Trending Now: Rattan Furniture

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Rattan isn’t just for outdoor furniture anymore. You might associate this material with your grandma’s house, but rattan furniture is having a moment. And we’re here for it. It’s versatile, durable and can take just about any room to the next level.

Before we dive deeper, let’s get clear on rattan. It’s not the same as wicker. Wicker is a type of weave, whereas rattan refers to the actual material itself, a flexible, fibrous plant. We’ve long used its pliable stems to make furniture because it’s both lightweight and durable. Today, not all rattan-style furniture uses actual rattan – but we’ll forgive it because the whole point of synthetic rattan is to protect the natural environment in which rattan grows.

If you’ve been looking for furniture that packs a punch aesthetically but doesn’t add a ton of visual weight to your space, rattan is for you. Let’s look at some of the various ways you can use rattan furniture to set the tone of a room.

Rattan furniture in the bedroom

Like we said, rattan is versatile. That’s why you can use it just about anywhere in a bedroom, from the headboard to the accent chair to the table. Here are some different ways you can incorporate this material in any bedroom in your home.

In a tropical bedroom, the Curved Rattan Bed is a no-brainer. Image: Anthropologie

If you want to add an eclectic feel to your bedroom, the Kubu Rattan Woven Headboard can deliver. Image: Pier1

The comfy Pari Rattan Daybed creates a cozy – but still airy – lounging area in this bedroom. Image: Anthropologie

Make it extra fun to get ready with the Ria Leaning Rattan Mirror, which includes a place to hang extra outfit options. Image: Urban Outfitters

Pair your leaning mirror with the matching bed. With a low profile, the Ria Rattan Bed invites you to lounge. Image: Urban Outfitters

Rattan furniture in the living room

Maybe you’re the type of person who has a set style you follow in your living space. Or maybe you’re the kind of person who pulls from various influences, from traditional to mid-century to eclectic. Either way, rattan can serve you. Because of its vintage roots and natural feel, it works in a wide variety of living spaces. Check it out.

Rattan doesn’t just work for boho spaces. It can be ideal when you’re looking for a modern edge, as exemplified by the Tiered Rattan Pendant. Image: Anthropologie

The inviting Noelie Rattan Lounge Chair offers welcoming seating when you invite guests over. Image: CB2

If you’re looking for a statement piece for your living room, look no further than the Natural Rattan Fallon Cocoon Chair. Image: Cost Plus World Market

Rattan is more versatile than you might think. It gives the Reflect Rattan Credenza texture and warmth. Image: CB2

If you’re looking to add seating without adding visual weight, an airy rattan piece – like the Pari Rattan Chair – is a perfect fit. Image: Anthropologie

Rattan furniture in the dining room

The dining room is an interesting space to design. You want it to feel both structured and comfortable. It’s a place where you might serve an elegant, multi-course extravaganza or enjoy a cozier meal like spaghetti. Rattan works in either setting – and everywhere in between. Its carefully woven, sculpted feel is elegant but its natural fibers can help add a sense of casualness. When you want your dining room to make a striking statement without feeling stuffy, this material can deliver. Here are a few examples of it doing exactly that.

The Maluku Natural Rattan Dining Chairs give a dining room table extra texture. Image: Crate & Barrel

Make it easier to entertain at your next dinner party with a compact and mobile bar set up on the Kali Bar Cart. Image: Pottery Barn

Traditional rattan meets modern design in the Haylee Mono Rattan Chair. Image: Urban Outfitters

Rattan can help you bring the outdoors in. These Cinta Wicker Dining Chairs add an earthy feel to an already eclectic dining space. Image: Pier1

Rattan doesn’t have to be in your face. In the Marte Dining Chair, it’s a subtle element. Image: Urban Outfitters

What do you think of rattan furniture? Would you add it to your house? If so, what room would you choose? We’d love to hear in the comments!

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25 Gorgeous Minimalist Fireplaces to Keep You Cozy This Winter

Minimalist fireplaces prove that function can follow form and still, well, function. Image: Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects

In the winter, having a fireplace is a little slice of heaven. When the sun sets behind the horizon, it invites you to grab a cozy throw, a book and a mug of something warm. The only problem with having a fireplace is that it can take over your room’s design. That is, if you let it. Fortunately, modern and minimalist fireplaces are delivering design-savvy homeowners and renters an alternative to the stodgy hearths of yesteryear.

If you’re looking for a fireplace that will meld with your design vision, rest easy. There are a wide range of indoor varieties. You might want something larger-than-life that completely defines your living space. Or you might want something that will play nicely with the other elements in the room. If the latter speaks to you, read on. We’ve lined up 25 gorgeous minimalist fireplaces that will keep you warm all winter long.

White minimalist fireplaces

When you have an intriguing, textured element in the room, your fireplace can take a comfortable back seat. Image: Folds Inside Ltd

Setting your minimalist fireplace on the floor gives you maximal ambiance will freeing up more wall space for art. Image: Shinberg Levinas Architectural Design

This room blends a lightly textured rug, floating glass coffee tables and the streamlined fireplace to create a decidedly airy feel. Image: Michael Downes – UA Creative

In an all-white living space, a simple, architectural mantel is all you need. Image: Designer Premier

Unobstructed sides are a major trend in minimalist fireplaces – and for good reason. They help the design feel light and give you better access to your cozy fire. Image: The Interiors Project

Interesting architectural details – like this art cutout – help root minimalist fireplaces in the space even while leaving room for other elements to play. Image: Clark | Richardson Architects

The shape of the fireplace mirrors the shape of the high-impact table behind the couch, drawing the eye to it without detracting from its intricate detailing. Image: NICOLEHOLLIS

Dark minimalist fireplaces

Adding a fireplace to an accent wall doesn’t have to mean losing the impact of the accent. Image: Stephenson Design Collective

The soft glow of this streamlined fireplace design also highlights the warm tones in the stone wall. Image: SKG Designs

Minimalist fireplaces let the view shine. And with a view like this, why would you choose anything else? Image: Bacic Group

When you have an architectural element meant to draw the eye up, keeping the fireplace minimal ensures it doesn’t get weighed down. Image: Lango Works

Glass-enclosed minimalist fireplaces

A simple glass cutout helps this fireplace shine even in the midst of so many other visually interesting elements. Image: Pixers

Glass on either side of the fireplace connects the living and dining spaces. Image: JAWS

A glass-encased fireplace inset in a heavy, dark wall gives this dining room a cozy but elevated feel. Image: Swiss Milk Studio

This minimalist fireplace serves as a way to connect the living area to the space beyond – even through a towering wall of concrete and wood. Image: Rustic Fire Place

Minimalist fireplaces in the bedroom

A fireplace nestled among your dresser drawers adds warmth without limiting your storage options. Image: Krista + Home

If you like a streamlined aesthetic in the bedroom so your mind can drift off to sleep undistracted, minimalist fireplaces are for you. Image: Tierney Conner Architecture

Alternately, minimalist fireplaces also work well in darker, more moody spaces where you don’t want to disrupt the feel with too much light or warmth. Image: Ownby Design

Traditional fireplaces often feel masculine, but this simple and bright alternative helps the room establish its feminine air. Image: The Cross Decor & Design

Mixed material minimalist fireplaces

In a room where multiple shades of grey are at play, the black of the fireplace also provides an anchor. Image: Design 2 Finish

A floating row of cabinets, an inset for firewood and a textural accent wall all complement the fireplace in this room. Image: J.E Keating + Associates

The small black inset of this minimalist fireplace breaks up the creamy expanse of concrete in this space, adding character. Image: Matt Gibson Architecture + Design

In this living room, the simplicity of the extremely minimal fireplace helps balance bright accents. Image: LEIVARS

This backlit, white expanse proves that the space above minimal fireplaces can be simultaneously sleek and also visually captivating. Image: Barc Architects Ltd.

What do you think of the minimal fireplace trend? Would you add one to your home or apartment? Let us know in the comments.

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The Freshome Dream Dining Room

We polled our Freshome team to come up with a list of must-haves for a dream dining room. Image: Urbanology Designs

The dining room is such an interesting part of the home. It’s gone through a number of transformations over the years. It first served as a mark of wealth, setting apart families who could afford the extra square footage to dedicate an entire room just to eating. Then, it fell out of favor. As dinnertime because less of a formal affair, many families turned to casual eating areas like breakfast nooks (or even the couch in front of the TV) as the primary spot to dine. Today, all too many dining rooms sit sad and vacant.

It’s time to reclaim this space! Because the dining room isn’t used as much as, say, the kitchen or master bedroom, it’s an exciting design opportunity. You can take some risks and make bold choices. When you do, you turn the space into something visually interesting that might entice your family to make more use of the room.

At Freshome, we love the idea of doing something extra fun with dining rooms. We’ve dreamed up some ways to help you breathe life into yours. Whether you’ve got a large formal dining room or are working with a compact corner of a room, these are the things you need – according to our Freshome team – to create a dining room you’ll love.

Plenty of seating creates a welcoming dining room – and makes it more likely to actually get used. Image: Envision Custom Homes

Set out seating

A good dining room needs a place where people can dine. If you’ve got the space, set up a table that seats at least eight. Hosting friends and family just got that much easier! We love a large, sturdy dining table – like the 96″ Sydney Dining Table from Wayfair – as a way to establish your dining room. If you’re tighter on space, a smaller table can work just as well.

Extendable dining tables can help you find a middle ground between roominess when the space isn’t in use and functionality when you’ve got a handful of people coming over for dinner. Either way, find a table you love and you can build from there.

Once you have your table picked, it’s time for more fun shopping. Your dining chairs set the tone for the room. Think of your dining table like the sofa in your living room and your dining chairs as the accent pillows. This is a place to have some fun! Maybe you want to go traditional, like the Hayes Tufted Chairs from Pottery Barn, or mod, like the Mid-century Chairs from Target. When it comes to dining chairs, your options are virtually endless. As proof, we’ve rounded up some great dining chair options for you.

A bar cart is a chance to add a pop of personality to your dining room. Image: Wolfe Design House

Build out your bar cart

If you’re the kind of family that sits down together for dinner every night, your dining room will get more use than most. If, however, you primarily gather around the table when you’re entertaining, you still need a dining space that will meet your needs. Building out a bar cart ensures that you’re set up for whatever the night has in store.

Much like your dining chairs, your bar cart is a design opportunity. Don’t be afraid to choose something fun. We love the Mid-Century Bar Cart from West Elm, but you could also go sleek with an all-chrome cart, find a truly vintage piece at your local antique store or add casters to a small bookcase for a DIY solution. If you’re ready to live that lush life, we’ve got a list of fabulous bar carts – and they’re all under $300.

Once you’ve picked the cart itself, the fun continues. Start gathering glasses, decanters, bottles and the other essentials. Pick up a bouquet of fresh blooms or a scented candle. Adding little touches you love to your bar cart gives your dining room personality and keeps it from feeling stuffy.

Your dining room is a place to play with design. A bold accent wall is just the thing. Image: Duet Design Group

Work on your walls

Like we said, because your dining room is less used than other spaces in your home, it’s a place to go big with your design. If you’ve ever wanted to try a bold wallpaper, a bright accent wall or a major piece of wall art, this is the place. We love making a big statement with your dining room walls.

You can choose a unique paint color (why not black?) or striking wallpaper (we love the options from de Gournay). An accent wall covered in Palm Wallpaper from CB2 or hung up with some large-scale, eye-catching art is just the thing to transform your dining room. You know those design ideas you’ve had pinned on Pinterest for years but never had the guts to try? This is the place to finally put them into practice.

Adding storage to your dining room makes entertaining easier. Image: Granger Family Homes

Set up storage

When you invite people over for dinner, the last thing you want is to spend the evening running around. Adding convenient storage to your dining space makes the entire evening easier, from the moment you start setting the table to clearing the dessert dishes.

Create a space in your dining area where you can store dishes, salt and pepper shakers and whatever else you find yourself running to the kitchen for during a meal. A couple of our Freshome picks include a vintage hutch sourced from your local antique store or a sideboard with lots of drawers, like this Beaufort Farmhouse Sideboard. Or, if you have the space to add built-ins, go for it. Again, this is a chance to expand the design of your dining room. Feel free to go bold and choose a piece of furniture you truly love.

What would we find in your perfect dining room? Image: Studio G Interior Design

What’s in your dream dining room?

We had a lot of fun coming up with these key ways to make your dining room one of your favorite spaces. But, obviously, we didn’t cover everything. If you want to keep exploring ways to take your dining room’s design to a higher level, we’ve got a list of four ways you can get started.

What would your dream dining room contain? Statement lighting? A knockout centerpiece? Tell us all about it in the comments.

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Here’s Everything You Need From Your Favorite Retailers To Create A Festive Christmas Dining Table

We hope you like the products we recommend. Just so you are aware, Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. 

If you’re thinking of hosting Christmas dinner at your home or apartment, we’re here to help you make it awesome. After viewing thousands of dining and tabletop products from all your favorite retailers, we’ve organized them into five on-trend Christmas dining table decorating categories: Whimsical Nordic; Black and White; Modern Red, White and Green; Snowflakes and Plaid. The products can mix and match with your existing tableware so you can make your Christmas table merry and bright.

Whimsical Nordic Christmas Dining Table Accessories

A Black And White Christmas Table

Modern Red, White And Green

A Snowflake Winter Dining Wonderland

Plaid, Plaid, Plaid

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