What Is Rattan Furniture?

Rattan furniture is believed to have been around since early Egyptians days and is still going strong today with vibrant designs and colors to choose from.

Although rattan is said to have many purposes, some of which are of a disciplinary nature, such as caning, here a look will be taken at how it is used to make furniture and what that furniture is. First, a brief explanation of the origin of rattan may help lay the foundation for an excellent understanding of rattan furniture and what it is.

Rattan is a common name that can be in reference to more than 500 different types of palms. These palms are primarily indigenous to the areas of Africa and Asia. In general, the rattan palm is 2 to 5 centimeters in diameter and on the surface have an appearance similar to their close relative, the bamboo. Rattan is not to be mistaken for bamboo, however, since it is strong and more solid, often with large trunks that stand erect and spines that can grow upward over other vegetation.

Rattan furniture is the end product that comes from the rattan product. There are many different ways to turn this durable product into both baskets and furniture. When it is cut into usable sections, this wood can be used for furniture pieces such as chairs and tables. There is no way to list the many different types of furniture fashioned from rattan in a small place such as this descriptive.

Sometimes confused with wicker, it should be noted that rattan furniture is also described as rattan peel, straw, banana leaf, willow, cane and rush. Rattan furniture is designed for almost any room indoors or outdoors. The strips of rattan are often made as joint wraps and demonstrate decorative beauty as well as sturdiness. Considered to be one of the strongest types of wood known to man, rattan furniture is not extremely expensive as compared to other types of furniture constructed from manmade materials such as wrought iron, aluminum and steel.

Although rattan furniture is unique for its respective qualities, it is also similar to wicker and sometimes mistaken for it. Rattan, in its natural form, is typically cut into pieces that are approximately 15 to 20 feet in length. These pieces are shipped in bundles to furniture makers who then steam, bend and shape the rattan into various pieces of furniture ranging from beds to sofas to entire furniture sets for most rooms inside and outside the house.

Rattan furniture has been around for ages. Some scientists believe that chairs and other pieces of furniture were formed from rattan during the days of ancient Egyptians. Victorian-style pieces, dating back to the time of 1837 are consider classics and are often reproduced in modern designs made to recreate the antique Victorian look.

If you are in the market for rattan furniture, you can expect to make a purchase that will provide you with furniture that is strong, fashionable, made from natural products and designed to last a very long time, even with daily use such as that in regular living areas. Rattan furniture comes in a variety of colors and styles to choose from.