Ellery Burl Tissue Box Cover

Sized for a standard rectangular tissue box, not a cube.

Standard rectangular tissue boxes run roughly 24cm by 12cm by 8cm, which sits inside this comfortably. Measure your usual brand before ordering if you buy something unusual, since box sizes do vary a little between manufacturers.

It will not take a cube box. Those are a different shape entirely, around 13cm square, and they need a cube cover.

The 27cm width needs a surface to match. On a narrow cistern shelf or a small basin edge, measure the depth before ordering. 15cm deep is manageable but not tiny.

The cover lifts off to change the box, and sits over the carton so no cardboard shows at any angle.

The gloss is what makes it. A matt burl would be a wooden box.

The finish is a mirror-bright lacquer over a dark walnut burl pattern, deep enough to reflect the room. That high polish is what gives the piece its slightly deco, slightly gentleman's-club character, and it is the reason it reads as an object rather than a cover.

The burl pattern itself is the swirling, knotted figure you get where a tree has grown a burr, all eyes and whorls rather than straight grain. It is one of the most prized timber patterns there is, and it has been used on cabinetry and car dashboards for exactly that reason.

The oval opening is shaped rather than cut, with a rounded edge finished in the same gloss, so the tissue comes through cleanly without catching on a raw edge.

It is a burl-effect finish rather than solid timber, which is what keeps a piece this size light and makes the finish consistent across all four faces.

• Mirror-gloss lacquer, deep enough to reflect the room
• Dark walnut burl pattern, all whorls and eyes rather than straight grain
• A shaped oval opening with a rounded finished edge
• Hides the carton entirely, from every angle
• Lifts off to change the box, with nothing to unscrew
• Sized for standard rectangular boxes, which is what most people buy
• Warm dark tone that works against pale tiles, marble and painted joinery
• The detail nobody expects, which is what makes it a good gift

A downstairs cloakroom is a small room people spend two minutes in and notice everything about. It is where a detail like this does the most work for the least money.

High-gloss dark timber reads beautifully against white tiles, pale marble or painted joinery. Against a dark surface it disappears, which defeats the point.

On a basin or a cistern, a small tray holding the tissue box, a diffuser and a dish turns three separate objects into one arrangement.

A polished surface wants one other reflective thing nearby, a mirror frame or a metal tap, so it does not sit alone as the only shiny object in a matt room.

On a bedside in a guest room this is the sort of small consideration people notice. It costs very little and it reads as thought.

A high-gloss finish shows fingerprints. That is the honest trade for the depth of the polish, and a microfibre cloth kept in the cupboard handles it in seconds.

Buff with a dry microfibre cloth, and a barely damp one on a mark, dried straight after. Nothing abrasive, which will dull a lacquer permanently and leave a matt patch you cannot polish out.

No bathroom sprays. Cleaning products intended for tiles and basins are too aggressive for a lacquered surface, and overspray is the usual way these get damaged.

Keep it off a wet surface. Standing water around the base will work under the lacquer over time. Wipe a basin edge before you set it down, or use a tray.

Out of direct sunlight, which can lighten a dark finish unevenly over years.

What to expect. The burl pattern varies across the piece and between pieces, so no two are identical.

It ships as a small parcel. Current timescales and charges are set out on our delivery page.

Not sure whether your tissue boxes will fit? Send us the dimensions and we will tell you. Reach us via our contact page or live chat.

If it is not right, our returns process is straightforward, and everything is covered by our guarantees and warranties.

Our price match promise stands if you find the same piece for less elsewhere. Fitting out a hotel or a holiday let? Ask about trade accounts.