Wall Trays – With a Vintage look

When I mention the word trays, many of you reading this are thinking of the serving tray. Yes, trays do have a very functional purpose but can you visualize a stunning pair of our trays by ibride hanging on your living room wall? I like to think of trays as multi-functional items. For instance, in one of my recent daydreams I was sitting on the shady veranda of a Victorian three-story reading a book. A tall gentleman, (my butler of course), was bringing me a frosty pitcher of iced tea and a glass of ice on a beautiful serving tray which looked a lot like this tray from this website.

I almost gasped at the butler in my daydream , “don’t use my favorite tray for the iced tea! I intend to make a wall grouping!”

Trays have been used for decorative and advertising purposes for hundreds of years. Most trays are made of tin but some are crafted from wood and, I have a particulary interesting jumbo tray that was made in the 1940’s and it is two-dimensional. The floral outer edge was formed from hammered aluminum. Right in the center of the aluminum section is an American Limoges dinner plate with a hand-painted still life of fruit and wine. Some trays were hand-painted but most of them were machine- made. Many trays were designed by famous artists as a sort of artistic work sans canvas.

A famous company that issued many different pictoral, advertising trays was the (you all know this answer) Coca-Cola Co. You don’t need to be an antique lover to know that many of these old Coca-Cola trays have fetched thousands of dollars from an avid collector.

I have a serious fondness for trays and have always had at least one on display in each of my “digs.”

If you look under “ACCENT DÉCOR” on this site, there is an entire section on TRAYS!!!

You are not limited to hanging them on the wall in the kitchen or dining area. Last night I noticed that the house in the movie that I was watching had two large trays hanging on the wall in an upstairs hallway. I like to set the larger trays around. If I have a particularly empty space and lack room for furniture in the spot, I set a decorated tray on the floor and prop it against the wall.

A counter display with a tray and flowers is particularly awesome.

I love the lattice edging on this stunner by ibride. I think it is lace and gentility and innocence.

There are eight other oval trays that are sold on burkedecor.com that if I had the wall space, I would have to purchase them all. The colors are stupendous, cloudy, misty, charming. These, too, are designed by ibride. I’d like to pair them up or have three together.

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Shop, classy iron bedding with a modern decorative twist.

Buying a new bed was a daunting experience for me.  I’m not a professional decorator but, over the years, I have decorated dozens

of houses and apartments for myself, family members, and friends.

I have  decorated dozens of houses and apartments for myself, family members, and friends.  I have wallpapered, refinished hardwood floors, made my own drapes, and chosen fabric and accents that have gained me innumerable compliments.  I have been an Antique Dealer and decorated booths at the antique mall.   Even though I love to decorate,  there are so many types of  beds to choose from.  I had to consider my tastes and, of course, the  composition (wood, metal, iron).    Also, size  and price and durability were important to me.  I knew that it wouldn’t be cost effective to replace my bedroom suite every few years, so the decision was important to me.  I could always change accessories and wall décor periodically.

Since I had some great antique pieces which included a; wash stand,  dresser,  and chest of drawers,  I chose an iron bed and quilted spread with wall frames of different woods.  Since my functional pieces were old, they were not really a “set”.  Therefore, by using accent pieces of various dark woods, it created a lovely, aesthetic, blended  look.  You can choose new pieces of light or dark wood to match your new, iron bed.

Browsing through some websites, I located eight great examples of iron beds by Bliss Studio on Burkedecor.com.  The beds are stunning and the price range will fit into most budgets.

Let your imagination flow, if you want a bedroom set that is classy and a bit out of the ordinary check out the Bliss Studio Collection from Burkedecor.com they have a very good selection there.

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