"Rattan is sourced from a variety of species of palm trees, most of which are found in the old-growth forests of Southeast Asia," says Becky Shea, founder and creative director of Becky Shea Design.

Some top out at six inches, and others tower upwards of 200 feet; rattan palms (which grow as vines) can exceed 600 feet in length. The palm family boasts the plant kingdom’s largest seed ...