Out with Elbow Grease, in With Furniture Polish!

Have you ever looked into an old house or church steeple and loved the way to old wooden furniture looked? Even though it had the look of something made a long time ago, the polish shone like it was brand new. The truth is, restored antiques are in high demand, though hard to come by in their most polished state. More often than not, old church furniture is cast out as is in order to make room for newer, more polished pieces like church pews and other various pieces of furniture.

The history behind church pews is actually pretty interesting. Before the start of the Protestant Reformation, churches weren’t commonly equipped with permanent pews. In most, if not all, cases, church and cathedral floors were left open and patrons would stand throughout the mass. This also allowed people to easily converse and move around after the service was finished.

Church steeple plans commonly involved a large open space for the congregation to gather, as well as an altar at the front of the room and chapels to the sides and back. When more churches started installing permanent seating, in some cases they would rent out pews to different families in an attempt to raise money for the church Of course, there was a lot of controversy surrounding this, but seating plans and paying congregations ensured the continuation of the church that was renting out their pews.

Church steeple history is surprisingly rich, especially in the development and use of the church pew. What’s not surprising, however, is how popular used church pews are in private homes. Antique church pews are especially popular in private homes, and are used in a variety of ways. Once finished or restored, these church pews can be used as seating virtually anywhere in a home. With cushions, they can make a dining table bench, or a seat out on a patio. One of the most common places church pews are found in homes is in an entryway or mud room as a place to sit while you take your shoes off.

Antique furniture may look a little rough at first, but with some furniture polish or a trip to a restoration center, it can make a beautiful centerpiece (or side piece) in your home, and with a history behind it too!