Tray Decor Ideas Featuring Decocrated Trays

A variety of tray decor ideas featuring several different trays from Decocrated. A tray can be styled to match a space or rotate seasonally, adding visual interest to your home’s flat surfaces.

Trays are an excellent home decor piece to add visual interest to flat surfaces. A fun tray can be styled to match a space or rotate seasonally. Decocrated is a home decor subscription box that carries a wide array of trays and other home decor pieces. I partnered with Decocrated several seasons ago, so I have collected quite a few of their trays.

The “Holiday” Tray Decor Ideas

My favorite Decocrated tray is the “Holiday Tray” from the Winter 2019 collection. The tray has a wood frame in a walnut finish with black handles. The bottom of the tray is stamped metal with a distressed finish. I use this tray for serving snacks during family movie nights. The handles make it simple to transport plates, glasses, and food around.

When it comes to styling, I prefer to use this tray for displaying decor in the bedrooms. The high sides bring me peace of mind that my coffee or candles won’t fall off.

Here, I styled the “Holiday Tray” in my bedroom with a cup of coffee, a stack of faux books from the Spring 2021 collection, and a concrete planter from Summer 2020.

And I styled it with a cup of coffee (again) and a book on the couch. With this tray, I tend to gravitate towards creating a cozy setting with coffee and books.

The “Two-Tier” Tray Decor Ideas

Another amazing tray from Decocrated is the “Two-Tier Tray” from Summer 2020. This tray makes for a great centerpiece for parties or showcasing seasonal decor. The trays themselves are wood, with natural finished frames. The insides of the trays are painted white but can be easily changed.

I decided to line the inside of my trays with marbled contact paper. This elevated the appearance of the trays, without altering their structure or function.

To set up the tray, unfold the metal frame and attach each tray using the notches on the bottom. Easy peasy! Here, I styled the two-tier tray with plants, candles, and a Summer 2020 art print for a fun, summer centerpiece.

Then in Christmas 2020, I styled it for the holidays. I filled the bottom tier with colorful mini ball ornaments and added candles, tinsel, and faux holly to the top tier. The tray sat displayed on the kitchen island for the holidays.

The Framed Art Turned Tray

While the framed art from the Winter 2020 collection may not have been intended to be a tray, it works as one! I removed the saw-tooth hanger from the backside of the art to create a fun tray. Since this “tray” was originally intended to be a framed piece of art, it has a wooden frame. The bottom inside of the tray has a gorgeous watercolor botanical design.

I styled this tray with coffee table books, flowers, and wooden bead garland in the living room.

The Wood Runner Tray

Finally, my favorite of all the Decocrated trays: the “Runner” Tray. This tray folds out into a long rectangle, making it the perfect size for a table runner. It has a fun alternating arrow design that runs the entire length of the runner.

An elevated, wooden table runner is such a fun concept for a table setting. It adds height and visual interest to a table. It also separates the decor from the food and dishes. In the Spring, I decorated the runner to create a lovely table setting using colorful dishware, faux eggs, and florals.

This runner tray would also be perfect for practical uses, like serving or displaying food for dinner parties. I really like the arrow pattern on the tray, but it could be painted to better match any type of home decor.

Runner Tray “Hack”

However, the runner tray does not have to be limited to being a table runner. I created a bit of a Decocrated “hack” to give this tray several possible uses. First, I removed the hinge in the center of the runner to create two trays. I saved the hinge so I can reassemble it as a runner whenever I want. Then, I cut two pieces of a 1×1 square wooden dowel to match the existing dowels on the underside of the tray. I painted the dowels white to match.

Once the paint dried, I attached the new dowels to the underside of each tray 3 inches from the end. This converted the tray from one long tray to two rectangular trays. The dowels on the underside elevate the trays above the table or countertop service. Since they’re two individual trays they can be used in different locations, or on the same surface.

I love this hack because it makes the runner tray more versatile. One tray may have food served on it, while the other holds flowers, candles, or other decor. I also love the idea of two centerpieces on one table that mirrors each other. The possibilities are endless.

A beautiful tray adds visual interest and a fun decorative surface to any room or surface. A tray may hold decor that only serves a decorative purpose. It may help corral the mess of an office. Or it may be part of your seasonal decor. Whatever the purpose, the options for tray decor ideas are endless!

Try Decocrated!

If you’re interested in trying out Decocrated and starting your own tray collection, be sure to check out my link! The code ASHLEYR15 saves you $15 off a subscription. I’ve loved almost all of the pieces that I received and use them year-round in my home.

Find my Decocrated decor posts here: Winter 2020, Spring 2020, Christmas 2020, My Home Office