Vintage and thrifted homeware is the cornerstone of charming, characterful interiors. From artwork on the walls to the dining table and even bed frames. But what about rattan?
It’s undeniably more fragile than more robust materials like solid wood and metal, so should you thrift rattan furniture? While it looks utterly beautiful and adds a sense of history to schemes, it can be more easily damaged, especially if you’re decorating with vintage examples.
To get the lowdown on whether your not you should thrift rattan furniture, we’ve turned to the experts to find out everything you need to know about vintage woven pieces.
Should you thrift rattan furniture?
(Image credit: Birdie Fortescue)
Rattan furniture hails from more than one decade. It first rose to popularity in the Victorian era, and again became a staple in homes during the ’60s and ’70s, thanks to its unique appeal, offering an intriguing change from the more common, simple furniture designs.
‘As a material, it was embraced for its elasticity, flexibility, and lightness – it can be woven into wicker or French cane and hand-shaped into new forms,’ says Anthony Barzilay Freund, editorial director at 1stDibs.
Its constant re-emergence throughout the years proves that rattan furniture can be utterly timeless. From Hollywood film sets embracing outdoor rattan furniture in the ’40s, to the tiki trend of the ’50s, and the more refined designs of the ’80s in Hollywood Regency and mid-century modern styles, Anthony explains that their enduring appeal is unwavering.
(Image credit: Benji Lewis Interiors/Mark Bolton Photography)
And now, people desire these pieces once again, but instead of buying new ones, they prefer vintage designs from bygone eras that add unique appeal to schemes.
‘Preloved rattan furniture has such an endearingly nostalgic feel to it, and works beautifully both inside and out, providing textural interest and adding a lovely sense of heritage to design choices,’ says interior designer Benji Lewis.
‘I would likely look for side tables rather than chairs, notably 1920/30s tables that have a panel of chinoiserie lacquer set into the tabletop because tables don’t get sat on and have to withstand the wear of wriggling bottoms,’ he adds.
If you have your heart set on statement pieces, though, look for designs that have protective measures in place. ‘If the chairs have been well looked after and finished with fitted upholstered seats and back pads, the wear to them will have been softened.’
Things to look out for when thrifting rattan furniture
(Image credit: Birdie Fortescue)
Vintage, antique, and thrifted rattan furniture are great additions to your interiors, but there are certain things to look out for – from a style point of view and a condition one.
‘Look for high quality and structurally sound pieces, intricate bends in the form (pretzel variations are sought after), tightly stacked poles, well-wrapped joints (wrapping the fiber around poles), and unblemished poles (no dark spots),’ advises Anthony.
Rattan furniture is robust and hardwearing when it’s in good condition, however, any pieces with damage need to be addressed immediately if you want to bring them back to life
‘Be wise to how much wear your preloved rattan will have endured and how it’s been used; if it’s been used outdoors and not brought inside during rainy weather then nails will have rusted and wobbles, notably on chair frames, are going to be inevitable,’ warns Benji.
(Image credit: Benji Lewis Interiors)
‘Straggling rattan stems that have come unfixed are also to be looked out for; once the unraveling has started it will get worse unless addressed and to repair this will likely cost more than the purchase of the rattan piece itself,’ he adds.
However, slightly worn pieces in need of a bit of TLC shouldn’t always be overlooked. As long as the damage isn’t too extreme, repairs may be easy to do. And for more hardy pieces, such as storage, it’s probably best to buy new.
‘Antique and vintage pieces that have been used may show signs of use. Small holes in cane seats and backs can easily be restored with reweaving (this is a testament to the sustainable nature of the material) and faded finishes can be revived with oiling,’ says Anthony.
There are some instances where vintage rattan furniture can’t easily be fixed, and the cost of repairs can be more than you’ve paid for the piece itself. ‘Look out for places where the bamboo on chairs has snapped; this happens easily with time and can’t easily be corrected,’ adds Benji.
The verdict? Vintage and thrifted rattan furniture are characterful additions to your interiors. You just need to make sure you properly check the furniture before you purchase so you know exactly what condition it’s in and how much upkeep it requires. But from a design perspective, it gets the seal of approval from designers.
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