Hello, gorgeous friends!! I’ve pulled out a fun little upcycle to share today! There are so many ways to turn a frame into a tray and this is one more idea!
This project started with this $2 thrift store frame and these spindles:
It’s hard to tell how deep this frame is from the photo above, but it is nice and deep…just perfect for a little tray!
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
I had painted the frame white, and sealed it with clear wax but was undecided on what I would use as the bottom of my new tray.
Then the following weekend, I stopped by a couple of yard sales late in the day and came across one that had wood scraps and a “Make Offer” sign, so I grabbed these narrow pieces for one whole dollar:
I love random finds like this! Right away I decided that these would become the new bottom to my tray, and I cut them to fit lengthwise.
Paint
I ended up just spray painting these pieces rather than hand-painting all those small pieces.
I did half Rustoleum Satin white and half Rustoleum’s Robin Egg Blue.:
And would you believe they ended up being exactly the right size to fill the space across? That was lucky!
You can see that they sat flush with the frame as well…
It was meant to be!
To hold them in place, I cut a piece of hardboard with my miter saw:
(My miter saw slides up to 12″ so I can easily cut anything up to a foot long.)
I painted it and screwed it to the bottom to hold the wood pieces in place.
Turn a Frame into a Tray
The after:
How cute did it turn out??
Those wood scraps ended up being just perfect as the bottom of my tray!
As you can see, although I used spay paint, I still sanded to distress a bit:
I wouldn’t use spray paint on furniture, but it worked just fine here!
Where did those cute feet come from?
The feet really make it! That’s what I used the spindles in the before photo for! They were part of a magazine rack I dismantled.
I originally thought I would cut the ends off of the spindles to use as the feet, but they were too tall, so one more cut on each end with my miter saw, and I had perfect feet:
A little wood glue to hold them in place…
And they worked out great!
This was so sweet on our bathroom counter, I kind of wish I had kept it!
The handles are from Hobby Lobby and finish this little cutie off perfectly:
This tray isn’t very big, but works great to hold toiletries, jewelry, or makeup.
This is our downstairs guest bath. See the before and after of this space HERE.
Do y’all remember my Faux Real Flowers??
They are still going strong!
Total out-of-pocket for this project was $8. I love when projects come together like this!
Mary Kaiser says
I remember when you did this tray, it turned out so cute! I am surprised you didn’t keep it! Have fun getting Jack all settled in to his apartment. Tell him to learn lots this year, oh and behave!! LOL!
Christy says
Looking back, I’m surprised I didn’t keep it either! And ha ha I will! XOXO
Denise Cox says
It’s DARLING, you clever gal!! And, of course, I love the blue color you chose! You certainly CANNOT tell how DEEP that tray is. It’s a perfect choice. I love it, and yes, you SHOULD have kept it…lol. I also love the color of the walls in your guest bath.
Christy says
Thank you, Denise! I know…why did I not keep it?? It looked so cute in there! XOXO
Nana Diana says
Really cute! Love the ‘stripes’ and also love how you see treasures where others see junk. Diana
Christy says
Thank you so much, Diana! It is really satisfying to be able to use up what would otherwise end up in the trash for sure. Have a lovely weekend! XOXO
Cheryl Atkinson says
Hi Christy! This turned out so pretty. When I first found your blog you had done a similar upcycle and I promise you I went looking for a frame to make a tray. 😊 I have not tried this yet but I am in a new mission. Thank you for sharing this. I love your blog so much.
Christy says
Thank you, Cheryl! Oh I love that your mission has been reactivated lol! Good luck! XOXO
Cecilia says
Oh yes, totally cute. I would have wanted to keep it too. Hard to believe it’s time for school again. Those August move in dates…so hot. Hope the year goes well.
😊Cecilia
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! Yes…too early for me lol! XOXO
Caye says
It’s just as cute as can be! Such a good idea, too. I hope it sold quickly so you could ease the pain of separation!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Caye! It did sell quickly! XOXO
Michele M. says
SO clever – it is absolutely adorable! You amaze me at every post.
Christy says
Aww I appreciate you, my friend! Thank you! XOXO
Mary says
This is really cute, Christy! I’m thinking you must have made a frame around the outside edge of the picture frame too? Because I have a deep frame like this, but the edges are “slanted” and are not straight like yours. I’m not explaining it correctly, but doesn’t that just about take your breath away when you have Just Enough of something when you are creating? It was meant to be, for sure. Love the little feet you made too! Very very cute. Thank you for the inspiration!
Christy says
Thank you, Mary! I have gotten a lot of questions about the sides of this one lol. That is just how the frame came…with those really deep, straight sides…just a lucky find! And with that shape, I knew it had to become a tray. And yes, I love when things work out so nicely like that! Enjoy your weekend! XOXO
Cory Brzys says
So clever! And sweet, pretty, and functional. Brava! 🙌
Christy says
Thanks so much, Cory! XOXO
Cheryl says
So clever and beautiful!! I’ve really enjoyed finding your website and inspired by your amazing creativity and artistry!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Cheryl! I really appreciate, and I’m so glad you found me! XOXO