Rattan floor lamps work in an Art Deco home when they echo the style’s love of geometry, curves and rich contrast. Choose rattan shapes with strong outlines, such as fans, globes, tiered domes or fluted columns, and set them against Deco staples like velvet, lacquer, brass and mirrored glass. The natural weave softens the glamour of the period, while the lamp’s patterned shadows add the kind of decorative play Deco interiors have always celebrated.
At first glance the two might seem unlikely partners. Art Deco brings polish and drama, while rattan suggests sunrooms and summer houses. Yet rattan furniture and lighting were widely used in the interwar years, especially in hotels, ocean liners and conservatories, so the pairing has real history behind it. Our modern floor lamps UK sale collection includes woven designs that suit this blend, and here are eight ways to use them.
Art Deco is built on pattern and rhythm. Sunbursts, chevrons, stepped forms and repeated arcs appear everywhere, from fireplaces to door handles. Woven rattan is pattern made from material, so it naturally speaks the same visual language. When light passes through a rattan shade, it throws those patterns across walls and ceilings in a way that feels distinctly decorative.
Rattan also brings warmth and texture to interiors that can otherwise feel hard. Lacquered surfaces, chrome and glass are beautiful, but a room made entirely of them can feel cold. A woven lamp adds a tactile layer without losing the sense of occasion. You can extend this mix of textures through our wider modern lighting UK range.
The sunburst is one of the defining motifs of Art Deco. A rattan lamp with a fan or shell shaped shade recalls it directly. When lit, the radiating weave casts lines of light outward, almost like the rays of a Deco mirror.
Place one against a plain wall where the pattern has room to show. A deep painted wall in navy, bottle green or oxblood makes the effect even stronger.
Velvet is closely associated with Deco interiors, especially in jewel colours. Setting a rattan lamp beside a curved velvet sofa or armchair creates a satisfying contrast between rough and smooth, matt and lustrous. The lamp also helps the velvet glow, as warm light brings out its depth.
Keep the rattan in a natural honey tone or a darker stained finish. Very pale rattan can look too casual beside rich upholstery.
Mirrored glass appears throughout Deco design, from dressing tables to cocktail cabinets. Positioning a rattan lamp near a mirrored sideboard or console multiplies its light and its patterned shadows. Our mirrored living room furniture UK sale range offers pieces that pair well with natural textures.
Be careful with the angle. A bare bulb reflected in a mirror can create glare. Check the view from your main seat before fixing the position.
Stepped forms, sometimes called ziggurat shapes, appear in Deco buildings, clocks and furniture. Some rattan lamps use stacked or tiered shades that reflect this layered silhouette. They look particularly at home in rooms with period cornicing, stepped fireplaces or geometric tiled hearths.
A tiered lamp has a strong outline, so let it stand alone in a corner rather than crowding it with plants or other objects.
Brass is one of the most useful finishes for bridging rattan and Art Deco. A lamp with a rattan shade and a brass stem or base combines both in a single piece. If your lamp is fully woven, bring brass in through nearby items such as a side table, picture frames or cabinet handles.
A slim side table with a round top and a brass frame sits comfortably beside a woven floor lamp. Our modern side tables UK collection includes designs in metal, glass and marble that suit the style.
The cocktail hour is a lasting symbol of the Deco era. If you have a drinks trolley or a small bar cabinet, a rattan floor lamp beside it creates an inviting, warm corner. The low, filtered light suits evening entertaining far better than a bright ceiling fitting.
Choose a lamp with a dimmer so you can set the mood. Add a few glass decanters and a round mirror above, and the corner becomes a small celebration of the period.
Deco bedrooms were often romantic, with curved headboards, soft colours and glamorous dressing tables. A rattan floor lamp in the corner of a bedroom softens all of that and makes the room feel restful. Shapes like globes and domes work well here, as they give a gentle, diffused glow.
Pair with a dressing table in a lacquer or mirrored finish and bedding in blush, champagne or soft green. The rattan stops the room feeling too formal.
Art Deco palettes were often bold: black and gold, emerald and cream, peacock blue and silver. Against strong colours, natural rattan reads as a deliberate accent. Black stained rattan is another option for a sleeker, more graphic look that sits closer to the stricter side of Deco design.
If your room is mostly neutral, the lamp’s patterned shadows provide the drama, so place it where those shadows will fall across a pale wall.
Not all rattan looks the same, and the weave affects both the style and the light. A tight, close weave gives a gentle, even glow with fine shadows. An open, airy weave throws bolder patterns across the room and lets more light escape. For Deco interiors, a geometric or repeated weave usually feels more at home than a loose, irregular one, because it echoes the order and symmetry of the period.
Tone matters just as much. Natural honey rattan feels warm and relaxed. Darker walnut or tobacco stains look richer and sit more comfortably beside lacquer and dark wood. Black rattan is the most formal option and suits monochrome schemes. Whichever you choose, try to repeat the tone elsewhere, perhaps in a woven tray, a cane chair back or a picture frame, so the lamp does not stand alone as the only natural material in the room.
There are a few situations to avoid. Very small rooms with a lot of pattern already, such as bold geometric wallpaper, can feel busy once a rattan lamp adds moving shadows. Here, a plain wall behind the lamp or a lamp with a closer weave keeps things calm. Bathrooms and steamy kitchens are also best avoided unless the lamp is designed for them, as moisture can affect natural fibres over time.
Deco rooms reward proportion. A rattan lamp should feel substantial enough to hold its own beside heavier furniture, but not so large that it dominates. In a high ceilinged period room, a taller lamp with a wide shade sits well. In a modern flat with a Deco scheme, a slimmer column or a smaller globe keeps the balance.
Think about how the lamp’s shadows will land. A larger shade throws a broader pattern. If the lamp sits close to a wall, the pattern becomes sharper and more defined. Further away, it softens.
Rattan is a natural material and needs a little care. Dust it regularly with a soft brush, as dust gathers in the weave and dulls the light. Keep it away from direct heat sources such as radiators, which can dry the material out over time. Avoid very humid rooms unless the lamp is designed for them.
Use LED bulbs, which run cooler than older bulbs and are kinder to natural shades. Follow the maximum wattage on the lamp, and make sure the bulb does not sit too close to the weave. Always choose lamps with correct UK safety markings.
If you are curious about how floor lamps evolved alongside these design movements, our piece on the history of the floor lamp in UK homes offers helpful background.
Rattan floor lamps give Art Deco homes something the style can lack on its own: softness, texture and a touch of informality. Chosen with care, in strong shapes and warm tones, they sit comfortably beside velvet, brass and mirrored glass. The result is a room that feels glamorous yet relaxed, with light that adds pattern and character after dark.
You can explore woven lamps, mirrored furniture and lighting for every room at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
Yes. Rattan was widely used in the interwar period, and its woven pattern echoes the geometry of Deco design. It adds warmth and texture to polished surfaces.
Deep jewel tones such as emerald, navy and oxblood make natural rattan stand out. Black and gold schemes also work well, especially with a darker stained lamp.
Use a soft brush or a vacuum with a brush attachment to remove dust from the weave. Wipe gently with a barely damp cloth if needed and let it dry fully before use.
A warm white LED bulb is a good choice. It runs cool, which protects the natural material, and gives a golden glow that suits the texture of the weave.
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