I can’t think of a more useful item to have in your design back pocket than a selection of trays. Trays not only serve a function, like carrying the wine, chips and salsa out to the patio, but trays can be used in a variety of ways and are easy to switch out based on the occasion. I use trays in my home to organize otherwise messy counter-top and dresser-top items. I use them to center design items on a coffee or dining table and I often use trays as art items, mounting the more attractive ones on the wall, singularly or in groups of three or five trays. For some great ideas on how trays can work for you, read on…
“Design is not just what it looks like, design is how it works.”
Steve Jobs
Use Trays to Contain The Mess:
We all have it – that messy stuff of life that we use every day – so much so that we don’t want to keep putting it away. That “stuff” doesn’t have to make your house look like a mess, however, when you use tray to contain it. In my upstairs bathroom, for example, I have a round, galvanized tray with a single handle. Inside this tray I have glass jars for Q-tips, make-up squares and dental flossers. The tray also house my hairspray, body lotion and toothpaste. It’s all the things I need, in one place. It looks neat and makes cleaning off the sink a breeze.
Use Trays to Create Design Features:
The coffee table, the dresser-top in the master bedroom – they are design opportunities waiting to happen. It’s a chance for you to show your personal style – to curate a small collection of treasured objects. On my dresser I have a round, modern, brass tray and it houses my collection of vintage perfume bottles. In the living room, it’s a rectangular tray that is centered on the coffee table. It has a stack of three books of poetry, an aromatherapy candle, a succulent in a beautiful cache pot, and a piece of coral I found in Hawaii.
Use Trays As Wall Art:
Some trays are just that stunning, especially the antique, hand-painted ones. They deserve to be treated as art, because that’s just what they are. A single tray can make a real statement. And an odd number group can deliver a punch of color or a style wow. This is also a chance to highlight a collection that you have curated over time – examples from your travels, perhaps. Another plus is that with mounted trays you can fill a large wall space for a relatively modest budget.
A Final Thought…
Trays are an inexpensive way to add organization and design to your home. Grab a couple the next time you are consignment shopping or thrifting. You’ll be glad you did… as always, be safe out there, my friends… and have fun!
And Now For Some Music Before We Go:
“Thinking about design is hard, but not thinking about it can be disastrous.”
Ralph Caplan
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