Page 21 - Country Living - USA (January - February 2020)
P. 21
SPEAK THE LINGO
The terms are as interwoven and overlapping as the materials
themselves, but this chart should clear up some common confusion.
WHAT IT IS WHY WE LOVE IT DID YOU KNOW? GET THE LOOK
This broad-reaching term Light yet sturdy, timeless Pilgrims brought a
refers to a technique incorpo- wicker can be traced as far hooded wicker cradle
back as ancient Egypt.
WICKER rattan...) or synthetic materials Its outdoorsy, conservatory- eternally chic style icon
rating pliant plants (willow,
to America on the
Mayflower in 1620. And
woven into a pattern. Despite
worthy appeal made it a
staple of Victorian England.
its beachy associations,
Lee Radziwill was such
the word is of Scandinavian
like Soane Britain have
origin (vika means to bend; Contemporary British makers a wicker enthusiast that Wicker Dog Bed $104;
she was laid to rest in
vikker means willow). helped refine its profile. a wicker casket. amishbaskets.com
Bulrush is the British The most classically L.A. boutique Hollywood
vernacular for multiple “country” of materials and at Home sells a paper-rush
swamp/wetland plants (you techniques, rush furniture re-edition of a chair that made
RUSH material (and, now, manmade Hitchcock chairs) is enjoying a cameo in the 1953 hit movie
may also know them as
(see ladder-back chairs,
How to Marry a Millionaire
cattails). The grass-like
starring Lauren Bacall and
a renaissance thanks to the
paper fibre rush) is widespread interest in other Marilyn Monroe. (The original
commonly used in woven wovens, as well as in clean- is attributed to designer Dorchester Three-Seat Bench
chair “rush” seating. lined Shaker design. T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings.) $300; ballarddesigns.com
Easily dyed or woven, raffia
can take on a clean (not
The milky white sap of a
Raffia fibers (made thick or chunky) weave for raffia palm is sometimes
RAFFIA exported from Africa and more sophisticated, modern Raffia palm leaves are the
from the veins of raffia
palm leaves) are often
used for wine or liquor.
silhouettes. (Check out
retailer Serena & Lily’s hand-
Madagascar as garden
ties or “string.” wrapped rattan consoles.) longest in nature, and some
grow up to 80 feet long!
It’s also commonly used in
“Madox” Sneakers in Natural
grass cloth wallcoverings. Raffia $100; dolcevita.com
Rattan, also known as Pear Basket
$109; store
manila, is the name for 600 Like wood, it can easily
.moma.org
be stained or painted,
species of fast-growing which means it’s incredibly world’s rattan population
At least two-thirds of the
RATTAN a vine—think bamboo—than versatile. It’s also easily can be found in Indonesia.
climbing palms. (It’s more like
bendable—yet another
a tree.) Its flexible stem
Another small-talk tidbit:
reason it’s the most
can be used for furniture
to make polo mallets.
often (and confusingly) common natural material Rattan cane is typically used
referred to as “cane” used in wicker pieces.
furniture.
Okay, this one’s a little Because its woven strips Marie-Antoinette
tricky. Caning and/or “caned” are durable and nonporous, primped while sitting
cane was embraced as
(picture that graphic, open- a hygienic alternative to in a caned chair. (It’s now Natural
on display at the Getty
weave treatment you may
CANE references a technique and These days, the technique Center in L.A.) And in 1859, Rattan Cane
associate with cafe chairs)
fabric in 1600s England.
Three-Tier
Thonet’s “No. 14” wicker-
Tower $129;
adds patterned punch
seated bentwood bistro
is different from the more
.com
generic “cane,” which to decorative goods like chair became the world’s worldmarket
refers to the peeled-off mirrors, lampshades, first mass-produced
bark of rattan. and furniture. furniture item.
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