You guys, can we talk about something that I’m completely googley eyed in love with?! Caned furniture and rattan! Seriously. Is that weird??! I almost split this up into two separate posts because technically they aren’t the same, but really they are kind of related, I think of them like cousins in the furniture world, so I’m talking about both, just get excited about it. ;)

Caned and rattan furniture have been around literally forever, and they will both be in style forever too. I think technically rattan is wicker, but it can look very different depending on how it’s designed/constructed. For a long time rattan and wicker were relegated to patios, sunrooms and the unfortunate proliferation of the papasan chairs that flooded dorm rooms and the apartments of young adults the land over… caning is probably most easily recognized on the backs of dining room chairs in traditional design. But really it’s used in so many applications from bed frames to panels and doors on sideboards and other furniture as well.

Any of these look familiar? Lots of people are like – huh?! when I mention caning or rattan, but then when they see it it’s like – ohhh, that! and immediately recognize things. {the first two are rattan and wicker, and the third is caning} These days the awkward round papazan chair and overly tropical wicker are a thing of the past. Both of these materials are having a serious resurgence right now and man is it looking good!

I’m in hardcore in love with the rattan bars in this photo, they will 100% be somewhere in our new house! One of my favorite things about this type of furniture is that it’s kind of a chameleon. Not only can the actual furniture be made more formal or casual depending on the design, but each piece can look more formal or casual depending on the type of space it’s in. Or depending on the type and silhouette of the furniture it can be more modern or casual and still totally work. The new pieces that I’m seeing available right now are also often a new take on the material, which is always fun to see.

{left image|A Naber Design; right image|the jungalow ~ both of these ladies have drool worthy instagrams as well, in case you are looking for some more eye candy and  inspo!}

I mean, is this entry bench/setee vintage or new? Who knows because it’s so timeless and also funky that it just always works.It can be hard to find caned furniture in applications outside of chairs, but I’ve seen some wardrobes and bed frames that I’m pretty excited about these days.{this wardrobe is from Urban Outfitters}These are simple caned cafe chairs that you can find different variations of pretty much without batting an eye… super easy to reinvent in a new modern space.

I have a couple of vintage caned chairs that are just waiting on some new paint and upholstery and I’m constantly seeing vintage pieces that I would love to grab if only I had big enough house! I also have a longstanding dream of having a vintage caned bed frame… but I’m really loving some of the fresh new pieces that are on the market right now, and it’s taking some real discipline to resist ordering a few of these before we know for sure where we’ll be living in a few months!

Here are my favorite caned and rattan pieces right now!

top to bottom: caned side chair | rattan side/loung chair | rattan dining chair | caned bed frame | rattan bar | caned day bed | caned bed frame | caned credenza | caned wardrobe | rattan credenza | caned wardrobe 

Whether it’s vintage or new, caned furniture is a great accent in almost any space. Are you already a fan of this style of furniture, or is it time to maybe add a little something ‘extra’ to your space?!