Mission style furniture, mostly mistakenly thought of as being of American origin, actually originated in England in the late nineteenth century. In 1859, the architect Philip Webb built a house for William Morris. Designed of brick, the house came to be known as the Red House. The Red House was designed to perform as a sensible home. The design and furnishing were designed as a whole; it was a holistic approach to architecture plus interior. The furnishings were designed to compliment the architecture. They were simple, straightforward plus functional.  

The simplicity of style was a departure from the luxurious and plush of the Victorian era. Architects plus furniture designers favored the new look for its clean lines plus its cultural statement. The Arts plus Crafts movement, plus its style of furniture, honored the work of artisans. The handcrafted styling, the evidence of workmanship was to be emphasised; this made for honest, practical furniture. The mission furniture movement was to put before ornamentation the aim of the piece. By the 1890s, the Arts plus Crafts movement was firmly entrenched in American design plus furniture design.  

The stress on workmanship included the employment of quality materials. Oak was commonly used for furniture, and the technique of quarter sawing was used to focus on the wood grain. The joinery plus hardware on furniture plus cabinetry is incorporated into the design, instead of hidden by it.  Mission style furniture is recognizable by its linear charm and minimal ornamentation. Chairs have straight backs and flat slats. Legs are straight with flat feet. Upholstery is used sparingly in mission style furniture style, but leather and linen are common upholstery coverings.

Mission style cabinetry, like writing desks and tables,  typically have inlay style, typically geometric. Any ornamentation is minimal and is meant to draw attention to the craft of the work, rather than as an adornment.  

Oak mission furniture may have a country appeal. The handcrafted aesthetic of the design lends itself to rural interiors, ranging from the farmhouse of rural America to the country house of the well to do.  The mission design is somewhat rigid in its characteristics: straight lines, hewn woods, metal hardware plus little ornamentation. But the confines of the design will get pleasure from some diversification. Copper accents in hardware and joinery provide the design a bit of color. Big ornamental nail heads employed in upholstery add texture. Cabinet doors can have inset panels or drawers finished with ornamental knobs. The designers of mission furniture relied on detail to alleviate the virtually harsh geometry of the style.  

Mission style furniture, and the Arts and Crafts architecture for that it had been originally designed, was prominent within the Southwest and California from 1890 into the 1920s.  Spanish Mission architecture, which was prevalent throughout California, was styled after the missions engineered in the region in the previous centuries. The mission design furniture of the Arts and Crafts movement transitioned over to the current design almost immediately.

At the flip of the 20 th century, the Southwestern states plus California were infused with Spanish, English and Native American influences. The mission style furnishings answered the influences well. Created from wood plus accented with copper and metal, the style blended well with the contemporary architecture.