Great Home Improvement Tips

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When you go shopping for oak bedroom furniture, you will encounter two main styles of furniture. The first type has a lot of carvings and moldings, giving off an air of Old World sophistication. This type of styling is called Gothic. The second type is minimalist, taking pride in its simple lines. This is the country-style.

Which is better? Of course, one could say it is all a matter of taste. If you like the fancy styling, then buy the gothic-styled oak bedroom furniture. If you prefer simplicity, then buy the country styles.

However, there is a bit more to it. Gothic-styled oak furniture tends to give a heavier and more solid feel. Many people feel that this style makes a small bedroom feel cramped. On the other hand, it is just nice for a large bedroom, making the large spaces less overwhelming.

You tend to see the gothic styles in antique and faux-antique furniture. This is to be expected. After all, the most widely seen gothic style, the Victorian, was designed at the start of the Industrial Age for the large houses of the noveau rich.

Country-styled oak furniture, on the other hand, was a reaction against the Victorian style. The originals were called the Mission-styles, and they featured simplicity and elegance rather than the overbearing sophistication of the Victorian styles. The Mission style evolved and spread itself to the United States, where it became called the rustic style and the country style. If you are buying oak bedroom furniture sets for the bedrooms of a small-sized modern home, the country styles are probably more suitable. Their simpler lines give a lighter and more airy feeling, especially when the oak is only lightly stained.

The above is just a simplification of the history of gothic furniture versus country style furniture. An art historian will probably dispute its details. But to a layman, there is no appreciable difference. To the salesmen in the furniture stores, the names of the different styles are interchangeable – whether they call a particular set of oak furniture country-style, Mission-style or rustic style depends on what sells best for that season.

In summary, buy what whichever strikes your fancy, but realize that gothic oak bedroom furniture tends to make a bedroom look smaller, while country-style oak furniture feels lighter.