A Wicker Chair Primer

A wicker chair enjoys a solid reputation as the item you want to be in when relaxing on a porch on a Friday afternoon. I can't think of too many pieces of furniture that have this immediate association. Think of sitting on a deck at a beach house on a warm Sunday afternoon or on your own backyard patio sipping a cold one and what chair comes to mind. A big comfy, cushioned wicker chair, there is no substitute. Durable, timeless and available in a plethora of colours and shapes, it is the outdoor choice.

First a word on the differences between a wicker chair and a rattan chair. We hear this question a lot. Is there a difference? Of course. Wicker simply refers to an object while rattan refers to a product, the rattan tree. Here's the skinny on rattan. It's a very slender tree like bamboo that starts off growing straight up then bends down and winds through the forest like a vine. Unlike bamboo, rattan is solid whick makes it perfect for bending into all sorts of cool shapes and once it dries in its new shape it will stay that way for the rest of its days. Rattan can grow to hundreds of feet long. So rattan is a vine-like tree, rattan chairs are obviously made of rattan but a wicker chair can be made from rattan (most often), straw or even a plastic composite. Wicker just means a weaved chair.
Now to show off some of the fantastic shapes that can be seen in a wicker chair. I'd like to start with one of my great associations, and a quite pleasant one at that. Anybody around my age will remember Don Ho and thinking of Don, what comes to mind? His amazing chair.

Is your own backyard lacking a certain charm? Do you have an older, perhaps plastic patio set? Consider buying a nice wicker chair, table and a few accents. They are much more durable than many people think and by varying the color you can change the mood of your yard. A white set of furniture will give a very playful look, perfect for poolside and a darker set would look a little more formal and rich, great for a outdoor dining area. Whatever your color choice, wicker is typically a very comfortable chair.

One thing to keep in mind when budgeting for a nice outdoor set is where you live. If you live in a northern climate and only use your wicker chair half the year and have access to dry/dark storage then you may get a good fifteen years or more our of your furniture. If you are down south and plan on using your table and chairs year round, in harsh sunlight then consider changing them every five to ten years. Knowing you may need to replace the set in time may help you to be more cost conscious as well as more aware of the need to add a little UV protection. Enjoy your set.