Bring the Bahamas home

With the end of the year coming in a rush; we can't help but imagine palm trees, long stretches of sandy beaches, cyan-blue ocean, waves and sipping on mocktails endlessly while relaxing on comfy plantation sofas!

For some of us, this may just be an imagination that's difficult to realise, since our busy schedules will not allow us to pander to such an escapade.

But it surely does not stop us from bringing in the resort life closer to our homes. "If we can't go to the beach, let's bring it home," we say!

Savvy additions of classic furniture such as canes and a selection of carefully curated interior decoration pieces can almost do that unimaginable. You'd perhaps never feel like leaving home again!

Having a hard time believing? Let us help…

Close your eyes again, and imagine walking into a room with a light breeze coming in from the wooden shutters and sheer curtains. Towards the left is the sea grass furniture aesthetically placed in combination with solid wood slipper chairs! A single rattan table lamp is aptly placed on the side table giving out a refreshing light, subtle to the moods. To the right, there's few oversized banana plants set flawlessly in a beautiful ceramic ornate pot brining in the touch of Bahamas, directly to your living room.

Interested yet?

Read on to know more about the organic, dream furniture…

From decorative vases to simplistic stools, cane furniture has always been part of a classic Bengali household. Over the years however, they have mostly been used to complement wood products, but cane furniture now has the spotlight all to itself! As boho trends and vintage styles get more and more popular, cane furniture is making a well-deserved comeback! Green and eco-friendly, cane furniture adds to the natural aesthetics of your household and are ideal for the sleek designs of the modern era.

For indoor decor

Thanks to its versatility, cane furniture can be used for a variety of design styles and in almost all rooms of the household. Whether you are into vintage designs or enjoy contemporary chic models, you are bound to find something that strikes your fancy at Panthapath. One of the simplest ways to add wicker into your homes is through storage. Whether it is through wicker baskets for laundry, wicker shelves for your exotic show-pieces or even a cane table beside your bed, cane furniture always adds a good bit of warmth into your households.

However, cane usage hardly has to be limited to smaller side-pieces. Want to go bold? Try a wicker bed! Add contemporary decor or art pieces to complement the classic bed, and you are good to go! You could even opt for cane dining sets, which you can paint in vibrant colours for a bright funky vibe. Not only does it keep things fresh and unique, but opens up the doors for more innovative designs as you can play around with lighting.

If bold isn't exactly your thing, consider the middle ground instead when it comes to adopting cane furniture. Living spaces should have a low maintenance carefree aura and wooden furniture can come off as too stiff for that area. Cane sofa sets matched with bright monochrome hues are ideal for just about any occasion, and maintains that fun relaxing vibe where your children can snack and play with friends without you having to worry too much about your furniture getting soiled.   

Outdoor charisma

Due to its natural brown shade that complements greenery, rattan furniture can look exquisite in gardens and rooftops. You can find cane sofa sets and coffee tables both in natural browns or even painted in whites. If you want a pop of colours, paint them sky blue or turquoise. Imagine feeling the light breezy autumn wind as you chill out on your cane swings! Or imagine watching birds resting on the cosy cane nests that you have set up for them! In fact, cane furniture is not limited to just daytime delights. There are plenty of aesthetic lamps that can light up your evening barbeque parties.

Taking care of cane

Since cane furniture is porous, they can dry out and crack over time. Whether they are indoors or out, the first step in properly caring for cane is cleaning it regularly to protect it from dust. To ensure that they are moisturised, opt for a monthly spritz with diluted soap or oil solution. Sunlight tends to discolour wicker. So, try to keep your cane furniture indoors during off season or in extreme heat when you won't be sitting outside anyway. For longevity, apply paint or varnish over your cane furniture and re-apply it every two years. Cane furniture can be delicate, and even simple steps such as covering it with a cushion can go a long way.

Cane furniture manual 

                           For Dummies

What is wicker?

It is a collective term for all kinds of woven furniture including bamboo, rattan, sea grass and willow. It is basically the process, whilst all the other terms mentioned are the materials used in the process.

What are the benefits of wicker furniture?

Light and airy, perfect for a tropical or an outdoor setting. Natural and organic, thus environmentally friendly.

What is the difference between bamboo, cane and rattan furniture?

Bamboo is a grass. The giant timber can grow to over 98 feet tall.

Rattan is a vine. It is one of the hardest woods in the world.

Both the above materials are used in constructing environment friendly woven furniture.

On the other hand, Cane is the outer bark of the rattan plant and used for tying pieces together or providing the finishing touches.

There you go. Mystery Solved!

A little detail on willow furniture….

Willow furniture, as the name suggests are made from willow branches, giving the inimitable rustic look to garden and cabin décor.

What about sea grass or reed furniture?

Majority of the seagrass furniture is made from perennial ocean reeds that are exported from China. The furniture is woven either by machine or hand, while the plants are still green. On drying, the furniture loses its green colour, and the reeds become rigid, making the furniture firm and ready for use.

Seagrass has gained popularity because of the reed's tough but smooth exterior, which makes it resistant to stains and very easy to maintain.

With all the information sorted, hopefully you are no longer in the dark!

Information: Collected

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed