Trays—whether sterling silver, brass, wood, glass, or Lucite—are having a major design moment. They’ve come out of the cabinet and are living on the console, counter, and even the wall. Lyn Peterson, president and creative director of Motif Designs in Mamaroneck, is a big fan.
In addition to being there to serve, “Trays are clutter-catchers for life’s daily minutiae,” says Peterson. “They’re a way to organize and help you locate things, like the TV remotes.” And, she notes, “every man deserves a tray on which to put his cufflinks, receipts, et cetera.”
Trays also protect surfaces. “A tray on a vanity top will prevent all those alcohol-based beauty products from etching out your marble,” Peterson says. And tossing one’s keys onto a tray on a hallway table not only helps locate them in a snap, it protects the table from becoming scratched.
Of course, trays are also charming decorative accents. A grouping of Peterson’s vintage, hand-painted, toile metal trays is hung on a wall of her screened-in porch, and an antique silver tray rests on her living-room coffee table. She recommends scouting antique shops like Chatsworth Auction Rooms & Furniture Studios in Mamaroneck for older trays with character, and Home Goods for well-priced new ones.
The designer also uses trays to create small, seasonal tableaux on her kitchen island. In fall, one might feature mini-pumpkins, gourds, and a single branch in a vase. “Trays are like accessories, like when you wear the same jeans but accessorize them differently,” says Peterson. “They’re an easy way to keep interiors fresh.”
1. Setting the Table
Create a seasonal tablescape on the kitchen counter with this faux stingray tray with polished-nickel handles. Shown in turquoise; also offered in charcoal and taupe. $220, The Open House, Rye (914) 481-8470; www.shoptheopenhouse.com
2. Spotted on the Vanity
This leopard-printed Alexandra Von Furstenberg Lucite tray adds some wild style while protecting vanity surfaces from alcohol-based beauty products. $280 (small), $330 (medium), GetARoom, Armonk (914) 273-4768; www.getaroomdesign.com
3. Corral the Cufflinks
Every man deserves a handsome tray, like this subtle equine design, for his cufflinks, wallet, receipts, etc. By Pleasantville’s J. Fleet Designs; the hand-lacquered wood is heat-resistant and waterproof. $92 to $172, The Silk Road, Bronxville (914) 337-2177; www.thesilkroadny.com