Wicker Patio Furniture from Queen Victoria to Today

When you see wicker patio furniture, it often brings to mind a very romantic setting, harkening back to the days of Queen Victoria. In fact, wicker was quite a popular outdoor seating option during the Victorian period.

The Victorians liked the fact that it didn’t collect dust and dirt as readily as more solid furniture. It was most often found at country homes and over time became synonymous with healthy, country living, both in England and the United States.

Interestingly, wicker was one of the first natural materials used by people to make furniture. It was found in both Ancient Egypt and Rome, and it was eventually spread throughout Western Europe by traders. The original wicker material was reed, although once the Europeans discovered the stronger rattan in Southeast Asia, that became a sturdier option for wicker furniture.

Cyrus Wakefield even began importing rattan into the United States in the nineteenth century, lighting the American’s love of wicker. Once someone figured out how to automate the practice of building with it, it became truly popular.

Wicker is such an easy material to work with that it naturally lends itself to many different uses. Baskets and furniture are the most popular uses. Wicker patio furniture is popular for many reasons, including durability in varying weather conditions, light weight (movability), and a summery feel.

These days, many different raw materials are used to make wicker furniture, including some synthetic materials. Wicker can be used to make tables, chairs, settees, and any other patio furniture you can think of. It can be painted any color to fit almost any taste.

While wicker seats may not always be the most comfortable, you can easily circumvent this with seat cushions. Cushions further increase wicker’s versatility, as it’s much easier to switch out cushions than a whole patio set when your tastes change.

Wicker has come in and out of fashion several times since the Americans first embraced it in the mid 1800’s. As styles change, so does the American public’s desire for wicker furniture. However, you can often find wicker patio furniture at garden centers, even when it’s not at the height of its popularity.