SourceToHome · A visual field guide
Fluted glass, curly bouclé, woven cane: learn the names behind 12 familiar decor surfaces, with English and Spanish labels.
Original schematic drawings, not photographs or material tests. Patterns and colors are illustrative; product information establishes actual composition. Spanish labels are descriptive equivalents, not a universal naming standard.
All three comparisons are shown below.
Alphabetized by English term. Each entry has its own link.
Yarn / fabric
Bucle o bouclé
Bouclé is a looped yarn and the fabric made from it. Look for small visible curls or loops that make an uneven, pebbly surface.
Often confused with: Bouclé vs sherpa: distinguish visible yarn loops from a fleece-like mass of tufts. Chenille has projecting pile along its yarn; none of these names alone specifies every fiber in a fabric.
Where you may see it: Cushions, upholstered chairs, sofas and throws.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesWoven panel
Rejilla de ratán (cane webbing)
Cane webbing is a woven panel traditionally made with strips from the outer part of rattan stems. A familiar open pattern has repeated small holes framed by crossing strips, although other patterns exist.
Often confused with: Rattan is the source material; wicker is a broader woven construction term. Cane webbing describes a panel, not every object made with cane or rattan.
Where you may see it: Chair seats and backs, cabinet inserts and screens.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesPile yarn / fabric
Chenilla (chenille)
Chenille names a yarn with short projecting pile and fabrics made with it. Look for a fuzzy, caterpillar-like yarn surface, which can appear as dense fields or distinct tufted rows.
Often confused with: Bouclé has loops; chenille has pile projecting from the yarn. Sherpa is identified by its fleece-like appearance; a drawing cannot establish a fabric’s fiber composition.
Where you may see it: Cushions, throws, upholstery and bath mats.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesSurface profile
Acanalado (fluted)
Fluted describes a surface with repeated rounded channels recessed into it. On glass, look for parallel grooves that create a striped outline or changing bands of light.
Often confused with: Fluted vs ribbed vs reeded: flutes are grooves; reeds are rounded raised strips; ribbed is the broader ridge description. Glass listings may use these names interchangeably, so inspect the actual profile.
Where you may see it: Vases, drinking glasses, cabinet fronts and table bases.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesPlant fiber
Yute (jute)
Jute is a plant fiber used to make yarn, twine and woven textiles. Look for visible twisted strands or coarse woven bundles, but do not use color alone to identify the fiber.
Often confused with: Jute can resemble sisal or other plant fibers. Wicker describes a woven construction; jute names a fiber, and a jute-look pattern does not establish jute content.
Where you may see it: Rugs, baskets, placemats and decorative cord.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesPlant material
Ratán (rattan)
Rattan is material from the stems of climbing palms, used in furniture and woven objects. Look for cane-like rods or split strips, while checking the product description to confirm the actual material.
Often confused with: Rattan vs wicker: rattan names the plant material; wicker often names the woven construction. Cane webbing can be made from rattan, so the terms can describe different parts of one object.
Where you may see it: Chair frames, baskets, lampshades and decorative trays.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesSurface profile
Con relieves redondeados (reeded)
Reeded describes a sequence of narrow, rounded convex moldings. Look for raised strips that resemble adjacent slender rods rather than hollow channels.
Often confused with: Fluting emphasizes concave grooves; reeding emphasizes convex strips. Both may be called ribbed, and glass product names can overlap.
Where you may see it: Cabinet doors, table legs, frames and decorative glass.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesSurface profile
Con nervaduras (ribbed)
Ribbed describes a surface with repeated elongated raised ridges. Look for a recurring ridge-and-gap pattern; its direction and ridge shape can vary.
Often confused with: Reeded is a more specific rounded-ridge profile, while fluted emphasizes channels. Ribbed does not name a material or a fixed spacing.
Where you may see it: Vases, planters, glassware and cushion fabrics.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesFleece-like fabric
Sherpa o tela tipo borreguito
Sherpa is an artificial textile with a sheepskin-like appearance. Look for a dense, irregular field of curled tufts rather than clearly separated yarn loops.
Often confused with: It can resemble bouclé at a distance, but the fleece-like surface is the useful visual cue. A sherpa appearance is not evidence of genuine sheepskin.
Where you may see it: Throws, cushion covers and upholstery accents.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesComposite / pattern
Terrazo (terrazzo)
Traditional terrazzo combines small stone pieces in a binder to form a continuous surface. Recognize the scattered chip-like shapes, while distinguishing actual terrazzo from a printed terrazzo-look pattern.
Often confused with: Unlike a typical veined stone look, terrazzo has separate visible fragments. A speckled print on a tray or vase does not establish stone content.
Where you may see it: Floors, tabletops, trays, planters and decorative accessories.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesAppearance only
Efecto travertino (travertine-look)
Travertine-look describes an appearance inspired by travertine, a naturally deposited, often layered stone. Look for stone-like bands and small pit-like markings; the “-look” label does not mean the object is real travertine.
Often confused with: It may resemble limestone-look or marble-look finishes. Material composition must come from the product information, not the drawn bands, beige color or imitation pores.
Where you may see it: Side tables, trays, vases and decorative panels.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesWoven construction
Entramado tipo mimbre (wicker)
In furniture and decor, wicker commonly describes work made by interlacing flexible strands or rods. Look for an over-and-under structure, which can be made from different materials.
Often confused with: Wicker is not a reliable material label: rattan is one possible material, not a synonym for every wicker item. Cane webbing is a particular woven panel construction.
Where you may see it: Baskets, chair panels, trays and lampshades.
Link to this texture ↗ · SourcesFluted glass has a repeated linear surface pattern, described here as rounded recessed channels. Glass listings may also call similar patterns ribbed or reeded, so compare the actual grooves and raised strips.
Bouclé emphasizes loops in a yarn or fabric. Sherpa is an artificial textile with a sheepskin-like surface; look for a dense field of tufts rather than clearly separated loops.
No. Rattan is a plant material, while wicker commonly describes interlaced construction in decor. Cane webbing is a woven panel traditionally made from rattan strips.
Definitions adapted in our own words; the visual cues and examples are explanatory illustrations.
You may reuse these original SourceToHome diagrams, including commercially. A source link is welcome but not required. This permission covers the diagrams, not third-party source material.
Explore related items from SourceToHome. Product names supply the connection; these drawings do not certify the products’ materials.
The product title mentions rattan and wicker.
View product →A jute item for decorative projects.
View product →A bath rug with chenille in its title.
View product →
