How to Build a Brass Home Décor Assortment for Your Store: Starter Orders by Price Point

By Bhavini Khullar | Founder, Byaas | Adjunct Professor, Montclair State University

Short answer: Build a brass assortment in three tiers: small treats under about $45 retail, sets and standouts from $45 to $150, and a few statement pieces in the hundreds. Small shops usually start with eight to twenty pieces.

Emily Henderson put it perfectly in her 2026 decor trends roundup: "Swans are to 2026 as owls were to 2010" (Emily Henderson). Walk into any home store this year and you will see what she means. And you know, as well as I do, where most of those owls are now.

That is the real challenge of building an assortment. Your customer still loves bringing home something small and beautiful, but she is trying to buy less, and she does not want this year's owl. The answer is price architecture built around pieces that last: a lovely small treat near the till, a considered gift in the middle, and one piece worth saving for. Here is how to build it.

Build by tier, not by item

Instead of choosing products one by one, decide how many entry, mid-range and statement pieces you want, then fill each tier with pieces that suit your customers. It keeps shelves balanced and reordering simple. Prices below are retail prices at byaas.com, shown for scale. Wholesale pricing is shared with approved trade accounts. See current prices in the full shop.

Tier one: the small treat

Usually under about $45 at retail. These are the easy gifts and the little pleasures, and they bring new customers back. Think small taper holders, tealight holders and trivets: the Stela Petite Column holder, the Cubo Facet holder, the Serpentine holder and the Spirale trivet. Display them in groups so customers can build their own cluster.

The best part for a customer trying to buy less: a small solid brass piece is a treat that will not end up in a landfill. It is the opposite of disposable.

Tier two: sets and standouts

Roughly $45 to $150 at retail. Much of your margin lives here. Customers pay more for sets and sculptural shapes that feel special. Examples: the Thread of Togetherness set of 3, the Anaar Bloom large ikebana vase, the Cascading Nine-Arm candelabra and the Ribbon Wave-Rim oval platter.

Tier three: the piece worth saving for

Retail prices in the hundreds. These sell less often, but they lift the perceived value of everything around them and show that your shop takes craft seriously. Designers told Good Housekeeping that pieces with an almost heirloom quality will lead in 2026 (Good Housekeeping), and this is the tier where you meet that customer. Examples: the Museum-Style statement vase, the Herb and Bloom planter set and the Tree of Life panel.

Sample starter assortments

• Small shop or online start: eight to ten tier one and tier two pieces, mostly candle holders and tabletop, in two finishes.

• Mid-sized boutique: fifteen to twenty pieces across all three tiers, including an ikebana vase pair and one statement piece.

• Larger store or hotel gift shop: a full range across tiers and finishes, with gift sets and one or two wall art or lighting pieces.

Our team can tailor a list after you register for a trade account.

Merchandising each tier

Put tier one near the till or at the front, where it can be picked up easily. Group tier two sets on a table with candles styled in them, so the combination is visible. Give tier three space, good light and eye level. Rotate the display every few weeks; brass catches light differently through the day, and a new grouping makes an old product feel new.

Add a styling card to your candle holder table: the same holders shown with a burgundy taper for autumn, ice blue with a velvet ribbon for winter and soft amber for spring. It helps customers see a small purchase as a long-term one.

A sample budget split

A sensible first-order split puts roughly half into tier one and tier two candle holders, a quarter into vases and tabletop sets, and the rest into one or two statement pieces. Gift-heavy shops drift toward more sets. Shops serving interior designers drift toward larger vases, lamps and wall art.

Mix metals and finishes

Offer at least two finishes. A common pairing is brass with chrome, such as the chrome and brass Thread of Togetherness, plus a matte black iron accent like the Nastro Wave single holder. Our guide to mixing chrome and brass helps you show customers how.

Reorder rhythm and seasons

Review sales monthly. Reorder what sold through and drop what has not moved after a full season. Candle holders and tabletop lead in autumn and winter, vases and planters in spring, wall art and lighting all year. Hand-finished brass cannot be restocked overnight, so order a little early. See wholesale brass for US retailers for lead times.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many products should a first order include?

Many small shops start with eight to twenty pieces across tiers, then expand once they see what sells.

What is a good price mix?

Mostly tier one and tier two with a few statement pieces, so cash sits in fast-moving stock while the display still has a focal point.

Should I buy sets or single pieces?

Both. Sets raise the average sale and are easy to gift. Singles let customers build a collection over time.

How do I see wholesale prices?

Register for a trade account and our team will share them.

Can you help me choose?

Yes. Tell us about your shop, customers and budget through the contact page.

Pieces mentioned in this article

About the author

Bhavini Khullar is the founder and creative director of Byaas and an adjunct professor of Advertising Media Strategies at Montclair State University. She grew up in her family's metal workshop and has spent more than a decade studying audiences and how people decide what to buy. Byaas is where those two worlds meet.

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