Simple Serving Tray Makeover

Serving Trays are now all the rage, and I have definitely jumped on board this trend because they’re sophisticated, they’re functional, and they are fun to style.   

We recently purchased a new buffet table for our dining room, and I knew that I wanted to display this gorgeous set of wine glasses AKA my “Olivia Pope Wine Glasses” that I received for my birthday this year on the new buffet table.  However, simply placing them on the table didn’t quite work… they looked awkward and a bit out of place, like they needed something more, so I thought that the best way to display them would be on a serving tray. 

After searching several stores, I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for… there were several trays that met my criteria for size and shape, and there were several trays that met my criteria for color scheme and design, but there weren’t any that met all of the criteria in one.   

What’s a girl to do?  

Make her own, of course.  :o)   

I found the perfect small tray at Ross Dress For Less for only $6.  Score. 

  

Since the size was perfect, I overlooked the ugly and somewhat awkward design on the top, because I knew that I already had the perfect thing at home to make it beautiful. 

Wrapping paper. 

Thanks to TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, and Hobby Lobby, I have a plethora of gorgeous wrapping paper, so I had to search no further than my wrapping paper organizer in my storage closet.  I pulled out several of my favorites – black and white stripes, silver with metallic silver polka dots, and white and pearl stripes. 

I ultimately decided against the black and white stripes because they don’t go with the overall look in our dining room, and I decided against the silver because polka dots didn’t seem quite sophisticated enough for this room.  The white and pearl striped paper is perfect – classy and chic – and it matches our dining room décor like a dream. 

The first thing I did was to measure the dimensions of the bottom of the tray.  I took those dimensions (12x8 inches), traced them on the back of the wrapping paper, and then cut out my sheet.

Next, I wiped out the bottom of the serving tray to ensure I was starting with a clean slate, and then I used a foam brush to spread Mod Podge all over the bottom of the tray.  Mod Podge dries pretty fast, so you have to work fairly quickly to get it all on there before the earlier portions start to dry.

Once the entire bottom of the tray was covered, I laid my cut out sheet of wrapping paper down in the tray.  Please keep in mind that you can’t slide the paper around very much as the Mod Podge isn’t very slick, so be sure to line it up as closely as possible before laying it down.

Once I laid the paper down, I used my fingers to press it down firmly and I smoothed it from the middle, outward, taking care to release all wrinkles.  (Mine still has a couple of wrinkles in it that I couldn’t get out totally, so it’s not perfect, but it still looks good.)     

Once the paper was pressed firmly in place and smoothed out, I used the same foam brush to paint a layer of Mod Podge over the entire surface of wrapping paper.  Mod Podge dries clear, but sometimes you can still see the brush strokes, so be sure to paint it on thin and smooth. 

I let mine dry overnight (even though Mod Podge will dry much sooner than that), and then it was ready to display. 

Displaying these wine glass on the serving tray really takes the overall look up a notch, and it showcases just how stunning the glasses truly are.  I love how elegant and sophisticated the room looks with these on display. 

Now I just have to keep the kiddos out of here so they don’t accidentally knock them over!