What would you answer if I asked you to choose one material for a beachy, breezy home look? While linen, cotton and wood are all correct, nothing shouts more coastal than rattan. This natural material derived from a climbing vine-like palm is lightweight yet durable. Also, it’s endlessly versatile and the OG of sustainability with a rich history dating back thousands of years.
Woven into various shapes and patterns, rattan is perfect for adding texture, depth and visual interest, highlighting different areas throughout your home. Its neutral hue makes it excellent for pairing with various colour schemes including neutral, blue and vibrant. Whether used as a neutral base to build from in any space or as an accent piece, rattan is the go-to material for adding a special vibe to your coastal home. It’s also a timeless and robust way to style your boho, tropical, traditional or modern home.
What Is Better: Rattan or Wicker?
This is a question that comes up a lot regarding rattan. Many people use the terms rattan and wicker interchangeably, and that’s why it’s easy to confuse them. However, there’s a core difference between rattan and wicker furniture pieces, and that is: while rattan is a material, wicker isn’t – it’s a weaving style people use for furniture and baskets dating back to ancient Egypt. Although wicker furniture is often made of rattan because of its outstanding qualities, it can also employ other natural materials, such as willow, reed, and bamboo, as well as synthetic.
How to Use Rattan for Styling Your Coastal Home?
When searching for ways to use rattan to achieve the perfect coastal chic aesthetics, opt for furniture pieces like an accent rattan chair for any area in your home, a bed base or headboard for your bedroom and various accessories such as woven baskets and lighting fixtures. Here’s how to use rattan’s natural warmth and texture to create a relaxing and inviting home atmosphere.
Refresh Your Living Space with Rattan Furniture
Since it’s durable and weather-resistant, rattan furniture was originally used for outdoor home areas, like gardens and patios. Because Coastal is all about bringing the outdoors in, the light and airy construction of rattan chairs, sofas, and coffee tables make them the perfect choice for achieving the laid-back feel of beachside living.
Rattan chairs are one of the most versatile options of furniture made of this material. They come in different styles, with club and lounge chairs being the most popular choices. While most commonly found in their natural colour, you can also find them in black and white for a monochromatic look. Most come with seat and back removable cushions for added comfort.
When using a rattan lounger for a coastal vibe, you can go all-in, and get a set of six, eight or even twelve for your indoor or alfresco dining area. On the other hand, you can use one or two accent rattan lounge chairs in any spot throughout the home. Here are some suggestions:
- If you have a setting of a table and benches in your dining area, you can place two accent chairs at both table ends. That way, it’ll make a statement without making the space look crowded.
- One or two chairs would be an excellent addition to your lounging area in your coastal living room.
- Create the perfect coastal reading nook with a rattan chair in your favourite hue. Style it with a throw rug for extra cosiness.
- As mentioned earlier, rattan is the perfect choice for your outdoor area – place one on your deck by your front door for a warm welcoming vibe and practicality. Alternatively, you can also use one or two paraphrased sentences to create a comfortable and inviting patio lounge area. You could even consider incorporating a chair or two into your garden or greenhouse for a relaxing spot to unwind and enjoy nature.
Bright Up Your Space with Rattan Light Fixtures
Replace plain light fittings with rattan ones to create a striking focal point and a cosy and chic atmosphere. Unique lighting fixtures such as pendant lights, chandeliers, or table lamps featuring rattan parts can create captivating patterns of light and shadow. Search for oversized pendant lights made of rattan with sculptural forms, or select a light fixture featuring an open-weave design to diffuse light across the space.
Rattan light fixtures are great for many spaces, including dining rooms and bedrooms. Create a drum shade for an easy-to-make pendant by drilling a hole in the bottom of an old bowl or basket. For an easy installation, pick up a swag light kit, or use wireless puck lights to avoid wiring.
Use Rattan Baskets to Add Storage
Anywhere you need storage space, create it with rattan baskets. Because woven rattan baskets are so versatile, you can fit them into almost any area. Bigger sizes are excellent for easy access to extra throw blankets and other linens, while smaller ones can be placed inside cabinets or behind accent tables for out-of-the-way storage. You can use them as shelving units and even incorporate them into furniture as a focal centrepiece of any room.
Add a Touch of Nature to the Bedroom
One method to incorporate rattan into the bedroom is to get a bed with a rattan headboard or bed frame. Because of this, the area may have a carefree, tropical vibe that promotes relaxation.
Natural hues and a distinctive texture make rattan seats and benches go well with almost any colour scheme in a bedroom. A woven peacock chair would look great in an empty corner, or you could use a rattan bench at the foot of the bed as a last-minute addition. Furthermore, the light material makes moving furniture simple if you desire to reorganise.
