Wicker furniture Everyone likes it, but few people buy it. Why is that? Because it is very difficult to reconcile it with the typical interior of an apartment, even a country house. It is necessary to solve a difficult problem - to choose colors for such furniture, including other furniture, wallpaper, textures, and accessories.
And all despite the fact that wicker furniture is very good-looking, pleasant to the touch, has its own character, is unusual and original. Maybe this originality is the whole point - it is extremely unconventional for our interiors, and we don’t really understand how to fit it into the interior of a house or apartment. If you also like wicker furniture, but you doubt whether you need it, this article is for you.
Today we will look at decent interiors with wicker furniture and see what it is suitable for.
Colonial, maritime and coastal interior styles
Wicker furniture is actively used in “southern” design styles - coastal, marine, colonial. These styles are perfect for a country house or cottage, but we can’t imagine them in a city apartment.
First of all, because a standard set of coastal or marine style furniture rarely includes a large closet with things (clothes, everyday items, books, etc.). These are decorative styles for creating bright, light interiors designed for relaxation. The photo above is a typical coastal style interior.
Wicker furniture in these styles looks absolutely organic, so it is associated with vacation, resort, and relaxation. But not with everyday city life.
Interiors with wicker furniture immediately acquire a light “vacation” character. However, a large closet, thick curtains, a carpet and even a TV immediately become superfluous. It does not fit at all with built-in wardrobes of modern design, with the usual TV stand, or with fluffy rugs.
Hence the following conclusion:
— wicker furniture is suitable for you if your living room is intended only for relaxation, and storage of things is organized in another room
Arrangement and organization of the interior
Wicker furniture integrates much better into a room that is depleted of storage, where instead of cabinets there are small sideboards, bookcases or shelves filled with all sorts of small items and souvenirs, as in the photo above.
Don't forget about one of the main secrets of the charm of southern styles. Objects are placed in them so that it is convenient to communicate.
I talked about this separately in an article about coastal style.
The sofa and armchairs are placed either opposite each other so that you can drink coffee and chat in the evenings, or, if it is customary for the family to watch TV together, in a semicircle, as in the photo above and in the photo below.
Wicker furniture arranged in this way promotes communication, quiet rest, relaxation and, of course, is very suitable for those for whom a family atmosphere in the house is important. And the mood of such interiors immediately becomes idyllic, light, relaxing.
A city apartment is starting to look like a summer cottage.
In my opinion, wicker furniture loses the lion's share of its charm if placed in a different way. Compare two pictures:
The interior in the photo on the left looks much slimmer; the interior in the photo on the right has questions about the sense of proportion. But take a closer look - in the photo on the left, the coffee table is far from the chairs and serves only for decoration. And in the photo on the right, everything is piled up, the coffee table is filled with a board game, cups - it is clear that this interior is used for family leisure. The interior in the photo on the right is more harmonious, but also colder. Conclusion:
— wicker furniture is good for creating a light atmosphere of family communication - support this atmosphere by arranging the elements in a semicircle or circle
Wicker furniture in the bathroom, hallway and balcony
Hallway
- this is actually the face of your apartment. After all, she is the first thing that all arriving guests see. Therefore, hallway furniture should not only be comfortable, roomy and functional, but also presentable. Wicker chests, poufs and banquettes will ideally cope with this task. In addition, artificial rattan is not afraid of wet clothes, shoes and umbrellas!
Bathroom
- an important part of the apartment. However, as a rule, it does not have a large area. Therefore, bathroom furniture should be spacious and not bulky, as well as moisture and water resistant. In this case, artificial rattan racks will help you. They will not only withstand exposure to moisture, but will also not become covered with fungus or mold. In addition, wicker furniture is well ventilated, so you don’t have to worry about the things stored in the racks.
Balcony
- another small part of the apartment that is subject to more aggressive environmental influences. And the point here is not only high humidity, but also excessive exposure to sunlight. Therefore, you can’t think of a better option for decorating a balcony or loggia than wicker furniture made from artificial rattan! It does not fade under the sun, is not afraid of cold, heat and excessive moisture. We talked in more detail about options for decorating balconies using wicker furniture in a separate article.
Wicker furniture set
Such furniture almost always stands in a group, forming a cozy corner for joint leisure, as you have already seen in the previous photos. This means that wicker furniture should be a set - chairs and a table, armchairs and a coffee table, a sofa and armchairs, a sofa and a bookcase, etc. A single wicker chair will not look good in an interior in which all other items are ordinary. A set of wicker furniture looks good. So, another conclusion:
— It makes sense to buy such furniture as a set
Kitchen and furniture made of wicker
In the kitchen itself, where the work area is located and food is prepared, it is better to abandon wicker surfaces. They will make cleaning difficult and make caring for wicker furniture difficult and ineffective. In addition, due to frequent changes in temperature and air humidity, wicker furniture will not last long.
Therefore, you can use such items in the kitchen interior if the room is really large and also includes a dining area. This is where you can go all out. A wicker table and chairs, a wicker corner with a soft sofa, several stools and a table, a table with several mobile chairs - all this is perfect for decorating a dining area.
And in order for such an interior to harmoniously combine with the kitchen set and the interior in general, you can add a few touches to the latter: arrange wicker dishes: plates, dishes, vases. Transplant fresh flowers into wicker pots and use other stylized elements.
An eclectic bedroom features a wicker chair and a wicker table.
Eclectic bedroom fully furnished with wicker furniture, photo
The interior of a classic kitchen uses wicker bar stools and dining tables
Classic living room fully furnished with wicker furniture, photo
Wicker furniture is well suited to southern interiors, including kitchen decoration
Color combinations
Since we're talking about wicker furniture in a modern interior, I'll show you a couple more illustrations.
Natural colors, loved by this style, go well with the color of rattan (rattan, as it is often called), bamboo, wicker - those materials that are used to create this type of furniture. White walls and oak floors are an excellent backdrop for it. Take note if you want an unusual and light interior.
Another interesting application option in a modern interior is in the photo above. Here, a light straw-colored wicker sofa fits perfectly into the interior with a base combination of rich terracotta chocolate (walls) and orange (accessories).
The final picture is thick and juicy, but not heavy – largely due to the large, laconicly designed window. In general, in modern interiors experiments with wicker furniture are very productive.
Painted wicker furniture
One such experiment is painting in different colors, as in the photo above. The result is quite interesting - the structure has been preserved, and the rich colors in which the straw is painted have acquired a characteristic muted shade.
Pretty good, in my opinion, although it destroys the main idea - the naturalness of the material and color.
Synthetic options
But what experiments seem absolutely unacceptable to me are synthetic wicker furniture. The photo above is not the worst example, the worst ones look so ugly that I don’t want to show them.
Synthetic wicker furniture looks slimy and cold - completely contrary to the idea of naturalness. No matter how great the temptation to purchase synthetic options is, do not give in to it, the result will disappoint you.
More about color combinations
Let's talk a little more about the colors that wicker furniture goes with. This depends, of course, on its color - for example, golden brown, as in the photo on the left, goes well with white, milky white, golden yellow and red.
Golden yellow wicker furniture, like the photo below left, goes well with pastel colors, especially blue. Wicker furniture in dark brown and chocolate colors, as in the photo below on the right, looks amazing with bright green.
Natural partners of wicker furniture are all natural colors - sand, milky white, cream, café au lait, caramel, khaki, gray stone, etc.
To prevent the result from being too boring, you can add accessories in bright colors - for example, fuchsia, as in the photo above, or turquoise, pistachio, grass green, orange, coral, bright blue.
Variety of materials and models
Another reason why wicker furniture is almost always appropriate in interior design is that the market offers a wide range of items made from:
- and you;
- bamboo;
- reed;
- hazel;
- rattan;
- water hyacinth;
- sisali.
A soft set with a wicker frame.
Not only the usual rocking chairs, country chaise lounges and interior accessories can be created from thin twigs and wood fiber. Modern technologies, which are based on many years of experience of handicraftsmen, allow us to weave any pieces of furniture used in the interior from natural materials:
- stools;
- chairs;
- armchairs;
- rocking chairs;
- sofas and beds;
- ottomans;
- coffee tables;
- coffee tables;
- dining tables;
- decorative shelves;
- cabinets;
- vases and baskets;
- flower pots and flowerpots;
- screens and mobile partitions;
- facades for cabinet furniture;
- mirror frames;
- shades for chandeliers and lamps.
You can use both single pieces of furniture and sets in the interior. Just like decorating a room with a variety of accent wicker items.
Selection by interior elements
Wicker furniture is a rare exception to the rule that it should stand out from the walls. Usually we select it in a different color in relation to the walls (the exception is the case when a very light interior is created - white walls + white furniture or milky, cream walls + the same furniture). We don't like it when interior items blend in color with the wall.
With wicker furniture you don’t have to worry about this - even if the wall turns out to be the same color as in the photo, it will still stand out due to its weaving - the light is unevenly distributed along the knots, so the furniture “plays”, we see it.
Poverty interior
An important point that I would like to draw your attention to is a certain poverty of interior decoration with wicker furniture.
Such interiors, even if they are made in traditional decorative styles, such as marine or coastal, always use natural colors and materials, and do not overuse decoration, luxury, glamor and the like. In our context, such things will look funny, not beautiful. Look at the photo below.
In the photo on the left, this rule was neglected, and the result was a stupid, pretentious interior. Curtains made of golden organza, the same lampshade of a floor lamp, leather (!) trim on wicker furniture, a picture in gold (!) mat, an ornate chandelier - all this makes a pitiful, and not at all “rich” impression.
Naturalness
How much more dignified the interior looks in the next photo - the modesty and neatness of the decoration and decor creates a much more pleasant and cozy impression. Wicker furniture is incompatible with glamorous shiny fabrics, gold and silver embroidery or fringe, frilly accessories, complex curtains, carpets and the like. Naturalness, simplicity, charm and comfort are her “trick”.
So, one more rule:
— wicker furniture goes well with natural materials and poorly with any glitter, gold, silver, pretentiousness and glamor
Bad example
However, this rule should not be elevated to a cult, otherwise it will turn out like in the photo below.
They wanted to make the interior in the photo in a fashionable Zen style - in natural colors and materials, with minimal decor, in a restrained color scheme. The result is something dull - the color monotony makes the interior lifeless, and the decor is chosen in such a way that it in no way sets off the beauty of the wicker furniture, but gives the impression of some kind of, excuse me, dung heap. The beautiful marsh color did not work - it is a bad partner for itself, it needs accents in other autumn colors.
Keep this in mind if you want to create a discreet interior with wicker furniture - choose decor so that it does not suppress its beauty, but brings it out.
Care Tips
To ensure that wicker or rattan sets last a long time and do not lose their attractiveness over time, you should follow simple recommendations for use and care:
- Do not wash furniture with wet sponges. Only wet cleaning is allowed; the cloth must be well wrung out of the water.
- Direct sunlight and heating devices contribute to rapid deterioration of the material; when placing products, it is important to take these nuances into account.
- During the cold season, interior items should not be left outside. They should be kept in warm, dry conditions.
- Any stains quickly eat into the surface of the furniture, so spilled liquids must be wiped up quickly.
- Products should be treated with special polishes at least once a month.
- Do not place hot dishes on the surface of wicker furniture. Be sure to use stands.
Algorithms for creating wicker furniture with your own hands, tips for beginners
Fabric structural elements can be cleaned with soapy water or washed periodically if the textiles are removable. Plastic wicker furniture does not require special care; it is enough to wipe it from dust and wash it if it gets dirty.
Clean only with a well-wrung cloth
Direct sunlight can damage the material
In cold weather it is not recommended to leave furniture outside
Treat with special polishes
Do not place hot dishes on the wicker surface
Comments
Ekaterina says: 03/29/2013 at 8:10 pm Do you think it would be appropriate to put wicker chairs by the fireplace if the room also has a sofa for watching TV, but it stands away from the fireplace, and the wall with the fireplace is decorated with stone ?
ticca says: 04/21/2013 at 5:21 am Of course, it’s appropriate. Depends, of course, on the overall decor of the room, but in general, unless your room is glamorous and shiny and ultra-modern and cool, then wicker chairs will almost certainly do the job.
