From Raw Wood To You

A 72-inch table "seats eight" — but does it? How length, width, and the shape of the base decide your real seat count, and why you should be shopping for two numbers instead of one.

Somebody opens a drawer on a new chest, feels it stop before it's all the way out, and gives me a look. Nothing's wrong with it — but the reason goes back to a federal safety standard most people never heard about. Plus the number that surprised me most.

Two dressers can look identical in the showroom — but one lasts twenty years and the other falls apart in three. Here's how to spot quality construction before you buy.

Most furniture looks its best the day you buy it — real wood is the opposite. Here's why real wood furniture deepens and gains character over the years, and simple ways to help yours age beautifully.

Amish furniture isn't a style, and "handcrafted" doesn't mean hand tools. Here's what Amish really means — and how to tell quality from the label.

Shopping for furniture? Here are 5 things to look for before you buy — from spotting real wood to making sure the piece actually fits your life.