Rattan is the one ceiling-light material that does something to the light rather than just holding it. A woven shade lets part of the output through the gaps and blocks the rest, so a rattan ceiling light throws a pattern across the ceiling and the upper walls — the reason it reads as warm and relaxed before you have even noticed the shade itself.
An open, wide weave spills light in every direction and paints strong shadows; expect atmosphere rather than working light. A tight weave, or a shade with an inner opal diffuser, keeps the pattern subtle and the room evenly lit. If the fitting is the only light in the room, take the tighter weave and add a floor lamp for mood — not the other way round.
Rattan domes are usually deep, and depth eats headroom. Under a 2.4 m ceiling a semi-flush rattan fitting leaves roughly 2.1 m of clearance: fine for a bedroom, tight in a doorway. Over a dining table the same shade can drop to 75-85 cm above the tabletop, where the weave sits near eye level and the pattern is at its best.
Natural fibre and heat are not friends. Stay with LED — an E27 LED lamp runs at a temperature the weave never notices, while an old halogen will dry and darken the cane above it over a couple of seasons. Because the shade absorbs part of the output, buy 20-30% more lumens than you would for a glass fitting: roughly 1,800-2,200 lm for a 15 m² living room, at 2,700 K, which flatters the honey tone of the cane.
Yes, once you size for the absorption. Add about a quarter to the lumens you would otherwise pick, or choose a shade with an inner diffuser.
Not over a bath or shower. In a large, well-ventilated bathroom away from the wet zones it will survive, but glass or metal is the safer choice.
A warm-white LED at 2,700 K. A clear filament lamp sharpens the shadow pattern; a frosted one softens it.
If you want the same natural weave hanging lower over a table, look at the pendant lights.
