, is expensive. The high-quality materials and craftsmanship dictate the increased cost.

Terminology: The style's popularity has resulted in a bevy of products loosely labeled as "Mission" or "Mission-inspired." While these items might include some elements, such as straight lines or slats, they often miss the design principles and craftsmanship that define genuine Mission furniture.

Though wildly popular in the late 19th century, consumers lost interest in Mission furniture designs around the 1920s and 1930s as new styles emerged. However, homeowners revived the aesthetic in the 1970s when they gained a renewed appreciation for craftsmanship and a yearning for yesteryear—the nostalgia and simplicity that Mission design embodied.

Mission-style furniture remains popular to this day. Its mix of practicality and sleek lines combines beautifully with various contemporary motifs, and designers keep discovering ways to blend its signature elements—like exposed joinery and natural wood—into up-and-coming aesthetics. Through change and creativity, we're honoring the style's history and ensuring its longevity. 

The draw of Mission furniture extends to collectors as well. Original Craftsmen-era pieces hold high monetary and sentimental value, emphasizing this iconic approach's enduring appeal and quality.

While Mission furniture remained rooted in its design ethos as the decades passed, regional influences from places like California caused evolutions to branch off and grow. Here, designers infused Spanish motifs, native trees like redwood, and lighter finishes than what's seen in traditional Mission pieces. This flexibility led to a different design that offers a classic feel with a distinct Californian flair.

Mission style's versatility and timeless appeal allow it to integrate easily into today's home decor themes. The clean, straight lines complement sleek and minimalist aesthetics, especially those with an earthy palette or neutral color scheme. 

On the other hand, stained glass accents pair well with Mission-style craftsmanship—a charming and colorful contrast. The richness and warmth of Mission oak are still favored, providing an iconic look that withstands the test of trends and time.

Our Mission Collection blends the best parts of Mission furniture design with sustainable materials and practices. Every piece embodies our commitment to quality craftsmanship and a cleaner planet. Crafted from recyclable HDPE plastic, our durable outdoor furniture not only echoes the enduring elegance of the iconic American design but also promises season after season of lasting comfort.

While the designs are similar, Mission and Craftsman styles represent different components of the Arts & Crafts movement. Craftsman style covers a broader range of architecture and furniture features focusing on natural materials and simple, sturdy construction. Mission is a variation of Craftsman style, with influences from the designs of Spanish missions in the Southwest United States, emphasizing clean, straight lines and minimal details.

Yes, Mission furniture is still in style. Its clean lines and simple yet functional design fit a range of tastes and aesthetics.

Yes, if crafted with the right materials, Mission-style furniture is a good choice for outdoor spaces. We suggest choosing HDPE outdoor furniture constructed with marine-grade quality hardware, as these materials will withstand intense weather while maintaining Mission’s timeless appeal year after year.

All-weather HDPE is the best material for crafting Mission-style outdoor furniture due to its innate durability and resistance to fading, cracking, moisture, and wind. To stay true to tradition, select quarter-sawn oak furniture or other hardwoods like walnut or cherry. These can handle outdoor elements but will need regular refinishing to maintain their beauty and durability.