A Quick And Easy Thrift Store Tray Makeover

Want a new look in your living room? Well here's an easy way to dress your coffee table in style on a budget.

Just grab an old thrift store tray, a little paint and a stencil that makes you smile.

And you'll have a fabulous and affordable year round decor accessory in no time flat.

Last week I shared a stencil craft fail. Look, it happens. When you craft as much as I do, you're bound to run into the occasional bump in the road.

The general consensus was live and learn and I totally agree.

Thankfully, I'm a pretty quick learner and I put my new knowledge to work right away.

I was in the middle of an unstoppable crafting frenzy and there was no time to wallow.

I had a pile of projects to get through and I wasn't going to let one paper stencil deter me...especially when I had such an awesome thrift find waiting to be transformed.

Check this beauty out.


 One day a few weeks ago, I stopped at my local thrift store not expecting to find much. They recently changed their pricing structure and as if it weren't bad enough before, now the prices are truly out of hand.

Sometimes I think I'd do better at the big box stores.

But there were dishes at home and laundry to be done, and shopping, even window shopping, sounded like a lot more fun.

Surprisingly, I found a few treasures, picture frames, a bulletin board, wicker baskets and an old vase.

However, this teal tray was the most exciting one.

It was clearly handmade by someone, very sturdy, naturally distressed...possibly a vintage piece.

And unbelievably, it was only four dollars. Four.

Is that crazy or what? I guess homemade doesn't warrant a big price tag.


 Lucky me, they had no idea what they had.

I was thrilled since trays are common thrift store finds, but usually much more expensive.

I spent the car ride home dreaming up ways to transform it. I knew that with a little creativity, a little imagination and not a lot of hard work, I could give it a brand new purpose.

And an updated look.

While it was in perfect condition, blue is just not my color. It needed paint. Something neutral I thought.

I've been working on lightening the place up a little and a cream or white would go well with my new decor.

My Amazing Thrift Store Makeover

There really wasn't any prep required, I went over it with a damp rag to clean away any dust or debris that might get caught in my brush and removed the handles with my super handy six in one screwdriver.


It's literally the only tool that I have ever purchased for myself and I use it all the time on my upcycle projects, since it has so many different flat and Phillips heads hidden inside.

This one is new, because my wonderful husband keeps walking off with them as fast as I can buy them.


 I usually grab mine at Home Depot.

Then I opened up my craft cabinet, sorted through my supplies, my chalk paint collection and grabbed my acrylic paint in a creamy white and applied it with a stiff bristle brush.

That was the first coat.


 Once it was dry, I applied a second coat with a foam brush so there wouldn't be any bristle marks or lines in the paint. I wanted a smooth finish.

There were a few spots that required a third coat, but overall two did the trick.

That fresh coat of paint immediately gave it new life.


 While it was drying, I began to think about my design.

I contemplated adding feet to the tray, like I'd done to a few old cutting boards, but then vetoed the idea. I already had a board in mind that I wanted to turn into a standing tray.

It was the top of a toolbox my husband recently purchased, a giant slab that was just calling out to be transformed.

Can you imagine how pretty this would be all dolled up? <---pssst- It's done! 


Well, two of those trays would be overkill in this tiny cottage, so I decided to leave the tray in its current form and move on to the design.

Then I thought about turning it into wall decor, but again not a lot of room for large wall art. Another veto.

That also gave me pause. It's such a pretty piece that I wanted to be able to use it all year round.

When I bought the tray I was thinking about using those paper stencils to make it a fall decor item, but after the apple cutting board mess, I decided against that.

Never again, thank you very much.

That's when my daughter breezed through the kitchen and suggested that I use the garland stencil I was originally going to use on the apple.

She told me that she thought it would look cool if it I painted it on in another shade of white, a tone on tone accent that would be appropriate in any season.


How perfect. The girl's a genius.

I love it when my family weighs in with their creative ideas - and loved her suggestion - so that's exactly what I did.

And this time it worked out very well.

The plastic stencil didn't budge, bleed or fray and she was right, the subtlety of the design was just enough to add an elegant flair to the rustic tray makeover, but not overwhelm it.


 Now, I can use it all year long, winter, spring, summer...


..and even fall.

All I have to do it change up what I place on it or where it sits. It's been moving around from end table to kitchen counter since it's such a charming decoration or a functional serving piece.

Or both.

One of these days, I'll have my husband take it outside and spray it with a matte sealer to protect the paint.


It's one of my most unique pieces and one of my favorite new thrift store upcycles.

And I'm not a DIY stenciling failure anymore.

Redemption and a new accessory to play with.

Not bad for four bucks.

Have you had any crafty do over lately?