Upcycling a Vintage Serving Tray
Display your children’s art in a unique way by upcycling a vintage serving tray into a practical frame with this easy DIY tutorail.
One of our favorite ways to upcycle an object is to reimagine it as something new! Today we’re going to show you how easy it is to upcycle a vintage serving tray into a frame to display a loved one’s art.
Reimaging a Vintage Serving Tray
I bought this tray many years ago, thinking I would be a typical housewife and use it to serve coffee and tea to my guests. One thing I am not however, is typical.
I hardly ever use trays for serving. So what was I thinking, why did I buy this tray? Was it the folklorish look with the fake needlepoint?
It has been sitting in my kitchen for years, buried under jars of honey and tea. I spotted it one day with my upcycler’s antennas (anyone who upcycles knows what I am talking about) and decided it was time for it to shine! So today I share the upcycling of a vintage serving tray into a frame!
- Related: DIY Photo Display for Father’s Day
How to Upcycle a Vintage Serving Tray
The first task was to take it apart and see what it was all about. This is the cardboard and the wood is not even wood.
It is chipboard with a wood laminate finish. So I will have no qualms about painting it.
I tackled the handles and decorative metal first.
Then I painted the wood a white color. I needed about 5 coats to hide the brown.
Once it was painted I wanted to put something special inside the glass. I am going to use this as a picture frame. And it will go into my daughter’s room, whose favorite color is blue.
- Related: Paint your own impressionist art
After searching through a ton of childrens artwork I found this piece which has special meaning. It was made by her brother when he was much younger and still living with us.
This is a lovely way to preserve the work and she will be reminded of him when she sees it hanging in her room. And the artwork can easily be changed and replaced with something else.
We hope you enjoyed this upcycled vintage serving tray. Did it inspire you to reimagine an underused item collecting dust in your home?
Additional Tray Makeovers:
We have loads of additional easy upcycling ideas here on The Boondocks Blog. Here are a few serving tray makeovers we think you’ll enjoy:
You are so clever Mary and I would never have thought of doing this. Thank you for sharing your ideas with us at Over the Moon.
This is one way to preserve memories while saving an old object. Repurposing all the time.
What a great idea! It would be great if you would share this at the DIY party on Pleasures of the NW!
http://www.pleasuresofthenw.com/diy-party-no-5/
Thanks for the invite Helen, I’m on my way!
What a clever idea. Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Pinned to the Mm Pinterest board ! Have a great week!
Kim
Thanks Kim for the compliment and the pin. Have a wonderful week!
You are one clever lady!
I hope so! This old thing really needed a change and there is nothing better than your kid’s art.
Mary, I know exactly what you mean by the bloggers antenna! lol Wonderful makeover for the tray and the selection of artwork from a time gone by is brilliant. I am partial to Children’s Art! Such a fun idea for your daughter’s room. Pinned to share.
Thanks so much for linking up your posts with us this week for Brag About It!
Laurie, she misses her brother so much, and this is one little way she can stay connected to him.
I love the idea of using an old tray as a frame!
It’s kind of funny how I’m going backwards and turning it into a frame whereas everyone else takes frames and makes them into trays.
What a sweet upcycle! love the picture and the new frame just makes it look wonderful! you are a romantic at heart I think 🙂
Maybe I am, but I won’t admit it, at least not in public! 😉
Well Mary, you never cease to amaze me! What a perfect repurpose of that tray. And so glad it’s being made useful. Love that you used one of your children’s paintings…those are my most favorite pieces of art. And did I spy a unicorn?
Wishing you a lovely day…Lynn
My daughter has it on top of her dresser and has all of of her girl things on it. You know, I never had so many lotions and potions when I was growing up… (mom rant…lol) Why yes that it a unicorn. My son had done this when he was much younger. Lynn thank you for stopping by.
You’ve done it again, Mary! How cool! I just love that your daughter has your son’s artwork close by. That is so sweet. Thank you for sharing with #UpsyDaisyLinkup!
Regina they are very close. But he lives in NY now and so they really miss each other. Thank goodness we have FB and skype.
I’ve seen frames turned into trays and now we have a tray turned into a frame with adorable art in it. 🙂
Such a great idea and Happy TOHOT.
I guess I’m working backwards, how’s that for original. Thanks Stacey for your sweet words.
I think it looks great Mary! What a great way to preserve a special memory. I’m sure your daughter loves it. The painting goes perfect with the white frame.
Linda, the painting is blue as is my daughter’s room color. So it really looks great in there. And she’s happy to have such a special memory.
What a beautiful and sentimental piece! Thank you for sharing your links with us this week at Celebrate Your Story. You are very creative!
It really goes way beyond just a frame. Thank you Sandra for your kind words.
Such a clever idea to save something precious. Looks stunning too!
So much better than the before Michelle. That dark wood, which wasn’t even wood, would have buried whatever I would have displayed. The white is so much cleaner.
I love this project! I also love the idea of framing and hanging childrens’ artwork. You have a real knack for making old things new again!
I know what you mean about blogger antennas…I find “blogortunities” everywhere! Lol!
I like your word, “Blogortunities”, haha. I try to find things to blog about all the time. My mind has been rewired to think like that since I started the blog.
I have seen many frames made into a tray but never a tray made into a frame. The tray is a beautiful frame. It had great bones and you updated it so beautifully. I also love the idea of framing your son’s arwork.
Well Debra I had to find a way to make a difference. Lol. Actually it was something that evolved natually because I wanted to use this old tray for displaying.
Your first line cracks me up! “You would be a typical housewife and serve coffee to your guests!” That is so funny, I’ve never served coffee to my guests on a tray, so I guess I’m not typical either!
But, I absolutely love the way that you have taken a treasured piece of art and used the tray to showcase it! I bet his sister loves having a piece that he did as her artwork. It puts a smile on my face so I’m sure it does on hers!
Such a sweet project, Mary! Thank you for sharing @Vintage Charm!
What a good idea Mary!! You made me laugh when saying you are not the typical housewife serving tea to guests, I can relate. I think the tray has a much better use now
Oh Mary, I know exactly what you mean about the blogger’s antenna! lol You know, I love that tray, just the way it was but I’m like you. I hold onto these things, thinking I’ll use them all the time but I never do. Your makeover puts it to good use and that’s what I tend to do as well. Thanks so much for sharing at Thriving on Thursdays. I’m featuring this one at tomorrow’s party. Great to see you each week.
Anne xx
What a fantastic way to repurpose an old tray! I too love the idea of trays but don’t get around to using them…a frame is a great solution. Thanks for linking up with us at Welcome Home Wednesdays, hope to see you again this week!
What a lovely idea to store oyur daughter artwork.
Thanks so much Maria!