How Do You Style an Entryway Console with Asma-ul-Husna Vases and a Lacquer Box?
Give your entrance a calm, handmade welcome: a matching pair of Asma-ul-Husna lacquer vases either side, and a naqshi lacquer box in the middle.
Short answer: place the pair of Asma-ul-Husna vases at either end of the console so the 99 Names frame the entrance, then set the round Fancy Lacquer Box in the middle for small things. Both are turned from sheesham and finished in coloured lac in Sillanwali, so they sit well together. The vases cost PKR 12,000 for the pair and the box PKR 3,200.
Why does an entryway suit Asma-ul-Husna vases?
The entrance is the first thing guests see and the last thing you pass on the way out. The vases carry the ninety-nine names worked in gold around the body, with Allah written at the centre of the front face inside its own medallion. The product page notes that their scale is meant to be read across a room rather than examined up close, which suits a console seen as people walk in.
How should you arrange a matching pair?
Put one vase at each end of the console, facing forward, so the front medallions are visible from the door. Symmetry keeps the arrangement calm, and the empty space between them gives the box room to stand out.
The vases are sold as a pair because they are worked in the same run. The page explains that this is the only way the depth of colour and the weight of the lettering actually match across the two. They are made in green and in red, so choose the colour that suits your entrance.
They are display pieces rather than containers. The lid lifts off by a turned finial, but they are not meant to hold flowers or water.
What can the lacquer box hold by the door?
The Fancy Lacquer Box is a round lidded box covered edge to edge in dense naqshi, the pattern cut back through layers of lac by hand. The page says it holds rings, a tasbeeh, dry fruit or mithai, and that it is often bought simply to sit out on a shelf. By the door, it makes a neat lidded place for small things you pick up on the way out.
It is made in teal and in red. A red box between red vases gives a matching set; teal between green vases gives a cooler look.
How do you pick a spot that protects the lacquer?
Choose a console away from a window that gets direct sun, and away from heaters. Both product pages say to keep painted and lacquered surfaces out of direct sun and away from heat so the colours stay true.
How do you clean them?
- Dust with a soft, dry cloth.
- Avoid water, chemical cleaners and polish sprays, which lift both the lac and the gold.
- Handle the lids gently when lifting them off.
Is this set a good housewarming gift?
Yes. The vase page notes that a name, a date or an ayat can be added on request, which makes the pair a common nikkah, Eid and housewarming gift. A name or a date can also be worked into the lid of the lacquer box on request.
For more on each piece, read our guides to Asma-ul-Husna vases and to naqshi lacquer work.
Shop the entryway set
Asma-ul-Husna 99 Names Vases (Pair): PKR 12,000 for the pair. https://sillanwalihandicrafts.com/products/asma-ul-husna-vase
Fancy Lacquer Box: PKR 3,200. https://sillanwalihandicrafts.com/products/fancy-lacquer-box
Frequently asked questions
- Can I put flowers or water in the vases?
- No. The product page describes them as display pieces rather than containers, and water lifts the lac and the gold.
- Will the two vases match?
- Yes. They are worked in the same run, so the depth of colour and the weight of the lettering match across the pair.
- Does each piece look exactly like the photo?
- No two are exactly alike. The calligraphy on the vases is drawn by hand, and each box lid is cut individually, so small variations are normal.
- How much is shipping?
- At the time of writing, the product pages show standard shipping of PKR 400 for the vases and PKR 250 for the box, added to your total.