Rattan Outdoor Furniture - Going Beyond the Garden

When the average westerner thinks of rattan outdoor furniture, his or her mind immediately envisions a well-appointed, well-trimmed garden, a full rattan set of table, chairs and sofas sitting gloriously front and centre, catching the eye almost immediately and asserting itself as the centrepiece of the entire outdoor area.

This type of association is not at all hard to fathom, if one takes into account that garden landscaping and decorating is the main purpose served by most rattan outdoor furniture sets. However, it would not only be reductive, but outright wrong to peg this type of furniture to simply this type of use. Rattan outdoor furniture is versatile enough that home-owners without an actual garden can also benefit from the visual, decorative and comfort purposes it offers, and the lines below give two examples of situations where a rattan set will not look out of place, but which do not necessarily involve a garden.

Patios and Decks                                                        

Patios and decks are perhaps the most popular type of setting to find a rattan outdoor furniture set in, outside of a garden itself. Whether it be an elevated or roof-top deck, a front porch, or a tiled patio, some rattan sofas, a set of chairs or a table are likely to fit into this type of setting perfectly, and help give it the touch of visually appealing class they are generally known for.

Beachfront houses, in particular, will benefit immensely from having rattan items in their front porch or rooftop deck, as the understated, pastel colour scheme these pieces tend to be available in will contribute to give the entire outdoor area of their home that ‘beachy’ feel that so many holiday home-owners appreciate and strive for. Otherwise, adding rattan outdoor furniture to a patio area is an excellent way to make it appear less bare, especially if there is no shrubbery in the immediate surroundings to offset the effect of the tiled surface. Either way, it is easy to see how and why rattan outdoor furniture is thought to be such a good addition to these types of areas.

Balconies

As rattan garden furniture continues to become more and more popular and widespread, much has been made of the fact that it requires considerable room for a set to truly have space to breathe and shine, rather than act counter-productively by making the entire area feel cluttered.

Like the assumption mentioned at the beginning of this text, however, this point of view is only partially true. There exist rattan sets and pieces designed especially for areas with less available real estate, and perhaps the best example of these are items meant to be used in urban apartment balconies.

In fact, most rattan manufacturers share their customers’ belief that just because someone lives in the city, they should not be deprived of possessing rattan outdoor furniture if they so desire. This is why many rattan outdoor furniture lines present a few sleeker, more space-effective items. Sunbeds or certain types of chairs, for instance, are examples of items designed to potentially fit inside an apartment balcony or another otherwise space-sensitive area. If correctly positioned, accessorised and complemented with other tastefully appointed pieces, these items can contribute to turn a simple balcony into a highly enjoyable and even luxurious lounging space, leaving nothing to be desired when compared to a larger garden or patio!

It is clear, then, that while rattan outdoor furniture is most commonly seen, and associated with, garden arrangements, there are plenty of other uses to be made of this type of furniture. A little imagination and an eye for décor can make a rattan set fit in anywhere!