Ondine
Sculptural Wall Mirror
$750
from $63/mo
Material Guide
Rattan & Woven Furniture
Rattan is a climbing palm, not a wood, harvested in Southeast Asia and steam-bent into frames or split into cane for weaving. It travelled with colonial trade routes into European conservatories, was reinvented by mid-century designers, and remains the lightest way to introduce visible craft into a room.
Origins & Types of Rattan
Rattan pole is the solid stem used for frames; cane is the peeled outer bark woven into open patterns; wicker describes the weaving technique rather than the material. Natural rattan is pale gold, honey rattan is stained warmer, and blackened rattan reads far more graphic than expected.
How to Style Rattan
Rattan lightens heavy rooms and reads seasonless when limited to one or two pieces. It sits comfortably with linen, oak, plaster and stone. Avoid pairing it exclusively with other natural fibres, which tips a room towards holiday rental; one hard, dark material nearby keeps it grounded.
Rattan Care & Maintenance
Keep rattan out of prolonged direct sun and away from dry heat, both of which make cane brittle. Dust with a brush attachment, wipe with a barely damp cloth, and re-humidify very dry cane occasionally with a light mist. Never soak it.
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Rattan Questions
- Is rattan durable?
- Very, indoors. It dislikes prolonged sun, dry heat and standing water.
- Can rattan be used outdoors?
- Natural rattan should not be; synthetic all-weather weave is made for that job.
- How do I stop cane sagging?
- Keep humidity moderate and avoid kneeling on woven seats; a light mist restores minor slack.
- Does rattan look dated?
- Not in restrained silhouettes. Problems come from quantity, not the material.
- What is the difference between rattan and wicker?
- Rattan is the material; wicker is the weaving method, which can use rattan, willow or synthetics.