Simply Rattan Furniture

Archive for the ‘About Rattan’ Category

You can ensure that your wicker furniture will look great for years to come by giving it the proper care and cleaning now.

While they all have the ability to withstand a certain amount of moisture, when too much water is applied to rattan, wicker, and cane they will become limp and saggy. The best thing about these materials is that left alone, they will dry back into their original shape. Be careful not to sit on or stretch wet wicker, rattan, or cane, as they will then dry into the new shape you have created.

One excellent tool for cleaning your wicker furniture is a medium bristle brush, a vegetable cleaning brush for example. Your furniture will look a lot better after you have removed any of the dirt between the reeds with a good dry brushing.

You can also clean your wicker furniture using water and a mild soap or detergent. You might also consider using quality furniture cleaner, such as Prelude Furniture Cleaner.

Rattan is used to make furniture in the same way wood is used; all you need to do is cut it into sections.

Rattan is a plant that is native to Africa, Asia, and Australasia, the term referring to over 600 species of palms from the Calameae family. The Malay name for rattan is rotan. Although many off us think of the straight, tall palm trees in Southern California when we hear the word palm, these palms are more like vines, with slender stems 2-5 cm diameter with long internodes between the leaves. The vines twist in and out of other plants as they grow. Rattan has some similarities to bamboo, with the main differences being that rattan is solid while bamboo is hollow, and rattan needs the support of other plants to grow while bamboo grows on its own. There are some types of rattan that are similar to traditional palms, such as Raphia and Pigafetta. There may also be spines on many rattan plants, which serve to deter plant eating animals as well as help them hook onto other plants for support.

You often see rattan used for the construction of baskets and furniture. This plant actually helps to maintain forests, as you can harvest this profitable crop without disturbing the trees it grows on. It is hard to tell, however, if people will find it more profitable than chopping down the trees at the moment.

Rattan is used to make furniture in the same way wood is used; all you need to do is cut it into sections. Rattan can be configured into a wide variety of styles, and stains and paints wonderfully to give you a wide selection of colors. Rattan is very strong, as can be seen in its use as staves or canes in various martial arts disciplines. Wicker can be created by separating the inner core of the material.

The new trend is home design is an eclectic style filled with lots of contrasting elements.

These days we are no longer a slave to fashion, either in our wardrobe or our home furnishings. The new trend is home design is an eclectic style filled with lots of contrasting elements. More and more homes these days are full of wonderful blends of modern furniture, elegant antiques, and art that can only be described as exotic.

More and more people are using their homes as a personal retreat from the troubles of our day; an uncertain economic situation, the persistent threat of terrorism, war, and a series of devastating natural disasters. Rather than going out into an uncertain world, many people are choosing to entertain from the safety of their home. This new trend has led to a real explosion in the furniture and house wares industry.

In our post September 11, 2001 world, the home has become a personal sanctuary and retreat. Today’s furniture industry is responding to this trend with an emphasis on casual living and home entertaining, especially informal dining.

Today people are looking for pieces that will reflect their personality and style when they purchase dinnerware, furniture, and accessories. The new trend toward casual living has created a demand for furniture that is both multi-functional and offers additional seating spaces. An example of this is curved sofas that have additional length.

The current trend in furniture design incorporates the real ideal of helping people to connect, and promotes traditional family values and quality entertainment. The use of formal spaces for special occasions is another new trend in home decorating. There is a great deal of time and effort that is spent preparing for special occasions, and careful attention is paid to every detail, including the dinnerware, table linens, and special decorations. There is also a movement toward sensuality in modern furniture design, incorporating warm colors, simple shapes, and luxurious fabrics.

There are also several lines of furniture that have been created to appeal to single men. These pieces focus on simple, clean lines and are ideal for multi-media applications. Examples of this include comfortable sofas that incorporate flat speakers and entertainment centers designed to highlight flat screened television sets. Another aspect of this design trend is art pieces that double as functional furniture. There is also a wide selection of furniture items that incorporate LED technology, such as coffee tables that can change colors to match a particular situation.

When it comes to materials used to construct modern furniture, the clear winner continues to be light woods. While rattan and wicker are gaining popularity, cherry, oak, and birch remain the most popular woods. Another new trend is staining these woods so that they resemble more exotic tropical woods, such as mahogany, palisander, and zebrano. The body of the furniture will often be constructed out of a veneer while the front is varnished solid wood. Colored fiberglass and new satin glass designs are often combined with stainless steel or aluminum to create just the right look.

Modern furniture upholstery tends to favor either large abstract patterns or monochrome surfaces for a more sophisticated look. You do not see floral or striped patterns as often as you used to. A fabric that is increasing in popularity is wool felt, while cotton, wool, and leather all continue to be chosen most often.

Understatement is the main theme of most modern furniture. Modern furniture design, as described by the famous designer Giorgio Armani, looks for subtle richness instead of obvious beauty. The beauty of a piece of furniture will be revealed over time, much like the beauty of a woman.