 Trays are one of those quietly brilliant decor pieces. They don’t ask for much, but they do everything. They organize. They style. They corral chaos. They make a messy surface look like a design choice. And the best part? Whether you’ve scored a vintage brass beauty, a weathered wood find, or a sleek modern marble tray, there are about a hundred ways to use it beyond “holding stuff on a coffee table.” Let’s get creative. The “Morning Ritual” Moment ☕ Best for: Small to medium trays Turn your daily coffee (or tea, or matcha, or ...) into a styled vignette. Use a tray to hold:
Place it on your kitchen counter or open shelf and suddenly your morning routine feels like a boutique hotel experience. The Entryway Catch-All That Actually Looks Good Best for: Medium trays Keys, sunglasses, lip balm, dog treats, receipts - the entryway collects everything. A tray gives all that chaos a home. Style it with:
Vintage brass or ceramic trays shine here because they add warmth and character without trying too hard.  Nightstand, But Make It Styled Best for: Small trays Instead of letting your nightstand turn into a “random object museum,” use a tray to define the space. Try:
It keeps things tidy and gives your bedroom that calm, collected, design-forward look. Bedside Jewelry Station Best for: Small vintage trays This is where tiny vintage trays really shine. Use one for:
It keeps things visible, pretty, and not scattered across your nightstand.  The Coffee Table Anchor Best for: Large trays If your coffee table ever feels “floaty,” a large tray solves that instantly. Layer inside:
This creates a visual “zone” that makes the entire space feel intentional instead of scattered.  Bathroom Vanity, But Boutique-Style Best for: Small to medium trays This one’s underrated. Use a tray to hold:
Vintage glass or ceramic trays are especially beautiful here. They catch the light and make even a basic sink feel elevated.  The Bar Cart’s Best Friend 🍸 Best for: Medium trays Trays on bar carts = instant styling win. Use one to group:
Open Shelf Styling That Doesn’t Feel Try-Hard Best for: Small trays Trays are perfect for breaking up rows of books or stacked dishes. Place a tray flat on a shelf and layer:
 Dining Table “Soft Centerpiece” Best for: Large trays Instead of a formal centerpiece, use a tray as a flexible base. Try:
It feels relaxed, modern, and easy to change with the seasons. The “I Found This and Love It” Moment Best for: Any size Sometimes a tray doesn’t need to do anything. Lean a large tray against a backsplash. Stand a vintage metal tray on a shelf. Let it be sculptural. Not every piece needs a job. Some are just here to be beautiful!  How I Style Trays When I’m Thrifting or Curating My personal rule? One tray = one story. If it’s coastal, I pair it with something organic. If it’s vintage brass, I keep the styling minimal. If it’s modern, I warm it up with texture. That balance is what keeps things feeling collected instead of cluttered. Shop My Favorite Vintage Trays If you’re hunting for something special, I always keep a rotating collection of curated vintage trays, sculptural decor, and coastal-inspired styling pieces in the shop. Perfect for coffee tables, entryways, and everywhere in between. Shop Trays Final Styling Tip Big or small, modern or vintage trays work best when they don’t try to do too much. Let them frame a moment, not fill a surface, because the best spaces don’t look styled. They look beautifully lived in.  I have selected every item that appears on this page. Additionally, I may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish.
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 Bookends are one of those things I’m always picking up even when I don’t need them. If it has good weight, an interesting shape, or that “what is this?” quality, it’s probably coming home with me. They’re practical, sure. But I mostly love them because they solve design problems quietly. They add structure. They keep stacks in check. They make a space feel finished without shouting about it. And honestly? They’re way more versatile than people give them credit for. Ground a Console or Credenza Bookends are great at keeping things from feeling floaty. Try using a pair on one end of a console or credenza with a short stack of books in between. It instantly creates structure without feeling stiff. Balance the other side with a lamp, vase, or something collected and personal. Design rule I swear by: If it looks like it could tip over, add a bookend.  Break Up Open Shelves (They Need It) Open shelving can get busy fast. Bookends help break things into smaller, calmer moments. Instead of lining books straight across, use bookends to create little groupings that feel intentional (and give your eye somewhere to rest). Pair them with a plant, a favorite object, or a simple coastal accent and call it good.  Coffee Tables Love Bookends Too Oversized books on a coffee table? Always a yes. Bookends help keep those stacks tidy while adding a sculptural moment right at eye level. This is a great spot for stone, ceramic, or metal bookends, pieces that feel substantial without trying too hard. Make Your Home Office Feel Less… Office-y Bookends are an easy way to make a workspace feel styled but still relaxed. Use them on a desk, side table, or shelf to corral notebooks, cookbooks, or magazines you actually use. Vintage bookends with a little patina are especially good here, they soften clean lines and keep things from feeling too polished.  Yes, They Make Great Door Stops This one’s underrated. Heavy bookends, think marble, brass, ceramic, make surprisingly great door stops. Functional and good-looking! We love a multitasker. Set one beside a door in a bedroom, office, or sunroom and suddenly your door stop is a design moment. Pro tip: If it’s heavy enough to hold a door open and pretty enough to leave out, it’s doing its job. Use Them Where You’d Normally Use “Something Else” Bedside tables, bathroom shelves, kitchen open shelving, bookends work in all of these spots. Use them to frame cookbooks, folded linens, or a small stack of favorites. Stick with simple shapes and neutral tones and they’ll blend right in (while still quietly stealing the show). Let Them Fly Solo Sometimes bookends don’t need books at all. When the design is good, let them stand alone on a shelf, mantel, or sideboard like the small sculptures they are. Mid-century shapes, animal forms, and abstract pieces shine here. No stacks required. Most of the pieces I love in a home aren’t flashy—they’re useful, well-shaped, and quietly doing their thing. Bookends fall squarely into that category. If you start thinking of them as small sculptures instead of shelf accessories, they’ll show up for you all over the house. And that’s exactly the kind of decor I’m always hunting for.  I have selected every item that appeasr on this page. Additionally, I may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish.
 Among the stacks of moving boxes and piles of "where should this live" I sit on the floor with a plate in my lap. I recently moved and I'm in desperate need of a dining room table. November's "The Fab Furniture Flippin' Contest" Showstopping TOPS sponsored by "ETI Envirotex" came at the perfect time. Thanksgiving dinner picnic style was not an option I was willing to entertain.
The past year has been one for the record books! I traveled to seven different countries, married the man I couldn't image experiencing life without and now call the lovely city of Seattle home! It is time to get back to work and what better way than by building a new set of sawhorse legs to get the furniture restoration off the ground (sorry I couldn't help it) and growing in a new city.   I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving celebrations, the holidays officially feel like they are in full swing! As the gifting holidays are sneaking up fast I am first in line to get all of my gift shopping done early so that I can sit back and enjoy my time with family. To help you get to the state where the gifts are all wrapped and the stockings are hung the After Thanksgiving Sale has begun! All Vintage Italian Treasures have been marked down and for an added holiday bonus if you email "Save Me 20" to [email protected] I will send you an additional $20 Off! Recently back from Rome, Italy I have selected some treasure that would make perfect gifts! Check out all of the Italian Treasures available and find one that is perfect for the special people on your holiday list! Whether the Holidays are a time you enjoy or a time that brings stress please remember to be kind to others and to smile the holidays are a time to celebrate! I am truly thankful for this year and all of you who have participated on this journey! After a 3 month adventure in Rome I am back with some special treasures! Having to be selective on the items traveling back to San Francisco with me was hard. There is a massive amount of amazing finds and sadly my suitcase was only so big. Rome has markets everyday, the contents ranging from touristy trinkets to vintage treasures. My favorite was the Porta Portese Market that took place every Sunday outside of my apartment and was a wonderful 1.5 miles of Italian goodies! Read More  I was a little under the weather this week so I kept the outdoor exploring to a minimum. I spent my time recuperating and thinking about how to make our new apartment feel like our home. As I sketched our new space I began to think about the improvements I made to our San Francisco home. As I didn't venture out much this week I thought I would share how I transformed a cheap metal blind into a custom roman shade. Read More  Just off the boat in Rome and I want to explore every nook and cranny, but I'm acting like a man on the run. The heat here is so intense that I have to cross the street every time the sun moves, just to stay in the shade. The temperature is in the the high 90's which makes full days of walking the streets searching for hidden treasures exhausting. I managed to put on an outfit that didn't completely stick to me and left the house on a new adventure! Read More  We have made it to Italy and are settling into the Roman way of life. We found a cute little place to call home and after 2 weeks of being off the grid our internet finally got installed. Saturday posts are back and I have lots of exciting things to share! Our first week in this beautiful city was playing tourist and apartment hunting. I have lived in big cities and in plenty of small apartments, hello 8' x 9' room in a Manhattan 5 floor walkup, but the set-ups here are giving New York City and San Francisco a run for their money. The buildings are beautiful and you can feel the history all around you, but some of the places we looked at were so tiny you would literally hit your head on about 7 things just walking around. Read More...  Our last week in Seattle was a Memorial Day Weekend Extravaganza, there was family, friends and oh so much food! Our weekend started on Friday night with Karaoke Bingo at the local Senior Center. We weren't lucky enough to jump up and yell BINGO but we did have a great time laughing and singing along with those brave enough to hop up on stage and belt out a classic or two. Read More  |
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Creative Owner of Delightful Designs, a boutique where furniture is given a new colorfully chic life! Read more...
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