Carved boxes get bought because they look good and then spend six months empty while their owner works out what to put in them. It is worth solving that at the point of purchase, since the right size for jewellery is not the right size for incense.
What people actually use them for
From what customers tell us, in rough order: jewellery, incense and matches, keys and small change by the front door, cufflinks and watches, tea bags and loose tea, sewing bits, cards and photographs, and hair pins and small cosmetics.
The trays get used differently, mostly as a landing place: keys and phone by the door, perfume and jewellery on a dressing table, or as a base to group candles and small objects on a coffee table.
Sizes, and what fits in each
Ours run in a straightforward progression.
The small square box at 10 by 10 by 4.2cm takes rings, earrings, cufflinks, a few small keepsakes. It is the desk and bedside size.
The medium square at 17 by 10 by 4.2cm is the incense size, taking standard sticks lying flat along with matches, which is the use we hear most.
The big rectangle at 21.5 by 14 by 6.3cm takes chunkier jewellery, watches, or a small stack of cards and papers.
The big round box at 17.5 by 7.5cm suits necklaces and bracelets, since the depth allows coiling rather than folding.
The extra large square at 25 by 25 by 10cm is a genuinely useful storage box rather than a trinket box, and it is the one people use for keepsakes and letters.
The long tray at 30 by 15 by 2.5cm is a surface rather than a container, for grouping objects.
Whitewash or black engraved
Both finishes carry the same carving, and the choice is about the room rather than the object.
Whitewash reads lighter and suits pale interiors, natural wood furniture and Scandinavian influenced rooms. Black engraved reads graphic and stronger, and holds its own on a dark surface or in a room with more contrast.
If the box will sit on a dark wood table, the whitewash will stand out and the black may disappear. The reverse applies on a pale surface.
Why lids stick, and what to do
The most common issue with any wooden box in a British home, and it is a humidity effect rather than a fault.
Wood swells as it absorbs moisture from the air and shrinks as it dries. A lid that fits perfectly in one season can become tight in a damp autumn or loose in a heated January. That is normal and it usually reverses.
If a lid is persistently tight, rubbing a candle stub or a little beeswax along the contact edges reduces friction without altering the wood. Do not sand a lid to fit in a damp season, since it will be loose when the wood dries again.
Keeping the wood well
A light application of natural wood oil or beeswax once a year keeps the timber content and reduces the swings that cause sticking. Apply sparingly, work it in, wipe off the excess rather than leaving a film.
Keep boxes away from radiators and direct sun, which dry the wood unevenly and can open fine splits along the grain, and away from bathrooms, where sustained humidity works in the opposite direction.
What not to keep in them
Two things. Anything damp, obviously, including jewellery put away straight after wearing in summer, which introduces moisture into a closed wooden space.
And anything strongly scented that you do not want permanently. Wood absorbs fragrance, and a box used for incense for a year will smell of incense for the rest of its life. That is charming if it is intentional and irritating if you then want to use it for jewellery.
As a gift
These make unusually good gifts because they are useful, they need no explanation, and they suit someone whose taste you do not know well. The small and medium sizes are the natural gift sizes, and a box with something small inside it rather than empty makes a considerably better present.
Our full carved box and tray range covers all sizes in both finishes.
Questions people ask
What size carved box do I need for incense?
The medium square at 17 by 10 by 4.2cm, which takes standard sticks lying flat along with matches. It is the most common use customers report.
Why has my box lid gone tight?
Humidity. Wood swells as it absorbs moisture and shrinks as it dries, so a lid can become tight in a damp season and loose in a heated one. Rub beeswax on the contact edges rather than sanding it.
Whitewash or black engraved?
Choose for contrast with the surface it will sit on. Whitewash stands out on dark wood and suits pale interiors; black engraved reads graphic and holds its own on a pale surface.
How do I care for a carved wooden box?
A light application of natural wood oil or beeswax once a year, applied sparingly and wiped off. Keep it away from radiators, direct sun and bathrooms.
Can I keep jewellery in one?
Yes, and the round box suits necklaces since the depth allows coiling. Avoid putting jewellery away damp, since moisture in a closed wooden box is unhelpful to both.
