Mission Style

Mission Style emerged in the 1890s as an American furniture and design movement inspired partly by the Spanish missions of California and partly by the Arts and Crafts ideology of honest craftsmanship. Gustav Stickley became the movement's most prominent champion through his Craftsman magazine and United Crafts workshop, producing sturdy oak furniture with visible joinery and simple geometric forms. Other important Mission makers included the Roycrofters, Charles Limbert, and Stickley's brothers Leopold and J. George. The style democratized fine craftsmanship, making well-designed furniture accessible to the American middle class. Mission Style remains deeply popular in American interior design, offering warmth, integrity, and timeless appeal. The style's straightforward honesty and natural material palette align perfectly with contemporary values of sustainability and authenticity. Incorporate Mission Style through quarter-sawn white oak furniture with exposed tenon joints, leather cushions in warm earth tones, hammered copper hardware and lighting, and handmade ceramic accessories. Built-in bookcases, window seats, and inglenook fireplaces are characteristic architectural features. The style creates comfortable, grounded living spaces that celebrate the beauty of well-crafted natural materials.