Woven Style: Bring a Breezy Look Indoors
Give Your Space a Flexible, Laid-Back Feel With Cane, Wicker and Rattan
Woven furniture has a long history, stemming from the reeds and swamp grasses of Egypt's Nile River, becoming popular in Rome, then England, and finally, the U.S. in the 1840s. At that time, clipper ships from Asia brought to North America cargo wrapped in raw cane to prevent shifting. Once deliveries were made, the cane was discarded and left at the docks. In 1844, Cyrus Wakefield, then a 33-year-old grocer, is said to have collected an armful at a wharf in Boston, noting how flexible the material was. Wakefield soon discovered the the infinite possibilities for furniture-making, sold his grocery and founded the Wakefield Rattan Company, later to become Heywood-Wakefield.
Woven materials such as rattan are lightweight, do not attract mold, or easily gather dust, and are relatively easy to clean. In tropical climates, rattan's water-resistent properties come in handy. However, it is recommended that most woven furniture should not be left out in the rain or direct sunlight indefinitely.
Most of us are familiar with using woven furniture outside, but it works beautifully inside as well. I like how it references the outdoors and gives interior spaces a breezy, laid-back feel. Let's take a look:
Woven materials such as rattan are lightweight, do not attract mold, or easily gather dust, and are relatively easy to clean. In tropical climates, rattan's water-resistent properties come in handy. However, it is recommended that most woven furniture should not be left out in the rain or direct sunlight indefinitely.
Most of us are familiar with using woven furniture outside, but it works beautifully inside as well. I like how it references the outdoors and gives interior spaces a breezy, laid-back feel. Let's take a look:
A traditional silhouette makes for a lovely indoor chaise-like sofa, especially when paired with more typical indoor upholstered goods. The woven sofa and the wooden truck bring a world-traveler vibe to this living room.
These French cafe chairs are comfortable, durable and, no matter what style of furniture they're paired with, make you feel like sitting down for a coffee, croissant and some people-watching.
A woven window treatment can look at once natural and modern, as in a collected setting.
I couldn't keep us indoors the whole time! The woven look has been taken to a whole new level, with plastic and resin versions mimicking the original for an even more durable product. I prefer the patina that natural furniture acquires as it ages in the elements, but I can certainly appreciate the preference of some to have outdoor furniture look newer longer.
The airier, open-weave look was largely a result of the rising costs in labor and increases in tariffs on imported rattan at the turn of the 20th century. Various economical styles of open-weaving were often named after popular resort areas, including Bar Harbor, Southampton and Newport.
This transitional space — part indoor, part outdoor— looks cozy and tropical, thanks to the bamboo exterior shades and small woven side table.
I'm loving the collected feel of this eat-in-kitchen, leading to a formal dining room, with woven elements coordinating in each room: blinds in the nook; cane-back chairs and seagrass rug in the formal dining area.
Wicker furniture was often used in tropical regions because the open weave resulted in breathability, keeping people cool and making it perfect for beds.
This rustic-modern interior benefits tremendously from the caned side chairs at the dining table. It's subtle, but they add texture and a complementary natural element to the cool, clean space.
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