A Brief History of Rattan, Everyone’s Favorite Boho Material
It’s hard to imagine a time when rattan pieces weren’t ubiquitous in homes the way they are today. Whether it’s in the form of a wicker basket in the kitchen or a cane accent chair in the living room, this popular material has made a strong comeback in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why.
Rattan provides a stylistically versatile, long-lasting, and earthy, neutral grounding element in any room. But beyond the trendy rattan pieces you may have seen in contemporary homes, rattan has a deep history rooted in Southeast Asia and has been used for centuries for various purposes, from furniture to storage to general household items. I’m taking a brief dive into rattan’s history here so you can have better insight into this material and why you might want to use it creatively in your own home.
What is rattan?
“Rattan is sourced from a variety of species of palm trees, most of which are found in the old-growth forests of Southeast Asia,” says Becky Shea, founder and creative director of Becky Shea Design. “These tropical forests provide the ideal conditions for rattan to thrive, making the region a key supplier of this versatile material.”
Growing in a vine-like manner with stems that can be harvested, processed, and manipulated into various shapes, rattan is widely known for its malleability and durability. Historically, Indigenous communities used rattan to make everything from fishing tools to housing materials. Rattan is also known for being associated with traditional craftsmanship, with people passing down their techniques and unique uses generation after generation. Rattan’s strength makes it ideal for creating sturdy, lightweight furniture pieces and woven goods.
Shannon Davis, co-founder and creative director of the rattan-based furniture company Woven, sheds a little more light on this material’s origins and breadth. “There are over 600 species of rattan palm,” says Davis — although not all species are commercially viable. “Many people confuse bamboo, a grass and hollow, with rattan, which is a vine and dense. Rattan is often used with the peel on for a natural look, peeled for finishing, or extruded for its core. Its peel is used for weaving and always touched by hand,” she continues. “Rattan is also found in other parts of tropical Asia and Africa.”
What era is rattan furniture?
According to Davis, rattan’s use is so widespread, it transcends eras. “Honestly, there is no single era for rattan furniture,” Davis says. “Its first origins were tied to Ancient Egypt, but now most associate it with the Victorian era. Rattan furniture can now be found in endless cultures around the world.”
Over the course of many decades, rattan has had surges in popularity, with a significant spike in the ’60s when the bohemian and hippie movements were big. “Rattan gained popularity during the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, as the bohemian arts and crafts aesthetic rose to prominence,” shares Shea. “It reached its peak in the 1970s, when the era of free love and bohemian lifestyles became a defining feature of American culture. I recall seeing old photos of my parents’ home in the early ’80s, still showcasing this style. Like all trends in fashion and interiors, rattan has made a resurgence in recent times, as design trends are often cyclical.”
It’s true: The late 2010s saw a sudden revival in the use of rattan in homes. Perhaps this was in part due to its natural, eco-friendly qualities — tapping into consumers’ values around sustainability and prioritizing it in their living spaces. Boho home decor gained ground again around that time, too, so rattan certainly came into focus again due to that swing. People have also been increasingly interested in adding touches of nature indoors with biophilic design — as well as introducing materials that can mesh with a bunch of different aesthetics. Rattan fits the bill there, too.
What style is rattan furniture?
“I would categorize this style of furniture as distinctly bohemian, primarily due to the origins of the materials used in crafting the pieces,” Shea shares. “Palm trees have long been a staple in bohemian design, symbolizing a connection to nature and a free-spirited lifestyle. The fact that these pieces are made from climbing palms, like rattan, is deeply rooted — no pun intended! — in the bohemian aesthetic. The use of natural, organic materials reflects the emphasis on sustainability, craftsmanship, and earthy tones that define the style.”
While rattan certainly has strong ties to bohemian styles, its versatility makes it ideal for any range of aesthetics. “It can be anything! says Davis. “Heritage, traditional, bohemian, tropical, indoor or out.”
Rattan truly is an aesthetic chameleon; it can fit with all kinds of decor styles depending on how it’s used and what it’s surrounded by. When rattan is woven into wicker, for example, the look can be very cottagecore-inspired and a traditional throwback to the Victorian era (think: warm wicker sunroom chairs around a matching round table). But when rattan cane is used whole for a furniture frame, as in a papasan chair, for example, it tends to appear more bohemian because the material maintains more of its original tropical vine form.
When did rattan’s popularity decline?
Most notably, in the ’80s and ’90s, with the rise of surfaces and materials like chrome, glass, and resins, rattan’s popularity began to decline. Design trends shifted toward more minimalist, modern, and industrial aesthetics.
“I would say the decline of rattan furniture began in the 1980s, when materials like Formica, chrome, breeze blocks, neon, and bold, funky colors came to dominate interior design,” Shea shares. “The aesthetic shifted toward glam, with an emphasis on curvy shapes as a sense of excess, which, in my opinion, led to designs that were flashy but lacked timeless appeal.”
Rattan could still be found in homes, but it fell to the wayside in terms of its overarching popularity and dominance in newer pieces being made.
Where can you find rattan today, and how might you incorporate it in a home?
Whether you’re looking to fully commit to rattan and incorporate it through larger pieces or want to just start with an accent, there are plenty of ways to add it in your home. For Shea, she likes seeing it used for chairs. “Personally, I would incorporate rattan in seating, where its presence feels intentional yet understated,” says Shea. “Chairs like the iconic Pierre Jeanneret office chair or the woven lounge chair by Adrien Audoux and Frida Minet are among my favorites in this style, as they beautifully balance simplicity, craftsmanship, and sophistication.”
Thrift stores, flea markets, and vintage shops are all places to shop for vintage rattan pieces, but rattan’s durability, versatility, and current popularity mean that plenty of brands also include this material in their new collections. And those pieces aren’t always boho — these days, it’s all in how you style rattan to make it fit with your chosen aesthetic.
“Rattan can be found everywhere — from French cafés, the sand in the South Pacific, the Moroccan desert, an English conservatory, or a cabin in the Adirondacks,” Davis says. “At Woven, we think rattan can live in any room. You can have a whole house full or just signature pieces to give your space tactile and visual texture.”
Rattan is truly a material that stands the test of time. “It has a unique ability to create a design statement without feeling overpowering,” says Shea. “Its subtle texture and organic quality bring a touch of warmth and natural elegance to a space, making it the perfect accent.”
Further Reading
I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
