Think Ocotillo wins for best accessories 🐈

And I love that barley twist table! I have a rectangular one from my Granny.

My coffee table is supposed to have a decorative pot with a plant/ flowers. But, most of the time it looks like this. The junk just seems to accumulate.

Supposed to look more like this...

In a former home I had a huge ottoman. I just used a large round wicker basket which help magazines. I liked the way it looked. It was pretty plain I guess.

Mine is a very bossy ottoman and I am considering going back to a coffee table. Anyway, here she is complete with sleeping dogs and a “lived in” looking sofa:

I love your room , Ruby. Again.

Thanks mtn - you can see past the disarray!

Love your layered rugs Ruby!! They look great.

akt - that room is so lovely. You do such a wonderful job with your homes!

Oops, I think this is sideways, but we have a Lane Acclaim MCM that is very similar to Lars’. That is furniture glass on it. Yes, I have cleaned up all those Consumer Reports! Mostly our laptops are on it, and, often with a cat. If she wants DH’s attention, she will sit on his laptop or jump on it. He’s going to need to get some of his keys fixed.

Thankks Ruby!

When we had an ottoman coffee table, I bought a large wood tray from Etsy. I got it from this seller, but the tray had nice metal handles.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/721488620/large-ottoman-tray-wooden-ottoman-tray?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1

On the tray I had a large pottery bowl that corralled the remotes, reading glasses, etc., and usually a few books.

Ruby, even your disarray is artful.

OMG that is funny GScience; it's like she is sitting on chicks. My dog will lift my hand up from the keys with her nose.

Sue I looked at that very one, since it was so nice and big. For some reason we don'thave the remotes on the ottoman. We have them on the console in front of the TV.

Ruby is that a real plant? Not sure if I would feel a real plant is safe there, but love the look.

AKT my ottoman looks a lot like your old one, but it is a dark burgundyi-sh slightly distressed leather. The basket you have on it is a great proportion.

Lars, you never see footstools anymore! I like them.

Kitcnwitch, I like that look. I think tis easier with a rectangular surface. I'm torn about what shape to use on mine.

I have a crush on this company's trays, but they don't really go with my space. They remind me of SueB. Aren't they neat?

KSwl, that's a good list, thanks.I think I will go to our local antique store and look for some things.

Oak, love that tray, but I love b/w.

Beagles ... well yes, your vignettes need to be a tad higher for now!

omg look at the trays here. Mtn, why oh why did you mention this?

http://www.notremonde.com

Lol mtn. Yes, it is a real plant and has survived there for a couple of years. However, we do have a new puppy so things could change. Also love that tray you showed and yes it does seem perfect for Sueb!

kswl - that is a great list. One of my favorite things on my tray is a brass starfish magnifier that was my mom's. It has actually come in handy more than a few times.

ETA: Omg - love this one:

We have only a pointed oval wicker basket that holds coasters and remotes. It is our family room and any attempt at styling it would be futile. It's a case of function over form, as I would be constantly rearranging any attempt at styling, as peoples feet would be constantly rearranging my "stuff."

Some nice trays here, too.

https://society6.com/s?q=Round+tray&context=true

Sue because I saw that Notre Monde line and thought, "i think SueB would like this too."

I saw Socirty 6, too, but did not like the sides of the trays as much

Sueb20, those trays look like they could be hung on a wall. It reminded me, that I once had an old picture frame that I added handles to and used as a serving tray.

Mtn, got any old pictures laying around :)

ETA: I meant, hung on a wall because they’re so cool!

The notre monde trays are shown on a wall, Kitch. Love this brand!

I can look at trays all day long. I think the most versatile tray for any decor is vintage silver or silver plated.

So tell me, how many of you have your coffee table decorated and your DH's who are home during Covid have wrecked it?

Raising hand here! Do you know coffee tables are a great place to put your tennis shoes?

Ooh, I love these trays!

Oh, I missed the Notre Monde trays. I love that second arrangement!

Wow, when I pop in here there is always a thread on something I've been thinking about doing -- specifically a new ottoman trays. So many good examples from you all and links. I swear my current tray is the only thing that keeps the dog off the ottoman.

If you are interested in a blue and white ceramic tray Ballard has one on sale that is round and 14” in diameter. It has tall sides to keep the contents well corralled and the handles are wicker. I really wanted to order it for our living room but it was too big for the oval coffee table I gave there.

https://www.ballarddesigns.com/blue-26-white-chinoiserie-tray/444136

I was actually looking for a round tray for my coffee table to corral the “stuff“ and make it easier to remove said stuff if we want to use the table for a game. So now I’m trying to not order one of those Notre Monde trays....

I used to have a tray that was glass on top and opened up so you could put something under the glass (so it was almost like a big picture frame). I placed pretty paper to cover the bottom, then added some souvenirs (map, train tickets, etc) from a trip we had taken to London and Paris. I wonder what happened to that tray, now that I’m thinking of it!

Going a tad OT here, but just wanted to say that this thread inspired me to dig out this old blue and white English platter to use as a tray in my evolving closet endeavor. I probably wouldn't have done this had y'all not sparked the idea, so thanks!

(And yes, obnoxiously fake flowers. Come at me, bro! 😁)

Kswl, that blue one from Ballard is so pretty!

This is a tray I bought quite a while ago at Pier One. I actually think I could use a larger one. BTW the ottoman was bought at a yard sale and i had it reupholstReed.

KSWL, too small for me but so pretty and I've never seen anything like it. When I looked at Ballard's site, though, I was shocked to find this. I was ay HG yesterday and I picked up something that was either this item or a dead ringer. It was the same dimensions, I know because I measured it. I had it in my cart and planned to buy it (DH liked it too) but decided I need a flat surface. Thi sone is $194 +20 shipping; HG wanted $24.99. I may go back for it!

Sue, my kids love doing that. And I facilitate because I usually buy a glass top for kids furniture. It's fun. My one DD has postcards of famous works from museums we visited covering her desk.

Ocotillo, OT is always fine w me! When I was scrounging antique shops last spring looking for some more flow ware for the niches in my LR, I came across an pot I liked that I had a fake orchid in it. I bought it for the pot. When I got it home, I realized the orchid wasn't so bad. I ended up trimming of some of the blooms though, because the profusion of flowers,IMHO, made it look fake. Don't know if you could do that w yours but, FWIW. I also added new moss to the pot. My DD liked it so much she took it for her dorm. But then she had an amazing dorm room last year; windows on 2 sides and room for my Baker chaise, LOL. Have to find a pic.

Thanks, Mtn! I think I will give that faux orchid a haircut!

Ocotillo,

Here's my fake orchid in DD's dorm (moving out day)

More dorm: The chaise is from my old MBR. The little pink scalloped metal table was from dumpster diving at the dorm the year before!

These are the best stackable storage; also can configure into seating. (note dead flowers!)

That dorm room is adorbs! ❤

It really was. Especially when it was clean, that one time. : )

Ok, one orchid haircut accomplished. Looks better! (Might take another bloom or two off.)

OMG Ocotillo, well done! Interesting, isn't it? Also, love your use of the tray. And that adorable b/w photo!!

Thank you, Mtn! That's little me, 53 years ago.

wow, that is one cute and stylish dorm room. And it's not dumpster diving, it's "upcycling".

That’s the biggest price difference I’ve ever even heard of, Mtn! You could buy it as a gift if you didn’t want to use it yourself.

West Elm has a great selection of trays, some as much as 20” in Diameter. Here is a link: https://www.westelm.com/shop/accessories-pillows/storage-trays/

I have a fabric decopage tray from west Elm that has held up really well. It’s a little too large for my table but I use it anyway.

Mtn. Those tobacco leaf baskets (Not made of tobacco, used to carry tobacco leaves) have been around for awhile..prices are all over the place. Now that you have touched one you will start seeing them everywhere. 😊

Yes - what maddielee said. You usually see them hanging. I can't picture one as a tray unless it's much smaller.

Oco - I love transferware platters! Looks great in your closet.

Yep, Maddie, upon googling more I see they are ubiquitous. Probably widely varying in quality. Cheap or no, it doesn't work for this purpose; I just trade one uneven surface for another.

So many wonderful things to look at in this thread, but Cran, that ottoman is fabulous. I would never have picked that fabric, but love the colors and would never tire at looking at it. It actually made me smile when you posted it!

You've got to get this one Mtn, you've just got to!

And it's not boring and run of the mill like the others.

Oakley, I love that but it is way to frou frou for my family room. I have a huge 10' long Belgian work table, a white duck sectional, and a distressed leather ottoman. I tried some new throw pillows (posted a while ago on this) but none were the right scale. Anyway, the colors I'm stuck with are more autumnal. (also as I posted above, I don't care for the look of those Society 6 trays from the side)

I did buy two things! Thanks KSWL, they are both West Elm. A gold tray, at 18x28 one of the largest I've seen. I like that it is not a slick gold; hope it works. I also got a a candle (cannot pass up tortoise shell).

I also like this bundle but am sure I can do it myself. Will also add a planter of some sort, some larger books, and something metal. On the balance of the ottoman I will stack books and magazines and a folded throw. Almost there!

Ha! This is a new craft. Hold on to your crinolines, bibliophiles.

https://caitlinmariedesign.com/2017/10/26/farmhouse-book-bundle-tutorial/

I love a large tray like this.....

But not too heavy so easy to slide off if feet are wanting it.

This is our ottoman. Those are my DH feet. I took mine off to take the photo.

LOL, DH is a foot model! My tray came today and I love it. Still waiting on a new throw but will take a pic when it's all set.

DH made it for his mother years ago. We got it when she died. Before then I went with out. With a house full and kids it would have only been in the way.