Blue Naqshi Round Table: Where It Fits and How to Style It

Short answer: the Blue Naqshi Round Table is a small round occasional table in deep blue lac, with a white pattern cut back through the colour by hand. It is sized to sit beside a chair or a bed and hold a lamp, a cup or a book, and it costs PKR 10,000.

What makes the blue-and-white naqshi table different?

Most naqshi pieces people picture are warm: red, gold, green and yellow. This table is cool. The top is finished in deep blue lac, and the pattern shows as fine white lines, so the whole top reads as one drawn medallion rather than a painted picture.

That cooler colour changes how it behaves in a room. Warm naqshi tends to be the loudest thing in sight. The blue sits back a little, so it works in quieter rooms and next to plainer furniture, while still giving you a handmade piece to look at.

How is the pattern made?

Every line on the top is wood and lac revealed, not paint added. The table is turned on the khraad, the lathe, and while it spins a stick of coloured lac is pressed against the wood until the friction melts it on in a layer. More colour goes on over the first.

Then, still on the lathe, the artisan cuts back through the layers with the sathri, an iron tool that opens a fine furrow so the colour beneath shows. The bands are set out freehand, which is why they tighten and loosen slightly as they move out from the centre. The stem and the foot are worked to match the top.

For more on the craft itself, read our guide to naqshi lacquer woodcraft.

What is naqshi lacquer woodcraft?→

Where does it fit in a home?

It is an occasional table, not a coffee table, so think of the spots where you need a small surface within arm's reach:

• Beside a sofa, for a cup of tea and the remote.
• In an entrance or hallway, with a small lamp or a bowl for keys.
• Next to a reading chair, holding a book and a lamp.
• In a bedroom corner or beside the bed, as a bedside table.

Because it is round and has no corners, it is easy to place in a tight spot and looks finished from every side of the room.

What colours and pieces does it pair with?

The blue sits cool against a warm room, and the sheesham shows at the rim and foot, so it suits both light and wooden interiors. Some easy pairings:

• White or off-white walls, which let the white lines in the pattern stand out.
• Wooden floors or a plain rug in a warm tone, which balance the cool blue.
• Plain cushions and curtains in white, cream, grey or a soft blue.
• Brass or simple ceramic lamps and bowls on top.

Try not to crowd it with other bold patterns. The top is already detailed, so it looks best with plain fabrics around it and only one or two objects on it.

How should you care for it day to day?

• Use a coaster for hot or cold cups, as heat and moisture can mark lacquer.
• Dust it with a soft, dry cloth.
• Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from heaters.
• Avoid water, polish sprays and chemical cleaners, which can lift the lac.

Our lacquered wood care guide covers this in more detail.

How to care for lacquered wood→

Is it a good gift?

It makes a lasting housewarming or new-home gift, because it is useful in almost any room and does not need to match a particular style. The product page also notes that a name or a date can be scratched into the border on request, which makes it a personal present for a wedding or a new home.

Shop the Blue Naqshi Round Table

Blue Naqshi Round Table: PKR 10,000. https://sillanwalihandicrafts.com/products/blue-naqshi-round-table

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