Rattan Furniture

Desser rattan furniture is widely regarded as some of the best wicker furniture money can buy and many of their pieces are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

A contemporary Desser 3 seater sofa

Often used as conservatory or patio furniture, Desser’s products have become synonymous with quality, durability and excellent value.

Dobbies are proud to stock a wide selection of Desser products including rattan chairs, sofas (pictured), foot stools and many other excellent pieces. You can view our entire range of Desser furniture at Dobbies.com.

About Desser

Desser is a well established brand that’s been supplying Britain with quality rattan, cane and wicker conservatory furniture since 1919.

The origins of the company are particularly fascinating and date back to the First World War, when a young British soldier by the name of Isaac Desser was serving in Belgium. Desser became acquainted with a local craftsman who was producing various types of attractive basketware.

Seeing an opportunity, Desser began to import the products to Britain on his return from the war and the rest as they say, is history.

Currently based in Cheetham, the company continues to flourish and is the country’s leading importer and distributer of cane furniture and wickerware.

Interesting Fact

Many people get confused when they hear the word ‘rattan’ in association with wicker furniture. To clear up any confusion, ‘rattan’ is one of the plants that wicker furniture is made with. The term ‘wicker’ itself refers to the process of weaving the rattan vines to create the furniture. For complete confusion clearing advice read our article on the difference between rattan, cane and wicker furniture.

When talking about conservatory and garden furniture there is often much mis-understanding between the terms: cane, rattan and wicker.

So we hope to clear up any confusion with this simple guide.

Contemporary rattan garden furniture from Alexander Rose

Rattan – is the name of the plant used to make the furniture.

Rattan is a climbing palm found throughout the tropical regions of Asia, Africa and Australasia. The vine-like palms are long, strong and covered in thorns. To make furniture, the thorns are cut off, the outer skin is removed leaving the stems. The stems are then steamed to make them flexible, moulded in to shaped and then cooled and crafted in to rattan furniture.

Cane – is the part of the plant used for making furniture.

Cane is the strong, slender flexible stem of tall grasses such as bamboos, reeds and rattans. The confusion in terms probably originates from gardeners calling the bamboo sticks they used for supporting plants, “canes”. The main difference between bamboo and rattan is; bamboo is hollow, rattan is solid.

Wicker – simply refers to the weaving method used to make the furniture.

The core of the rattan stem is shredded into long strands and then woven to make furniture or other products such as wicker baskets and planters.

Traditional indoor rattan furniture from Desser

Why should I choose rattan furniture?

• Highly sustainable – it grows quickly and plentifully across many tropical regions.

• Strong and resilient – it’s tough natural strength makes it durable and long lasting

• Happy with humidity – rattan is originally from tropical forests so it feels at home in humid conservatories.

• Unique beauty – rattan and the wicker process creates a naturally individual item of furniture.

• Lightweight – making rattan furniture easy to move from the conservatory to the garden whenever the sun shines.

Wicker-pedia

The use of wicker and cane can be traced back for thousands of years. It was very popular with the ancient Egyptians, who used the locally grown cane to weave baskets and chairs. The popularity of wicker was passed from Egypt to Rome to Europe; as international sea traders carried wicker goods across the globe.

It was the Victorians who cemented the popularity of wicker in Britain. Victorians liked the clean wicker surface, as it tended to collect much less dust than upholstered items. Wicker furniture became popular for use both in the home and in the garden. Its simplicity and flexibility allowed for the variety of different furniture styles and designs we see today.

Interesting rattan facts

• 80% of the world’s raw rattan comes from Indonesia

• Rattan uses its claw-like barbed tips to climb up other trees.

• The stem can grow to extraordinary lengths, often several hundred feet.

• Raw rattan material can be classed as a non-forest product, because the trees it clings to are left standing when harvested.

• Approximately 60 % of rattan is used for furniture, the rest is used for making baskets, walking sticks and other rattan crafts.

• The resin that seeps from the fruit is widely known as dragon’s blood!

For a wide selection of rattan garden furniture visit Dobbies online garden centre.

20% off all indoor furniture

Making this the perfect time to update your home for the summer months ahead.

Wicker, rattan and cane furniture make a fantastic addition to any indoor living space. It’s the perfect way to bring a natural element into your home, and with 20% off in the Dobbies indoor furniture sale, you can upgrade your furniture and save money.

Also, don’t forget to accessorise. Plants are a great option, and soft furnishings such as rugs and throw cushions can work well to soften hard glass finishes.

Desser Cologne coffee table - now 20% off

Save over £250 on this FSC oak dining furniture set

Team with beautifully soft furnishings, like rugs and throw cushions, and soft lighting to make a truly magnificent dining room in your own home.

For a fabulous range of conservatory and indoor furniture at fantastic prices visit the Dobbies Indoor Furniture Sale now.

Conservatory furniture – a viable, comfortable living space

Filled with natural light and warmth from the sun, a conservatory is an inviting transitional space between your house and your garden.

So you need conservatory furniture to complement both those parts of your home equally.

Enjoy a conservatory filled with a Homes & Gardens Georgia Wicker set, or relax in a quiet corner in a hanging egg chair supported by a portable stand.

Alternatively, choose a Donard FSC oak lounge set with sofa bench and matching chairs. Then settle into the cushions for comfort, and prop your feet up on the companion coffee table.

On those sunny days, share the indoors with the outdoors and stretch out to catch some rays on a Bridgman Valentine double sunbed.

Dobbies offers quality conservatory garden furniture – so your transitional space can be as comfortable and beautiful as warm sunshine.

Pros: A well-furnished conservatory adds a viable, pleasant living area to your home.

Cons: Depending on the design of your conservatory, you might not get to enjoy your furniture in the colder months.

Buying advice: Don’t overcrowd your conservatory – but be equally wary of making it too sparse and uninviting.

The conservatory is really a sort of outdoor room and using furniture made of natural materials and textures will create a charming garden style in your home and feeling of outdoor living. 

Rattan furniture is perfect for the conservatory

Due to its durability, warmth and resistance to splintering, rattan is perhaps the best type of conservatory furniture you can buy! The natural and soothing shades of browns, blacks and golds are unique characteristics of each piece of rattan furniture and blend in well with any natural décor. These characteristics will not only enhance the look of your conservatory but will help bring that garden feeling indoors.  

Why Rattan?  

The things that make up conservatories; glass windows, sunlight and plants means that humidity and temperature levels are usually higher in a conservatory than in the rest of the house. So it is important to choose hard-wearing yet elegant conservatory furniture that will withstand humidity and direct sunlight. 

Rattan cane is a type of palm which grows in the tropics of South East Asia and Africa. It is usually the best type of conservatory furniture you can get as it’s strong and resilient to humidity and sun exposure (well, it does come from the rainforests). It is made by splitting the raw rattan cane and carefully weaving it.  

The main difference between rattan and wicker furniture is that wicker usually has a finer weave and is therefore more easily damaged and frayed, whereas rattan furniture is sturdy and can generally survive being knocked about by the kids unscathed. 

Unlike synthetic furniture rattan is uniquely beautiful. The rich variants of colours are a treat to the eye and add warmth to your conservatory.  

Conservatory Ideas 

The idea of the conservatory was another one of those splendid, yet practical Victorian inspirations. Make use of the room for its original functional purpose; to enjoy the outdoors from inside. So why not go all out on the period look and grow tropical plants, create window seats, fill corners with charming potted plant displays and add a birdcage or two!  

Rattan is very versatile and you can experiment with different styles. Once you get your hands on some beautiful rattan furniture with our £50 Dobbies discount, add lots of leafy tropical plants and colourful fruit bowls for an exotic ‘hot-house’ look that will brighten up even the darkest winter evening. 

Your conservatory should be a bright, fresh living space and by adding soft, colourful pillows to your furniture you’ll add a homely feel and create a more welcoming room in the winter months. To brighten up the room in the evening try hanging lanterns and adding small touches such as soft lighting and colourful throws.