Tag Archives: rattan

Spring Furniture Trend: Wicker, Cane & Rattan

Spring is always a refreshing season for home furnishings.  New designs are birthed and the classics come forth reimagined.  One classic in particular is capturing out attention is wicker, but more commonly referred to as Cane, Seagrass or Rattan.  Even as a long time interior design writer, one can struggle to know when to refer to this woven wood classic as Cane, Rattan or Wicker?  So what is proper…actually?

Frankly, it’s all ‘wicker’, a term that is used to refer to any type of woven furniture such as reed, rattan, cane, seagrass, and bamboo among others. Also, wicker in essence,  describes the act of weaving wood to form an article of furniture.  Who knew it wasn’t just that thick white shellacked stuff at our grandmother’s home when we were kids.  A beautiful example of how far ‘wicker’ has come are the lovely chunky weave of seagrass beds, sofas and love seats from William Sonoma Home this spring.  

Wicker, or wickerwork, is a natural or synthetic vine or grass that is then woven into a pattern.  Natural wicker would consist of Reed, Cane, Willow, Seagrass, Rattan or Bamboo, while Synthetic (aka fake) wicker consists of Resin or Vinyl.   If the former, then it may be stained painted or left au natural. 

Rattan, a commonly known wicker, comes from the Rattan tree indigenous to Southeast Asia.  The Rattan tree is vine like and proves very durable being an extremely strong material by nature.  Due to its strength, Rattan furniture items tends to be more hearty in style, perfect for chairs and other substantial furniture. Like these Anthropologie chairs in fun colors.

Cane is basically a part of the rattan plant. It is produced simply by peeling off the skin of the rattan vine. One great quality of cane is that it is less porous and stronger than rattan in nature.  Cane is ideal for chairs and seats due to their natural pliability and easy clean-up qualities.  See the Serena and Lily traditional Louis XIV bed below.  With a tropical twist yet modern vibe it’s bright, light and airy and we are loving it at Jigsaw.

 

Cane and rattan are both relatively inexpensive wicker materials. They are also typically lightweight but best of all Cane and Rattan wicker furniture are environmentally friendly due to the fast rate of growth of the Rattan tree which makes it highly renewable!

For more information on Cane and Rattan, or images used in this blog, please leave a comment or visit our contact page to reach a designer at www.jigsawdesigngroup.com.  Be sure to follow us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @JigsawDesign4U!

Bar Cart Crazy

smart cart

Have a spot that needs something, but can’t put your finger on it?   Then spruce up your space with a festive bar cart.  In this post we’ll explore some different ideas, styles and tips for adding a little hipster flair to your space with a fun bar cart.

pretty yellow bcart lemons

Finding the right bar cart for your space may sound like a simple task, but there are a multitude of choices to be had.  From a thrift store find for a DIY project, or the ultimate authentic 1930s french version sold by The Golden Triangle for a cool $5,300!  Whatever the case, hopefully by the end of this post you’ll decide which type tickles your fancy.

1930's french bar cart

pink rattan bar cart

 

We could infinitely discuss the different carts in the marketplace, but for time’s sake we’ll highlight a few styles that the Jigsaw team like to use for added interest in a space.

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For starters, we like using a more masculine style in a room that evokes a feeling of academia like a study or library.   In this instance, you can’t beat the round metal bar from Restoration Hardware that was inspired by 1920S German light bulb voltage tester.  While it is uber cool, it may not fit into some home styles.  Other options on the industrial modern side of things, consider a minimalistic metal cart for a rustic or loft style space.

resto hardware the reimaginest

rustic industrial bard cart vibe

metal bar cabinet

For a more ladylike vibe, a Chippendale or rattan cart may be the answer.  Equally, a classic metal and glass cart if fabulous when tricked out with beautiful bottles and fun pop art.

gold canne style cart

chippendale bar bart

hot pink cane frame gold cart

Once you’ve selected your cart, simply dress it in your style with a little whimsy of course!  Chic glasses and bar ware plus some quirky objects for conversation starters are always a plus.

glass cart with painting

party cart

pretty simple cart

The modernist may struggle with this item that could seemingly end up as clutter, but a little lucite number could be the remedy for this type of OCD.  Meticulously lined bottles and no fuss trinkets will result in a perfectly curated place to pamper your guests with your cocktail d’jour.

lucite cart

lucite bar cart

For more information on bar carts or the images featured in this post, simply leave a comment or visit the contact page on the Jigsaw Design Group website at www.jigsawdesigngroup.com.  Someone will quickly contact you with more information.  Please subscribe to the blog for more informative articles like these, and check out our Facebook page for more tips and images!  Be sure to ‘like us’ on Facebook!   Now join us on Google+ too!

the ring bar cart

silver cart daily

quirky old tv cartken-fulk-admiral-bar-cart-c