Shaker Peg Board Revisited

Shaker peg board offers a flexible storage solution accomodating a variety of goods. Here chairs have been hung to open the floor for sweeping.

While I’ve written about Shaker peg board before, a trip to two Shaker communities (the Mt. Lebanon, NY and Hancock, MA communities are close enough to visit in a single trip, but go to the Hancock community if you only have time for one) gave me a chance to get close up with several samples of original and reproduction

Reproduction peg board from the Mt. Lebanon, NY museum gift shop.
The beaded detail is prominent in this reproduction peg board sold in the Mt. Lebanon gift shop

The peg board I saw on this trip was either three or three-and-a-half inches wide and featured a round over or beaded detail along its edges. When it was painted (and the colors in use at the Hancock community were a revelation!), both the board and pegs were painted. Painting both board and pegs might help the board recede into the background, but I think I prefer a painted board and natural pegs.

Shaker peg board painted oxblood red.
Painting the pegs as well as the board blends the two together.

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