{"id":871968,"date":"2026-08-28T22:48:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T22:48:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/871968\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T22:48:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T22:48:12","slug":"how-to-style-decor-using-a-tray-for-coffee-tables-benchtops-bathroom-vanities-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/871968\/","title":{"rendered":"How to style decor using a tray for coffee tables, benchtops, bathroom vanities and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bare surfaces on coffee tables<\/a> and benchtops can look unfinished without anything on them, but deciding what to add there can be tricky if you feel overwhelmed or lack confidence when decorating your home<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One simple and budget-friendly item can change that by making any styling novice feel like a pro by making a simple group of objects \u2013 even a box of tissues or keys by the door \u2013 look elevated and considered.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Stylish<\/p>\n

A tray can make both decor and clutter that needs a visible home look stylish and considered.\u00a0iStockphoto<\/p>\n

Interior stylist Cayley Scrooby from Sovereign Interiors told nine.com.au trays are \u201cone of the easiest styling tools\u201d<\/a>. She likes to use them to add another material into the room to add some texture, and to make a group of objects feel like they belong together.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur eyes naturally like organisation. When objects are scattered across a surface, they read as clutter, but when they\u2019re grouped together within a tray, they become one considered arrangement,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a simple styling principle we use all the time. A candle, a book and a small decorative object might seem unrelated on their own, but place them on a tray, and they instantly become a vignette.\u201d<\/p>\n

A vignette is a small display of objects that add personality and ambience to your home by telling a kind of story with decor. This process is made easier by using a tray to ground or highlight these displays.<\/p>\n

To come up with your own tray-based vignette, you can use things you already have or buy some new seasonal pieces. Since it\u2019s not permanent, try playing around with different arrangements until you find one you like and feels right in the space.<\/p>\n

Following basic styling principles like grouping odd numbers of decor together \u2013 such as three items rather than two or four, not including the tray \u2013 and imagining a triangle shape when placing varying sized pieces will have you well on your way to a gorgeous arrangement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI usually start with one larger piece to anchor the arrangement, like a vase or sculptural object, then layer in something lower, such as a candle or decorative bowl, before finishing with a book or smaller accessory,\u201d Scrooby said.<\/p>\n

\"Wooden<\/p>\n

Complement what\u2019s already in the space by choosing a tray with similar tones and a contrasting texture, such as this woven tray on a timber plank.\u00a0iStockphoto<\/p>\n

\u201cVarying height, shape and texture is what makes a vignette feel natural. You also don\u2019t need to fill every corner of the tray. Leaving some negative space is often what gives the arrangement its sense of refinement.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are plenty of tray designs to choose from for your vignettes, ranging from plain timber and bamboo trays to painted, carved or etched options. You can also find metal and glass trays with metallic finishes, mosaic stone look trays, woven trays and \u2013 the trending look of the moment \u2013 marble<\/a> trays. Look to the space the tray will be placed in for cues as to the best texture, material and colour to look for when selecting a tray.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always choose a tray in the context of the room, rather than as a standalone object. If there\u2019s already a lot of texture or pattern, a simple timber, leather or stone tray creates balance. If the room is quite minimal, introducing a woven finish or natural stone can add warmth and diversity,\u201d Scrooby said.<\/p>\n

\u201cRather than trying to match every finish exactly, I look for materials that echo what\u2019s already in the space. Repeating timber tones, metals or natural textures creates a home that feels layered and collected rather than perfectly coordinated.\u201d<\/p>\n

But just because trays are an easy styling tool, doesn\u2019t mean they should be used on every surface, and the same goes for other decorative objects.<\/p>\n

\u201cA beautifully styled tray on one coffee table will have far more impact than decorative objects scattered across every available surface. Good styling isn\u2019t about adding more; it\u2019s about being more selective with what you choose to display.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bare surfaces on coffee tables and benchtops can look unfinished without anything on them, but deciding what to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":871969,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[64,63,105],"class_list":["post-871968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871968","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=871968"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871968\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/871969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=871968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=871968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=871968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}