Small diya decoration ideas for small spaces: windowsills, shelves, thalis and steps

Small diya decoration ideas for small spaces

Small diyas are made for the places a big urli or a rangoli cannot go: a windowsill, a bookshelf, a pooja thali, a staircase, a bathroom ledge or a study desk. For all of these you want lights that sit flat, are ready to light and do not spill. Our Diya Candles (Rs 449 for 6, terracotta-red with a carved lattice rim) and our tealights (Rs 449 for 10) are the two sizes we suggest.

This page is for people decorating a small flat, a hostel room or a rented home where floor space is short.

Six small-diya arrangements

1. The windowsill line

A narrow sill holds one neat row. Use 5 or 6 small lights evenly spaced, with the window shut so the curtain cannot blow onto them. One pack of Diya Candles fills a normal sill.

2. The bookshelf pocket

Clear one shelf section and place three diyas in a triangle on a small brass or steel plate. Keep at least a hand-span of empty space above the flames, and keep books well back.

3. The pooja thali ring

Set five small diyas around the edge of a thali with roli, rice and flowers in the middle. It becomes a ready aarti plate and a decoration at once. Our diyas are small enough to fit around an ordinary thali.

4. The staircase

One light on alternate steps, at the wall side, not the open side. You need about 8 to 10 for a single flight, so tealights are the better buy here: Sunflower Tealights or Daisy Tealights, each Rs 449 for 10.

5. The doorstep cluster

If your flat door opens onto a narrow corridor, skip the long row. Make one cluster of three diyas on one side of the door, on a plate, with a few marigold petals.

6. The study or work desk

One small light near a framed picture of a deity or a family photo. A single Lotus Candle (Rs 349) works well here, since it is one piece and looks finished on its own.

Diya or tealight: which small light to buy

If you want both looks, one pack of each is Rs 898 and gives 16 lights. The Daisy Tealights come in mint and ivory or purple and ivory, which suits a modern flat; the Sunflower Tealights are yellow and festive.

Small mistakes to avoid

• Too many in one place. In a small room, three well-placed diyas look better than twelve crowded ones.
• Diyas under shelves. A flame needs open space above it. Never put one directly under a wooden shelf.
• Paper and fabric nearby. Small spaces have curtains, cushions and books close by. Use petals, not paper, for decoration.
• Uneven spacing. In a row, keep the same gap between every diya.

Where else to buy: Small diya decoration ideas for small spaces

Plain clay diyas by the dozen are cheapest from a local potter, and you fill them with oil yourself. Painted and mirror-work small diyas are on large marketplaces. LED tealights are a good flame-free choice for a hostel that does not allow open flames; we do not make them.

Ordering

Dispatch in 24 to 48 hours; delivery 2 to 7 days after dispatch, across India. Free shipping on orders of Rs 999 or more (Rs 79 below). Prepaid only through Razorpay, no cash on delivery. Damage reported within 24 hours of delivery is replaced or refunded.

Safety: Small diya decoration ideas for small spaces

Put every small diya on a heat-proof plate, trim the wick to about 5 mm, never leave it burning unattended and do not burn it for more than 3 to 4 hours at a time.