Brass Urli Decoration Ideas for Hotels, Restaurants and Event Venues

An urli is a wide, shallow brass bowl, traditionally filled with water, flower petals and floating diyas. In hospitality design it does a lot of work for little space: it signals a warm Indian welcome, brightens a corner, and changes with the seasons simply by changing the flowers. Here is how hotels, restaurants and event venues use them.

Where to place an urli

Lobby and entrance

A large urli on a low pedestal, or a floor-standing urli on legs, makes a natural centrepiece for a lobby or porte-cochère. Designs with figures, such as jhula (swing) urlis, multi-tier urlis or deity urlis, give it a focal point even when the water is empty. Choose a bowl in proportion to the space: in a double-height lobby, pieces of 8 kg and above read well from across the room.

Reception desk and concierge

A small urli of 6–8 inches holds a few floating flowers without taking over the counter. Bell-rim (ghungroo) urlis add a gentle sound when guests brush past.

Restaurants, spas and courtyards

Place mid-size urlis on consoles, at the end of a buffet, beside a spa entrance or along a courtyard path. Four-diya urlis, with lamp cups built into the rim, give evening light without separate candle holders.

Weddings and events

Line an entrance walkway with matching urlis, place one at the centre of each guest table, or group several sizes around a stage. Urlis also anchor festive décor for Diwali, Onam and Pongal.

Choosing sizes

Our urlis run from about 1 kg tabletop bowls to 36 kg lobby pieces. Roughly, bowls under 3 kg suit tables and counters, 3–8 kg pieces suit consoles and entrances, and urlis of 8 kg and above are made for lobbies and venues. See the full range in our brass urli collection.

Styling with flowers and light

• Flowers: marigold, rose petals, jasmine and lotus float well. Arrange a ring of petals with one or two whole blooms in the centre.
• Diyas and candles: use urlis with built-in diya cups, or floating tealights in the water. Keep flames away from curtains and high-traffic edges.
• Rangoli and pookalam: for festivals, set the urli at the centre of a floor rangoli for a layered display.

Care in a busy property

• Change the water and flowers daily to prevent stale smells and insects.
• Empty and dry the bowl weekly, and polish with a brass cleaner or a tamarind or lemon paste; our guide to cleaning solid brass covers the method.
• Put felt pads under the base to protect marble and wooden tops, and check that large urlis sit on a level, stable stand.

Ordering for a property

We supply matching sets for hotel groups, restaurants and event decorators, and can cast urlis in custom sizes and finishes. Most designs can be ordered from 5 pieces. Send your list through the quote basket or our contact page and we will suggest sizes for your spaces.