Ok, there are no “shoulds” here, but, looking around our house recently, I’ve noticed how frequently I use trays to unify several eclectic pieces and give them visual rootedness. They are a helpful (and potentially cheap) decor item, immediately creating dimension and communicating style. I use them on coffee tables, shelves, dining tables, dressers, and toilet tanks, and I’m still considering the possibilities. The bonus: trays are also helpful for serving food and drinks to guests. They are one of the things in which beauty and usefulness unite.
Trays are also fairly available at garage sales and thrift stores—an inexpensive way to add depth and purpose. I’d recommend a variety of styles—both traditional and contemporary—to communicate a playful timelessness around your home. When choosing a shape or size, aim for proportionality to the surface it’s intended for.
Here are some favorites below at various price points. But, I also encourage you to keep an eye out at your local thrift stores and garage sales for one-of-a-kind pieces. Find a few small kitschy items in your house that need a home—candles, vases, books, magnifying glasses, rocks, keys, jewelry, plants—and give them a tray to live on.
Perfect on a round coffee table with a vase of flowers, a thick book, and a candle. Doubles for charcuterie.
Love the earthy, masculine feel with this one—I’d use it on a night stand, side table, coffee table, or desk.
This round number brings some great neutral texture. Lovely on a darker wood table. When you’re ready for a change from the living room, this would work well as a fruit bowl on the kitchen table or counter!
Love this little, funky one beside a sink or on an entry table.
Prop this kind of decorative tray up on shelf or an entry table against a wall. It will provide a little backdrop for the items in front.
We have this on our coffee table!
We use this for a vignette on our downstairs toilet tank.
This 1960s acrylic piece would reflect light so well.
Marble always seems to lend a timeless, organic feel.
Great under a vase next to a stack of books.
