Some of the earliest examples of furniture made from grass and cane have been identified with the early Egyptians many thousands of years ago. Grass materials woven together have been used to make furniture pieces as well as many other decor items for a very long time.
One popular application in Western society has been the seagrass furniture, most commonly known for outdoor uses. However if you include wicker and cane, then the types of applications increase dramatically including wicker inserts on seats and tables as well as many other uses.
The seagrass or reed applications are often finished with a paint as this usually helps preserve the seagrass and also assists in binding it together. The desire to paint this furniture also results in my expeience with some pieces - particularly outdoor furniture, building up lots of coats of paint over the years. The end result is almost like a plastered look as the successive coats increasingly mask the original materials.
This type of furniture, particularly with ornate examples remains very popular today.
