5 Easy Tips to Style a Tray (+ Why It's Brilliant RV Decor)
As a self-proclaimed maximalist, you might be surprised to know that I really actually despise clutter. I really love using styled trays in our RV decor because it allows me creative freedom to decorate with a variety of items while keeping them contained in a small space. I have used styled trays in our RV decor for a few years and will change them up every so often to keep things fresh. When I style a tray, I typically follow the same 5 tips each time.
Today, I’m sharing my 5 exact tips to help you get started with styling a tray in your own space and we’ll explore some of the reasons why styled trays make brilliant RV decor.
Here’s what else you’ll find in this post:
4 Benefits of using styled trays in your RV decor (or any decor, for that matter!)
7 Spaces where using a styled tray is also genius RV decor
Styled tray inspiration: 8 styled trays that we’d totally display in our own RV decor
And of course, our 5 easy tips to style a tray
4 Benefits of Using Styled Trays in Your RV Decor
Styled trays are not only visually appealing and fun to create, but this form of home decor also offers several benefits. Of course, I’ve already shared one benefit that I most appreciate about using styled trays is how easy it is to corral small items into one space, reducing overall clutter.
More reasons why you should use styled trays in your decor:
Protect surfaces: Using a styled tray can help protect surfaces throughout your home by creating a barrier between several objects or mixed materials, and surfaces that could be scratched or stained. You can further protect the surfaces in your space by using felt feet on the underside of trays.
Easy to remove: Especially beneficial if you are decorating an RV, styled trays make it easy to pack away many items at one time. This is also useful in other situations that may include: using a styled tray for a special event, holiday season, or as part of your daily routine.
Anchor or accent: Styled trays offer flexible decor solutions from anchoring a space to serving as an accent piece. From decorating a large space to a tiny home or RV decor, items that can serve multiple purposes are key, and styled trays are no exception. Dress it up or down, make it the focal point, or use it as a storage solution that happens to look pretty, too.
Adaptable: A styled tray serves as a foundational design element that can easily take on changing themes. You can continue to use the same tray and core pieces while changing out one or two elements for a new look, either from season to season, or as your style evolves.
7 Spaces Where a Styled Tray Makes Sense in Your RV Decor
Now that we’ve got you thinking about all the ways a styled tray could benefit you and your decor, let’s talk about all the areas where adding a styled tray would make sense. As you consider your RV decor journey, one recommendation that I would make is to visualize your daily routine to identify where there are opportunities to corral items for increased functionality. An example of this might be using a tray to style the products that make up your facial routine, or my favorite place to use a styled tray - is next to any sink where there are bottles of soaps and such.
Where should you put a styled tray, and what you should put on it:
Coffee Table or Console Table: A styled tray in your RV livingroom decor could be used to gather stacks of books, remote controls, accessories, framed photos, or plants
Dining Room Table: Styled trays can be used as part of your dining room table decor to gather vases of fresh-cut flowers, votives, cloth napkins, or decorative bottles
Nightstand: A small table can easily turn into a drop zone of clutter if not used intentionally. A styled tray placed next to your bed can provide organization for eyeglasses, books, a decorative alarm clock, or a water pitcher
Entryway: Similarly, the entryway of any home can become a drop zone of keys, purses, or dog leashes without storage. A styled tray in your entryway can help set the tone for how you wish this space to be used. In RV decor, you could use it to gather these items and also flashlights or a decorative folder to file campsite documents
Laundry Area: This one might be a stretch when it comes to your RV decor, as not all RVs will have dedicated laundry. However, in your home or pending the space - you could use a styled tray to collect decorative laundry bottles, wool dryer balls, scented beads, and more
Kitchen Sink or Island: One of the most functional areas that I have found to use a styled tray is definitely the kitchen sink. I like to keep hand soap and dish soap, a small dish to drop jewelry while I wash dishes, and various plant cuttings, herbs or flower stems
Bathroom Sink or Vanity: Much like the styled tray in our RV kitchen, I use one as part of our RV bathroom decor. I use this one to gather hand soap, lotions, and oils, in addition to trinkets that help tie the space together
Styled Tray Inspiration: Decor ideas for your styled tray
So now that you know the benefits of using a styled tray in your RV decor, we’re sharing 8 styled trays that we’d totally rock in our own RV. Styled trays are great options to bring personality into your space, which is one of our 4 ways to make your RV feel like home.
8 Styled Trays (that we wouldn’t be afraid to rock in our RV decor)
To help inspire your own styled tray decor, you’ll find a collection of 8 different types of trays and styles that vary in functionality and design. From classic to eclectic, there are trays for every design style, just waiting for you to add your personal touch.
What we love about this styled tray: The functionality of gathering cocktail ingredients, with fresh lemons and limes
Simplicity and elegance shine through with this uniquely designed scalloped tray, and the clean, crisp lines of the glasses and bottles
What we love about this styled tray: The colors! We are loving the bright, fun colors and how they tied all of the elements together throughout the table
By the kitchen sink, I like to keep a small dish to catch trinkets, along with fresh or dried flowers and propagations
This styled tray is a great example of how you can combine unique elements to create interest, or tell a story
Styled trays to gather essentials for your vanity or bathroom, are a great way to add design elements to an otherwise sometimes forgotten space
This combination of trays filled with small trinkets and treasures show how you can use decorative styled trays with elegance and class
Combining soaps, lotions and oils that we use regularly along with decorative elements adds design interest to our bathroom vanity
5 Easy Tips to Style a Tray in Your RV Decor
When it comes to designing anything from a home, to a room, to even a small, decorative tray - the most important rule is: make it yours. Trends come and go, and opinions can be strong, but at the end of the day, you are creating a space that is your home and it should feel like YOU.
As you read through our 5 tips to style a tray, we encourage you to use them in a way that best fits your needs and that helps you create a unique design element.
Countdown 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: Top to Bottom Tray Decor Tips
5. Varied Height: Using elements of varying heights can help create a unique focal point or interesting perspective. Depending on the space and use, sometimes it makes more of an impact to use objects of all the same size like in the example above with the glasses and bottles.
4. Natural Elements: Integrating natural elements like fresh flowers, plants or fruits is a great way to keep your styled tray feeling fresh.
3. Old vs. New: One of my favorite ways to make our RV decor feel lived-in and well-loved is to mix old and new elements. I like to build a base of more timeless decor elements, and then layer in more eclectic or trendy accents. You can see how we do this with our wallpaper choices and gallery wall decor, too.
2. Functionality: When you live in an RV, you have to consider the weight and durability of anything you add to your decor. For that reason, I try to add some element of functionality to my RV decor when possible. With styled trays, I have used an ashtray as a trinket holder, and a vase as a toothbrush holder, etc.
And coming in at number one …
1. Start with the right tray: This one might feel obvious, but with the wide variety of trays that you can choose from, you want to be sure you choose the best one for the purpose it will serve. Next to a wet space like a kitchen or bathroom sink, a ceramic, stone, or glass tray may be best, while reserving rattan or wood for general purpose areas.
Shop Eclectic Decorative Trays | Styled Tray Must Haves
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Shop Boho Decorative Trays | Styled Tray Must Haves
Shop Boho Decorative Trays
Shop Maximalist Decorative Trays | Styled Tray Must Haves
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We’re Jen + Eric
After falling in love with everywhere we went, we changed our lives and became full-time RVers.
In the past 3 years, we’ve visited over 20 states, remodeled our first RV, hiked miles of trails, and proved that minimalism is in fact
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