Home Decor covers pieces that sit on a shelf, hang on a door or cover a floor: vases, lamps, candle holders, mats, cushion covers, trays and ornaments. This page adds the detail specific to this category. The general rules for names, honest claims and the reply format are in the JADUZ listing guide.
What to measure and how to state it
Measure the finished piece with a tape, not the pattern or the mould. Give each figure in inches first and centimetres in brackets, rounded to the nearest whole centimetre, for example 10 × 6 in (25 × 15 cm).
- Upright pieces (vases, lamps, candle stands): height, then the widest diameter, then the opening if it matters, such as the mouth of a vase.
- Flat pieces (mats, trays, runners, cushion covers): length × width. For a cushion cover, say the insert size it fits, for example 16 × 16 in (41 × 41 cm), and whether the insert is included.
- Hanging pieces (door hangings, mobiles, torans): the total drop including any cord or loop, and the width.
- Weight in grams or kilograms when it affects how the piece can be hung or shipped.
- Sets: the size of each item and how many are in the set.
If pieces vary from one to the next, give a range, such as "9 to 10 in (23 to 25 cm) tall", rather than one exact figure.
Materials and techniques to name
Name the main material plainly, then how it was shaped or finished. Common materials here are terracotta (fired clay), brass and bell metal, jute, bamboo and cane, shital pati (woven murta cane), shola pith, hogla and other reeds, wood, and kantha-stitched cotton. Then the technique: hand-thrown, moulded, hand-woven, hand-stitched, hand-painted or carved. Say what the surface is: unglazed, glazed, lacquered, varnished, oiled or painted, and with which paint if you know. Mention any parts you did not make yourself, such as a bought lamp fitting or a cushion zip.
Care
Tell the buyer how to clean the piece and what to keep it away from. Most natural-fibre pieces want a dry or barely damp cloth and no soaking. Shola and paper pieces must stay dry. Unglazed terracotta marks easily and can take up water. Brass darkens over time and can be polished; say whether it has a lacquer coat, because polish can strip lacquer. If an electric fitting is included, say what bulb it takes.
Example names
- Hand-woven jute and cane table lamp, natural, 14 in (36 cm) tall
- Kantha-stitched cushion cover, lotus motif, 16 × 16 in (41 × 41 cm)
- Hand-painted terracotta vase, white floral pattern, 10 in (25 cm)
- Shital pati table runner, red and natural weave, 12 × 48 in (30 × 122 cm)
- Shola pith wall ornament, peacock design, 8 in (20 cm)
Questions buyers ask
- How big is it in real life? Next to the exact figure, compare it with something familiar, such as "about the height of a water bottle".
- Will it hold water? Is it for fresh flowers or dried ones?
- Is it fragile, and how is it packed for delivery?
- Will the colour match the photo? Say that natural fibres and hand finishing vary.
- Does it need a hook, nail, bulb or insert that is not included?
Words to avoid
Leave out anything you can't show: "best quality", "100% original", "premium", "luxury", "antique" for a new piece, "limited stock" or "only a few left", made-up discounts and "was" prices, ALL CAPS and emojis. Don't call a piece eco-friendly or chemical-free unless you can say exactly why; write the specific fact instead, such as "dyed with plant dyes", when it is true. Plain, exact words sell a handmade piece better than hype.