A good rattan dining chair has a tight, even weave, a sturdy frame underneath, a seat height that suits your table and a finish you can live with day to day. If you check those four things before anything else, you will avoid most of the disappointments people have with woven seating. Rattan is light, warm and forgiving in a busy home, but the quality varies more than it first appears, so it pays to know what you are looking at.
This guide walks through how rattan is made, which styles suit which rooms, how to judge comfort and construction, and how to keep your chairs looking good for years.
Rattan is a climbing palm that grows in tropical forests. Its stems are solid rather than hollow, which is what separates it from bamboo, and they can be steamed and bent into curves without snapping. The outer skin is often stripped and used as binding or cane, while the inner core is woven into seats, backs and panels.
You will also see chairs described as rattan that are made from synthetic fibre. These are usually polyethylene strands woven over a metal frame and are designed mainly for outdoor use. Both have their place, but they behave differently. Natural rattan has subtle variations in colour and texture, softens slightly with use and feels warm to the touch. Synthetic weave is more uniform, copes better with damp and sunlight, and tends to look a little more graphic.
For an indoor dining room, natural rattan or a natural rattan panel set into a wooden frame is usually the more rewarding choice. For a conservatory that gets very hot or a garden terrace, synthetic weave makes more practical sense.
Rattan has moved a long way from the heavy, curly furniture many of us remember from the 1970s. The designs you see now tend to fall into a few broad groups.
These pair a solid timber frame with an open cane mesh on the backrest and sometimes the seat. The look is light and slightly Parisian, and it works well in period properties where you want something with character that does not overwhelm original features.
Here the whole shell is woven, often in a rounded tub shape or a gentle curve. They feel relaxed and sculptural, and they bring a strong sense of texture to a plain room. They do take up a little more visual space, so they suit a medium or larger dining area.
A popular compromise. The rattan back gives you the look, while a padded seat in linen, boucle or performance fabric gives you comfort for longer meals. Upholstered seats also make the chair easier to live with if you wear delicate clothing that might catch on a woven surface.
Slim black or brass legs with a woven seat or back create a crisper, more contemporary look. These sit comfortably alongside glass or marble tables and are a sensible option if you want texture without a strongly bohemian feel.
Photographs flatter woven furniture, so it helps to know which details tell you the most.
Look closely at the weave. The strands should be evenly spaced and pulled tight, with no gaps opening up at the corners or where the weave meets the frame. Loose ends should be tucked away neatly rather than glued on the surface.
Check the joints. Where the legs meet the seat is where a chair takes most of its strain. Good rattan chairs are bound tightly at the joints with cane or leather and are often reinforced with screws or dowels underneath. A chair that flexes noticeably when you sit and lean back is likely to loosen over time.
Consider the frame material. A solid wood frame such as oak, beech or mango gives a rattan chair real stability. Powder coated steel is also strong and holds its shape well. Thin frames made from composite board are best avoided for dining chairs, which are pulled out and pushed in several times a day.
Read the product description carefully. It should tell you whether the rattan is natural or synthetic, what the frame is made from, the seat height and the weight the chair is designed to take. If this information is missing, it is worth asking before you order.
Comfort at the table is mostly about height. As a general guide, there should be roughly 25 to 30cm between the top of the seat and the underside of the tabletop. That gives enough room for your legs without leaving you perched too low to eat comfortably.
Width matters too. Rounded rattan chairs can be broader than they look, so measure the length of your table and allow a comfortable amount of elbow room per person. If you have a table with legs at each corner, check that the chairs will actually fit between them when pushed in. Many rooms in UK terraces and new build flats are narrow, and a chair that sticks out into the walkway every time it is tucked away becomes irritating quickly.
Finally, think about the space behind each chair. You need enough room to pull a chair out and sit down without hitting a wall, a radiator or a sideboard. Lightweight rattan helps here because it is easy to lift and move, which makes a tighter room feel less awkward.
Rattan is surprisingly adaptable, but some combinations feel more settled than others.
Warm timber is the most natural partner. Oak, walnut and mango all bring out the honey tones of the weave, and a set of rattan chairs around one of our modern wooden dining tables UK customers choose creates a room that feels calm and grounded. If your table is a very similar shade to the chairs, add contrast through a darker rug or table linen so everything does not blend into one tone.
White or pale marble gives a lighter, more summery feel and suits a kitchen diner with plenty of daylight. Glass tops keep things airy and let the texture of the chair backs do the talking. Black metal or dark stained wood adds weight and a slightly more grown up mood, which is useful if your rattan is very pale.
If you are furnishing the whole room at once, it can help to browse dining chairs UK sale collections alongside tables, so you can compare finishes side by side before deciding.
You do not need a full set of woven chairs to get the effect. Two rattan carvers at the ends of a table, with upholstered or wooden chairs along the sides, is a relaxed way to introduce texture. A woven bench on one side and chairs on the other works well in family kitchens.
Keep the rest of the palette simple. Rattan brings a lot of texture on its own, so plain walls, linen curtains and a few natural materials such as stoneware, wool and linen let it breathe. A flat woven or low pile rug from our range of modern rugs UK homes rely on will anchor the table and protect wooden floors from chair legs.
Plants are an obvious pairing, but use them with some restraint. One large plant in a corner usually looks more considered than several small pots around the table.
If your dining area opens onto a garden or you have a conservatory, you may be tempted to use the same chairs inside and out. It is better not to. Natural rattan does not like prolonged damp, strong direct sun or big swings in temperature. It can dry out and split in a hot conservatory and may develop mildew if left outside.
For outdoor dining, synthetic weave designed for garden use is far more resilient. If you want a similar look on the patio to the one in your kitchen, browse outdoor garden dining sets UK ranges that use all weather weave, then keep your natural rattan chairs indoors where they will last.
Rattan is low maintenance compared with many materials, but a few habits make a real difference.
If the weave begins to look dry after a few years, a light wipe with a slightly damp cloth in a humid room can help restore some suppleness. Small breaks in the weave can often be repaired by a furniture restorer, which is one of the reasons well made rattan pieces tend to be kept for a long time.
Begin with your table and the size of your room, then choose the style of rattan that suits the mood you want. Check the construction details, confirm the seat height, and think honestly about how the chairs will be used. A household with young children or pets will usually get on better with an upholstered seat and a woven back than with a fully open weave.
At Furniture in Fashion, we bring together woven, wooden and upholstered designs so you can see how different materials work together before choosing. We offer free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes, and Returns are available up to 30 days.
They can be. Rattan has a little natural give, which many people find more comfortable than hard wood. For long dinners, a chair with a contoured back and either a padded seat or a separate seat cushion is the most comfortable option.
Yes, provided the chair has a solid frame and well bound joints. Natural rattan is dense and flexible, which helps it absorb everyday knocks. Check the stated weight capacity and avoid chairs where the frame feels loose or wobbly.
They can, but add felt pads to the feet and consider a rug beneath the table. Rattan chairs are light, which helps, but any chair that is moved often will eventually mark a soft timber floor without some protection.
Sagging usually starts where weight is concentrated. Using a seat pad spreads the load, and avoiding standing or kneeling on the seat helps the weave keep its shape. Chairs with upholstered seats and woven backs avoid the issue almost entirely.
Very well. Pair it with slim metal legs, a stone or glass table and a restrained colour palette, and it reads as calm and contemporary rather than rustic.
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