Diy Styled Farmhouse Tray Decor for Spring
This Diy Styled Farmhouse Tray Decor for Spring is the perfect touch for your dining table or coffee table. It’s easy to put together and will make a great decoration adding farmhouse style to the home during this season!
I’ve been craving for the farmhouse. The more I see, the more I want. The thing is, I live in a really small apartment and it’s rented, so I can’t do as much as I would love to.
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Spring Styled Farmhouse Tray Decor
However, I’ll manage to create and adapt things around so I get that incredibly gorgeous farmhouse look I so love.
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Today I’m excited to share how my Farmhouse Spring Styled Tray turned out. Using Spring as my excuse I created this pretty décor transforming that simple tray into a more rustic and pretty one.
I bought that tray last year. It was really cheap, the kind of item you could find in a dollar store or thrift store. It was plain wood made for crafting.
I really liked how it looked. But, you know, I needed change and I needed it to look more rustic. My dining table is brown and a little dark so I wanted to create a white aged and distressed look to contrast against the table.
This centerpiece was a simple DIY project that was put together from scratch in just a few hours. I should have waited longer since I was staining and painting, I know. But I just wanted to have it done. I’m not much of a patient person lol.
If you have been around long enough, you know that decorating and crafting are like my therapy and I want the same for you! Small crafts or projects like this one is one of my favorite things and I hope it serves as an inspiration for you to create your own styled tray.
How to Make a Spring Farmhouse Tray Decor
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Supplies:
- A round rustic wooden tray
- A wooden rustic candle holder and candle
- Faux flowers (I used tulips)
- A faux plant pot
- Moss
- Walnut wood stain
- Chalk paint
- Spray Varnish or Clear Wax
- Plastic dish.
- Sandpaper (I used 150 grit and 80 grit)
- Cloth
Tools:
- Brush for stain and brush for chalk paint.
Instructions:
I was aiming for a more vignette look inside the tray so I gathered a few things I had already at home and bought the flower vase and the moss. It had to have a pretty Spring look too.
The first thing you need to do is clean really well your tray to remove dust. Then pour a bit of your stain on the plastic dish (if your stain doesn’t have a wide opening like mine).
Step 1: Staining the tray
Start staining your tray and leave it dry for a couple of hours.
I would apply the stain in full sections, like all the outer side. then rub any excess with a piece of cloth. Then move on to the inner side and then the bottom base.
Ste 2: Creating the aged, distressed rustic look
Once your tray is dry, start painting with your paint. Just dip the tip of your brush and make quick rough strokes.
Depending on your stain, the first coat of paint will get a bit pinkish. Mine did I guess it’s because it was a water-based stain.
You can paint only the outside or the whole tray. I decided to paint the whole thing. Let it dry for about one hour or according to your paint instructions between coats.
Once dry, sand it with 150 grit sandpaper.
Clean it well afterward with a cloth. Remove all the dust from the sanding.
Apply a second coat of chalk paint the same way you did the first coat.
You will see it gets whiter.
Let it dry again for an hour or so until you feel it really dry.
Sand it again. Here it’s optional, you can either use the 150 grit or the 80 grit. I used the 80 because I wanted to create a more damaged and aged look.
Sand especially on edges.
Clean with your cloth again.
There you go! You got yourself a pretty Farmhouse Tray.
Step 3: Seal the Tray
When I do this type of technique I like to use spray varnish. Since I have a terrace, I can easily use spray. But feel free to use clear wax if you prefer.
So, protect the surface where you will be spraying.
Apply a couple of coats leaving it dry at least 30 min between coats.
The tray is ready to style it and make your home rock!
Now…
Step 4: Styling the Spring Farmhouse Styled Tray
Woot, let’s go!
I absolutely love my candle holder so it was an easy one, then since I had bought faux plants, put one in a painted metal pot or more like a bucket.
You probably might be asking, why faux greenery? Well, I tend to kill plants. At least that kind of plant. I do good with succulents, cacti, Aloe, and lucky Bamboo, other than that would be dead in no time.
I believe in vibes and I definitely have a connection with those plants. My Aloe Vera is gorgeous and has gotten huge and all main ribs are strong and pointing up instead that to the sides. My Bamboo plants keep getting prettier and prettier each day.
Anyway, I wanted to bring more green to my home but I preferred fake so I don’t have that extra stress. With the few alive plants I have, I’m more than happy but needed a few more spots of green and the Farmhouse Spring Styled Tray was one of them.
On my pretty vase, I put some tulips (also fake, I’m always sad to see fresh flowers die). Up close you can definitely tell they are fake but when you enter my living room and look at the dining table they look so pretty.
I filled the tray with fresh moss. Who would have thought about it, right? LOL. Yeah, I know! Added a few pinecones. I know it’s not the season but I can’t help it. I Love pinecones so let’s call that my personal touch, shall we?
Then my last touch was my Reversible Rustic Spring to Easter wood sign.
For easter will be showing off the bunny butt and the tray filled with cute easter eggs. When Easter has passed I’ll go back to the Spring sign.
I absolutely LOVE how it turned out. It will be hard to change it when the season is ending. But I still have some time to think about an even prettier tray decor.
Look how cute mine turned out!!!
Crafting Tips
- Ensure your tray is clean and free of dust before starting to stain or paint.
- Test different stains on a small area (the bottom for example) to see how they interact with the wood before committing to one.
- Apply stain in full sections for an even finish, and don’t forget to rub off any excess.
- Apply multiple coats of paint, allowing each layer to dry completely for the best results.
- Make your tray decor versatile by switching out elements for different seasons or holidays.
What to put on decorative trays?
In the bedroom, it can hold anything and everything. Lights, flowers, candles, perfumes, photos, and jewelry are just some of the things you can put on your tray to both keep things organized and looking good.
In the kitchen, a tray can have the salt and pepper belonging with the other frequently used ingredients like oils and garlic so why not keep them all together in one convenient spot? It’s also a great place to keep pots of herbs so they’re always on hand.
In the dining room, a styled tray is a convenient way to both style the table and keep things close at hand. Candles, flowers, salt and pepper shakers, and other decorative items help add elements of style to the table and make it easy to move everything when it comes time to clean up.
In the living room, a styled tray is a great way to keep all your things in one place and can be styled in a number of different ways depending on the look you’re going for. A few examples, it could hold a candle and a few coasters to protect the glass, candles, flowers or plant pots, old books, and small decor items. Imagination is the limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! While a wooden tray works best for achieving the rustic farmhouse look, you can adapt the project to suit trays made of other materials like metal or plastic.
Yes, with proper care, your farmhouse tray should be durable and long-lasting. Be sure to seal the paint well, and avoid placing hot or wet items directly on the surface to protect the finish.
Feel free to get creative and use what you have on hand. You can substitute items like different types of faux flowers or skip certain decorative elements without compromising the overall look.
For a farmhouse look, consider using a walnut or oak stain. Test a small area first to ensure it achieves the desired color and effect.
More Spring Projects to Try
If you like this Spring Farmhouse Tray Decor idea, you might also Love these creative Spring projects too:
Other Farmhouse Trays decorating ideas from my favorite bloggers:
- How to Decorate Farmhouse Trays for Spring by Simply 2 Moms.
- DIY Farmhouse Tray by Sandust 2 Stitches.
- Styling a Farmhouse Tiered Tray with Vintage Finds by Rain and Pine.
✂️ Tutorial
Diy Styled Farmhouse Tray Decor for Spring
Tools
- Brush for stain and brush for chalk paint.
Supplies
- A round rustic wooden tray
- A wooden rustic candle holder and candle
- Faux flowers I used tulips
- A faux plant pot
- Moss
- Walnut wood stain
- White acrylic or latex paint
- Spray Varnish or Clear Wax
- Plastic dish.
- Sandpaper I used 150 grit and 80 grit
- Cloth
Instructions
STEP 1: STAINING THE TRAY
- Start staining your tray and leave it dry for a couple of hours.
- I would apply the stain in full sections, like all the outer side. then rub any excess with a piece of cloth. Then move on to the inner side and then the bottom base.
STEP 2: CREATING THE AGED, DISTRESSED RUSTIC LOOK
- Once your tray is dry, start painting with your paint. Just dip the tip of your brush and make quick rough strokes.
- Depending on your stain, the first coat of paint will get a bit pinkish. Mine did I guess it’s because it was a water-based stain.
- You can paint only the outside or the whole tray. I decided to paint the whole thing. Let it dry for about one hour or according to your paint instructions between coats.
- Once dry, sand it with 150 grit sandpaper.
- Clean it well afterward with a cloth. Remove all the dust from the sanding.
- Apply a second coat of chalk paint the same way you did the first coat.
- You will see it gets whiter.
- Let it dry again for an hour or so until you feel it really dry.
- Sand it again. Here it’s optional, you can either use the 150 grit or the 80 grit. I used the 80 because I wanted to create a more damaged and aged look.
- Sand especially on edges.
- Clean with your cloth again.
- There you go! You got yourself a pretty Farmhouse Tray.
STEP 3: SEAL THE TRAY
- When I do this type of technique I like to use spray varnish. Since I have a terrace, I can easily use spray. But feel free to use clear wax if you prefer.
- So, protect the surface where you will be spraying.
- Apply a couple of coats leaving it dry at least 30 min between coats.
STEP 4: STYLING THE SPRING FARMHOUSE STYLED TRAY
- I absolutely love my candle holder so it was an easy one, then since I had bought faux plants, put one in a painted metal pot or more like a bucket.
- On my pretty vase, I put some tulips (faux, I’m always sad to see fresh flowers die). Up close you can definitely tell they are fake but when you enter my living room and look at the dining table they look so pretty.
- I filled the tray with fresh moss. Who would have thought about it, right? LOL. Yeah, I know! Added a few pinecones. I know it’s not the season but I can’t help it. I Love pinecones so let’s call that my personal touch, shall we?
- Then my last touch was my Reversible Rustic Spring to Easter wood sign.
- For easter will be showing off the bunny butt and the tray filled with cute easter eggs. When Easter has passed I’ll go back to the Spring sign.
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Til’ next time…
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