How to Style Brass Home Decor in Modern and Traditional Indian Homes

Almost every week someone sends us a photo of their hall and asks, "Will brass suit this?" The sofa is usually grey, the walls are white, and they're worried brass will look too old-style. It won't. Brass goes well in a new flat and in an old tharavad-type house both. The only thing that changes is how much you use and where you keep it.

Living in a modern flat? Then one or two brass home decor items in one room are usually enough, with some empty space around each. Older, traditional homes can carry more, especially at the main door and inside the pooja room. Wherever you live, decide the spot first, look at the size and finish before ordering, and clean it gently.

We are from Moradabad. Brass work has been going on here for generations, and a lot of this blog is simply answers to things customers keep asking us. The products mentioned are from our own collection, and the prices are what they were when we wrote this.

Why Brass Fits So Easily in Indian Homes

Just look around your house once. Wooden sofa or dining table, cotton cushion covers, maybe a mud pot with a plant, maybe a jute mat. Brass goes with all of these. It adds warmth to a room without making it look crowded.

Think back to childhood evenings. Someone lighting the brass vilakku, or marigolds bobbing in an urli by the door at Onam or Diwali. Put even a single brass piece on a shelf today and that memory comes right back.

A small warning before you shop, though. Brass is largely copper and zinc, but every workshop mixes and finishes it a little differently. Two items can look like twins in photos and feel nothing alike once they arrive. So when you pick brass home decor items, take your time with the listing: material, size, weight, finish and what it's actually meant for. Colour by itself can mislead you.

Where to Keep Brass Home Decor in Each Room

The main door is where most Indian homes have always kept their brass, so start there. Set an urli on a small table near the entrance, fill it with water, float a few petals, and the whole doorway looks inviting. Our Elephant Brass Urli Bowl (from ?2,430) fits nicely on a slim table. The Brass Antique Padma Urli measures about 12 inches across and weighs a bit over a kilo, so give it a broader, stronger base. Do confirm the urli can take water before you fill it.

In the hall, most people go for the console, the TV unit or a bookshelf. The Set of 2 Brass Elephant and the Brass Antique Victoria Jar (?2,450) both sit well in these spots. Just make sure the base is flat, and leave enough room above if there's a shelf nearby.

Dining table? A bowl in the middle looks nice. Our Brass Decorative Fruit Bowl / Table Bowl starts at ?2,500. It will get touched every day, so you'll be wiping it more than a showpiece on a shelf.

Bedroom dressing tables need small boxes. The Brass Antique Jewellery Box (?1,500) and Brass Antique Trinket Box (?1,860) stop rings and studs from going missing.

Balcony or window side, try the Brass Planters / Plant Pots Gloss (from ?950) with a money plant. During heavy rain, bring it inside. And watch the drainage.

The pooja room has its own styling considerations, explained separately below.

Pick the Type of Piece First, Style Comes Later

Many people save some nice picture from Instagram and then order anything golden that looks similar. When it comes, either it's too tall for the shelf or it's a planter when they actually wanted a bowl. If you decide the type of piece first, you avoid all this.

Showpieces and Figurines

Showpieces and figurines are the easiest. Just keep them, that's it. Choose one with a steady base. A showpiece is only for display, so don't put water, food or a lit diya in it unless the listing clearly says you can.

Urlis, Bowls and Trays

Urlis, bowls and trays can be for decoration, for use, or both. If you prefer silver colour instead of gold, our Brass Ganesh Urli with Velvet Box comes in silver polish, around 12 inches wide and 5.5 inches tall. For serving fruits or snacks, the Brass Rectangular Fruit Serving Tray (?4,200) is a good size. Daily-use pieces will show fingerprints. Nothing to worry about, it wipes off.

Diyas and Pooja Items

Diyas and pooja items need a little more care because of the flame. Keep them on something stable, away from curtains, and not in a place where people keep walking. From our range, the Brass Om Oil Lamp (?787), Brass Jaali Oil Lamp (?798), Lotus Diya with Velvet Box (?832) and Brass Swastik Oil Lamp (?990) are all made for the mandir.

For agarbatti, the Brass Rudraksh Incense Stick Holder is only ?350. There's also the Turtle Dhupdaan and the Brass Antique Dhupdaan. If your family follows Vastu, place them according to that.

Boxes and Jars

People don't think much about boxes and jars, but they are very useful. The Brass Antique Storage Box with Flower Handle (?2,733), the Victoria Jar and the Brass Antique Laddu Dabba Box (?2,500) can hold dry fruits, keys, clips, anything. In a small flat, something that is useful and also looks good is always worth it.

Styling Brass Home Decor in a Modern Home

Modern flats mostly have light walls and simple furniture. Actually that's good for brass home decor, because nothing else is competing for attention. You just have to control yourself a bit.

• Keep one piece per surface. One urli near the door. One elephant pair on the console. Leave the rest empty. If you fill every surface with brass, the house starts looking like a shop.
• Pair brass with matte finishes. A plain white vase, two books lying flat, a green plant. Brass beside more brass feels heavy in a modern room. Wood, cane and linen also go well with it.
• Start with planters. A small snake plant or money plant in a brass pot on your work table makes that corner look completely different.
• Vary the heights. A taller jar behind and a low bowl in front. Or three pieces of different sizes together. Three usually looks more natural than a matching pair.
• Pay attention to colour. Brass looks great alongside a teak coffee table or a couple of mustard cushions. And in a room that's all grey and white, a single brass piece turns into the cosy corner guests always notice.

Styling Brass Home Decor in a Traditional Home

Older, traditional homes can take a lot more brass, and pieces grouped together usually look richer than one on its own. Dark wooden furniture, thick curtains, a full pooja room. Brass just belongs there.

Begin at the doorway. An urli filled with water, rose or marigold petals and a floating diya is the classic welcome. It looks especially lovely around Diwali or Onam, or whenever the relatives come over.

Next, the mandir. A diya, dhupdaan, bell and kalash placed together on a brass chowki feels whole and calm. Got room for one statement piece? The Brass Pooja Chowki Stool (?23,500) or the large Brass / Pital Dhupdaani (?14,000) can anchor the entire room. These are pieces you keep for decades, not swap out every season.

Even with more brass home decor items around, keep them in one place. A single tray, a single shelf, one corner. Little bits scattered across the house only end up looking cluttered.

Brass on dark teak or rosewood with a printed cotton runner below it never goes wrong. No need to think too much.

And the dining area too. A fruit bowl, or the Brass Etched 14Pc Tea Kettle Set (?7,750) on a sideboard, connects that space to the rest of the house.

Things to Check Before Buying Brass Home Decor Items Online

Photos can fool you, so spend one minute checking.

• Check the material. See if the description clearly says "brass" or "pure brass". Plated or coated items can look exactly the same on screen.
• Check the finish. Polished, antique, glossy, silver polish and two-tone all change differently over time and need different care.
• Measure before ordering. Take a tape and check the shelf, console or mandir. Something that looks small in a photo may be deeper or taller than you expect.
• Check the weight. Heavy pieces stay in place, while light ones are easier to lift while cleaning.
• Check what it is for. Decoration, pooja, flame, water or food? Use it only that way.
• Read the care instructions. Check before using any polish or liquid on the item.

If something on the product page is not clear, just ask. We would always prefer to answer a question than have a customer guess wrongly.

How to Take Care of Brass

Go gentle to begin with. For everyday dust, a soft dry cloth or an old makeup brush is all you need. And keep your brass out of damp corners.

Easy on the polish, though. Polish gets rid of tarnish by scrubbing it away, and a very fine layer of metal goes with it every time. Overdo it and the delicate lines on etched or carved work slowly fade out. Pieces with a lacquer, coating or antique finish can also be ruined by polish or harsh cleaners.

That's why no single cleaning method works for everything. Before any polish or liquid touches a piece, find out whether it's coated, lacquered, plated or antique-finished. Can't tell? Stick to dusting and message the seller. Please don't test acids, scrubbers or chemicals on a finish you're unsure of.

Putting pieces away for a while? Wrap each one in soft cloth so they don't rub against each other, and store them somewhere dry. Brass going darker over the years isn't a fault. That's simply the metal ageing, and honestly, a lot of people prefer that old look.

Good Brass Home Decor Items to Start With

New to brass? Most of our customers start small: the Elephant Brass Urli Bowl by the entrance, the Set of 2 Brass Elephant on the console, the Brass Antique Victoria Jar where a shelf needs height, the Brass Planters / Plant Pots Gloss on a desk or windowsill, and the Brass Om Oil Lamp for everyday pooja.

The rest is in our Home Decor Brass Items collection. Prices and stock change often, so do check the product page before you order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which brass home decor items are easiest to style?

A small showpiece, like a pair of brass elephants. Place it on a shelf, desk or console and you're done. Just measure the spot once before buying.

How can I use brass in a modern home without it looking old-fashioned?

Stick to one or two pieces per room and leave space around them. Put them beside matte things like ceramic, wood or linen. Plain shapes, say a simple jar or planter, feel more modern than heavily carved ones.

Where is the best place to keep a brass urli?

By the main door, or on the centre table in the hall. Only add water and flowers if the listing says it can hold water, and keep it on a flat surface.

What is the difference between decorative brass and pooja brass?

A showpiece is just for display. A diya is for lighting, if the product says so. An urli or bowl could be either. Check first before using anything with flame, water or food.

What should I check before buying brass home decor items online?

Material, finish, size, weight, use and care instructions. Don't take a piece to be solid brass, or safe for water or flame, only from the photo.

Can I polish all brass pieces?

No. Every polish takes off a little metal and can harm lacquered, coated, plated or antique finishes. Check the finish first and go by what the seller advises.

How often should brass decor be cleaned?

Dust it whenever it needs it and keep it dry. Polish only now and then, and only if the finish can take it.

Is brass good for the pooja room?

Yes, it's what most families have always used. Diyas, dhupdaans, chowkis and kalash all belong in a mandir. Pick each by size and purpose, and follow your own family's customs.