Serving Tray Guide: How to Choose and Style Decorative Trays

Most of us have a tray somewhere that we reach for without thinking. It carries the morning coffee to the sofa, holds the keys by the door, or gives a candle and a small bowl a home on the coffee table. A good serving tray is a quiet worker, and the right one makes a room look gathered together instead of scattered.

This is our guide to choosing a serving tray, whether it is meant to carry things or simply to sit and look lovely, and to styling it in the five places where we think a tray does the most good.

Serving tray or decorative tray: does it matter?

Less than you might think. Most of the trays we sell do both jobs. A tray is a flat surface with an edge, and what you put on it decides whether it is working or displaying. The difference shows up in a few small details:

• Rim height. A raised edge keeps a mug or a glass from sliding when you carry it. A low or scalloped edge is more about looks and suits objects that stay put.
• Handles or a grip. If you plan to carry the tray with a full load, look for a shape you can hold with both hands. If it will live on a table, a smooth, handle-free shape is simpler to style.
• Surface. A flat, even base is best for glasses. Pieces with texture or a pattern are happiest holding candles, books and small bowls.

If you only have room for one, choose a medium rectangular tray with a modest rim. It will carry breakfast on Sunday and hold a stack of books on Monday.

How to choose a serving tray by material

Material changes how a tray looks, how heavy it feels and how you look after it. Here is how we think about the main options.

Wood

Wood is the easy, warm choice, and it sits comfortably with almost everything. The Hollis Wooden Tray in medium comes in three sizes and is a simple, natural place to start. The Canyon Wooden Tray has a deeper stained finish that suits darker coffee tables, and the Heritage Square Tray in acacia is a handy square shape for the kitchen counter. Wood is lighter than stone, so it is the one we would choose for carrying things between rooms.

The Drift Bleached Mango Tray is a good example of how much a finish matters. The pale, bleached look brings a calm, relaxed tone to a table without competing with anything on it.

Travertine and marble

Stone trays have weight, and that weight reads as calm and settled. Travertine and marble are natural materials, so no two pieces are quite alike. Each has its own veining and tone, which is part of the charm. The Rectangular Travertine Tray in large is generous enough to anchor a coffee table, and the Arabesque Marble Tray in small is the right size for a bedside table. For something with a little history in its look, the Found Vintage Carved Marble Tray has carved detail and natural veining.

Stone suits displaying more than carrying. It is heavy once you add a teapot, and it is best with a coaster or small plate under anything wet. If a stone tray is on your list, it is worth reading the care notes on the product page before it goes into regular use.

Enamel and paper mache

This is where colour and pattern come in. The Sunset Suzani Enameled Tray is bright and cheerful, and a single one can be the most colourful thing on a neutral table. The Pedestal Paper Mache Tray sits up on a base, which gives it presence on a shelf or dresser. Both are happiest as display pieces, so keep wet dishes off them and check the care notes first.

Metal, seagrass and woven

For something lighter in feel, the Lustra Metal Tray is a simple catchall that works well for things you reach for every day, and the Natura Seagrass Basket Trays bring a woven, natural texture that suits a relaxed kitchen or a sunroom.

Choosing a size

A few rules of thumb we find useful:

• On a coffee table: choose a tray that covers roughly a third to a half of the table, so the surface still feels open around it.
• On an ottoman: pick a tray that sits well inside the edges of the ottoman, with a little cushion showing on every side.
• On a counter: a smaller tray corrals the things you use daily, such as oil, salt and a small bowl, without taking over the workspace.
• On a bedside table: small is plenty. It only needs to hold a candle, a ring dish and a book.

Measure the spot before you buy, then check the dimensions on the product page. Sizes in our range vary quite a bit, even within the same style.

Five places a tray earns its keep

1. The coffee table

This is where most people start, and it is where a tray does the most good. A tray gathers the remote, a candle and a book into one tidy group, so the table looks arranged even when life is happening on it. Try a large tray such as the Rectangular Travertine Tray or the Canyon Wooden Tray, then add a low stack of books, a small candle and one object with height, such as a little vase.

For a coffee table with a lot of daily traffic, a footed tray like the Pascal Footed Tray lifts the arrangement a few inches, which makes it feel like a small display and keeps it from looking like a pile.

2. The ottoman

An ottoman is soft, and a tray turns it into a table. A wooden tray such as the Hollis gives you a flat, steady surface for a cup of tea or a plate of snacks, and it lifts off when someone wants to put their feet up. Choose one with a rim, because a cushion underneath is never perfectly level.

3. The kitchen counter

A tray on the counter is a small act of organization. It gathers the olive oil, the salt cellar and the pepper mill, and it makes them easy to move when you need to wipe down underneath. The Heritage Square Tray is a good fit here, and a nesting pair such as the Trove Trays gives you two sizes to use for different jobs. If you like to host, a pair of Abode Serving Trays is useful for carrying drinks and small plates to the table.

4. The bedside table

Bedside tables clutter quickly, and a small tray is the easiest way to keep that in check. Use it for a candle, a ring dish, a small glass and the book you are reading. The Arabesque Marble Tray in small suits this job well, and a small enamel catchall adds colour to a plain nightstand.

5. The entryway

A tray by the door is the difference between keys that are always found and keys that are always lost. The Bisou Bisou Decorative Enameled Tray is a cheerful little catchall for keys, sunglasses and loose change. It works well on a console table, and it pairs nicely with the ideas in our guide to styling a console table.

A simple way to style any tray

You do not need to follow a formula, but this one rarely fails:

1. Start with one tall thing. A taper candle, a small vase or a bottle gives the eye somewhere to land. Our guide to styling taper candle holders has ideas for the candle.
2. Add something low and textural. A stack of books, a small bowl or a dish.
3. Include something personal. A shell, a small frame or a favourite object.
4. Leave some of the tray empty. A tray with breathing room looks intentional, and a full one looks cluttered.

Odd numbers help. Three objects on a tray usually look more natural than two or four. Vary the heights and the textures, and mix a hard material with a soft one, such as a stone candle holder next to a linen napkin.

Caring for your tray

Care depends on the material, so the product page is the best guide for each piece. As a general rule, wipe trays clean with a soft cloth, put a liner or coaster under anything wet, and keep wood and paper mache away from standing water. Stone pieces should be wiped promptly if something spills.

Frequently asked questions

What size serving tray should I buy?

It depends on where it will live. For a coffee table, choose a tray that covers a third to half of the surface. For an ottoman, leave a margin of cushion around the edge. For a counter or bedside table, a small tray is plenty.

Can I use a decorative tray to serve food?

Some can, but not all. Check the product page for the material and care notes. If you are unsure, use a plate or a liner on the tray and keep food off the surface itself.

How many things should go on a tray?

Three is a good starting point. Combine something tall, something low and something personal, and leave a little space.

What goes on an ottoman tray?

Keep it simple. A cup, a small candle and a book are plenty, and a tray with a rim keeps everything steady on a soft surface.

Wood, marble or enamel: which should I choose?

Wood is the most versatile and the lightest to carry. Stone is better for display and brings weight and calm. Enamel adds colour and pattern and is happiest as an accent piece.

Find your tray

If you are still deciding, you can browse our full trays collection, or the wider trays and catchalls for smaller pieces. Start with the spot where you most want things to feel calmer, and choose the tray that fits it.