Are you leaning in? Are you curious about what this designer item is?
Trays! Trays are one of the most useful tools in your home décor arsenal.
If I had to pick only one item that I consider the most important item in my décor I would have to say it is the lowly tray. It is the one item I use more than anything else in my décor! It is a real workhorse in my home! Trays are the foundation that I build upon; every vignette, every grouping of items I create starts with this one foundational piece.
By grouping together those items that you have displayed all around your home, into a cluster, on a tray; it gives those items more prominence in your décor. They go from being clutter to becoming an accent that adds your unique personality to your space.
Grouping items together in a vignette instead of scattering them throughout your home will create more negative space. You may be using the same number of items but when grouped together they will have more of a presence and look more important and cohesive. That negative space surrounding your vignettes will give your eyes a place to rest and focus on the vignette you have created. Once the visual noise is gone, the vignettes you create will add that designer touch and allow your personality to really become evident in your home. That negative space will allow your personality to shine without any distractions from clutter.
I wrote a post recently on the importance of negative space in your décor and what a critical element it is in good design. If you want to learn more about it, you can check it out here.
I have an assortment of trays that I love to use, some are larger and some are smaller. Some are baskets, some are silver platters that I scored at my local thrift store, some are metal trays. I have them in all different shapes, round, oval, and rectangular. This foundational piece does not have to be a tray, it could be a cutting board, a ceramic platter, a table runner or even a placemat. The idea is to create a boundary that contains the items you are displaying.
When you pull out a tray to create a vignette remember these top three principles:
The Rule of Three. Using an odd number of items in a display is much more pleasing to the eye.
Vary Heights of Items. Arrange items on stacks of books, or coasters, or some sort of riser so that all of the items are not all on the same plane. Varying the height of the items in your display makes it much more visually appealing to look at.
Keep a Tight Color Pallet. Sticking to just one or two colors lends a more cohesive feel to a grouping. Too many colors creates too much visual noise, so try to keep all the colors in the same tones or limit colors to just one or two.
Once you feel comfortable with these top three guidelines you can incorporate a few more strategies to really make vignettes that stand out.
Incorporate texture. Use something smooth next to something nubby, or something prickly next to something shiny or fluffy. Incorporating texture in a vignette adds another layer of visual interest to the grouping.
Go with a theme. Pick a theme, like fall. Use items that remind you of the season but be careful not to get too kitschy with too many cutesy small items. Seasonal decorating is a breeze when you have items corralled on a tray. It makes switching out items from one season to the next so simple. Just swap out an item with something seasonal and you are done!
Use fewer large pieces instead of many smaller items. Using larger, but fewer, more substantial sized items makes for a more noticeable vignette with less visual noise. Of course you will have to keep the size of the tray you are using in mind, but don’t be afraid to use larger items in your display.
Negative space. Less is more and more is just too much! Give your eyes somewhere to rest, keep your vignettes simple so you can enjoy them. They should draw your eye but not create visual clutter, so use a restrained hand.
If you still feel like you need more information about how to create vignettes or just need some inspiration, you can read more about how to do it here.
Not only are trays invaluable when creating vignettes, trays are also a great way to keep you organized as well. Trays make it easy to move items out of the way when space is needed. Instead of moving items one by one, just grab the tray and move it out of the way.
One of my very favorite trays is the bed tray! I have one on the bed in our guest room. Wouldn’t you feel pampered if you were invited to stay and you were greeted with a bed tray that offered all the essentials needed for a comfortable night? Clock, fresh flowers, bottles of water and perhaps a sweet chocolate treat?
Trays are an invaluable tool, not only as décor in your home, but as versatile organizational pieces as well. They just make everything look so much prettier when you arrange items on a tray.
Take a look around your house I’m betting you can find something to use as a tray. Top it with a candle or lantern, pair it with some sort of greenery like a plant or bouquet of fresh flowers, and add a small seasonal item. It really is that easy! You will be amazed how corralling a few items together on a tray to create a vignette will add a high end designer touch to our home!