Caned furniture is a classic in Design history. Let’s dive a little bit into the world of design and try to understand the fascinating history of caned furniture. Defining the terms and origins of caned furniture has become complex and confusing. To clarify, cane is the fabric harvested from the outer skin of the rattan stalk. The subsequent caning process, by which a rattan cane is applied to home furnishing pieces, creates the traditional caned furniture.
The use of “bamboo” has crossed cultures and generations for thousands of years. In fact, Tibetan warriors, Egyptian pharaohs, and Native Indonesians were the first populations to furnish their living spaces with this lightweight and durable material until the colonising British Empire took ownership of it during the 17th century. Although caned furniture is known as a true classic of English interiors today, it’s always a good idea to appreciate the origin of things and to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.
Below you will find several examples of cane furniture designs: Fauteuil en Cuir Tanné & Hêtre de John Makepeace, 1970s Fauteuil en teck et canne du milieu du siècle, années 1950 Cane.01 par MO-OW