My love of wicker furniture began 20 years ago and along the way I have grown to appreciate just what a versatile, attractive, economical and reliable type of furniture it is.
I remember when I was young, I asked my parents for my very own wicker chair, I wanted one with a really big back, like a throne. Unfortunately that wasn't a very practical wish, in our small apartment, so I ended up with a small, bowl backed wicker chair that lasted me all my teens and one day moved with me to my first apartment. In the end, too many shoes, boyfriends and heavy handbags wore away my wicker friend, but still my love of wicker has continued.
Wicker is documented to have been used by the early Egyptians, but in fact originates from south East Asia. There is no specific plant called wicker, in essence wicker itself is a style. Wicker can be made from bamboo, rattan, willow and in some cases; it is not actually a natural material that it is made from, but man made materials that just look like a wicker material!
Wicker is a very friendly type of material to have in your home, whether you have chosen it as a style for a table, a chair or baskets, quality wicker has to really take some harsh wear to see a visible decline in it's appearance. Wicker can present some challenges when taken home by a "new to wicker" owner. At first, it's not unknown for the wicker owner to scratch their head in wonderment at how dusty their new chair has got, while all the other non wicker chairs in the house do not look dusty at all. But here's the secret; a damp cloth, feather duster, or if it's a particularly intricate piece of wicker furniture a vacuum. These cleaning techniques can address the most aggressive of dust bunnies.
Even the sturdiest and highest quality piece of furniture can end up sun damaged and worn out. Often the owners of wicker, are actually the first to complain of these particular inflictions, but fortunately wicker can be brightened up and made to look as good as new in no time. Paint can be used to bring wicker pieces back to life and also add a new dimension to them. Little girls could have fun with their color schemes if they were lucky enough to have wicker in their bedrooms. Patio furniture can be given a bright, Mediterranean, holiday feel should you so wish. Or plain old varnish can restore the shine.
There is huge and growing amount of places that wicker can be bought. Online directories offer wicker designs from all over the world and cater to every budget. You might also be able to pick up the more classic pieces of wicker furniture from your local classifieds or from web based recycling sites. With a little time and a lot of fun, wicker can take a place in your home and your memories too.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Gen Wright
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