I don’t know that there isn’t a problem that a good accent tray can’t fix.
Got a jumble of crap on your nightstand? Put it in a tray.
Crap on your dining table makes your place look perpetually messy? Let a tray take care of it.
Conflict in the Middle East got you scared? Nope. Trays can’t help with that.
But they try real hard!
Things is, even for hard-core thrifters like me, trays can get limited and/or pricey. Sometimes you gotta get creative. Duct tape goes a long way, especially now that it comes in every color and pattern under the sun.
Here I used a cardboard cat food tray, but you can use the lid from a file box, show box…just about anything. Heck, you could make your own. Custom size. After all, it’s duct tape!
Tip 1: Stick to patterned duct tape. I love mixing solid color stripes on other projects, but wrinkles and lumps are pretty inevitable on this particular project, and the patterns will cover the flaws beautifully.
Tip 2: Duck brand duct tape is my favorite, but there are some other good generic brands. There also some bad ones (read: I’m not a fan of Scotch brand duct tape. No offense Scotch, you make amazing colored masking tape, but your duct tape formula is no good). Anyway. Just make sure, whatever you choose, it’s super sticky. Usually I can tell by rolling back a piece slowly and you can see the adhesive fibers stretching and pulling, that’s a good sign. It should take effort. If it comes off the roll too easily, you can bet it’ll fall off your box in a few weeks.
They come together real quick. Last August I was using my friend’s house to photograph these paint chip art pieces for the Queen Latifah show. Their place looks great, but the coffee table was lacking something…something, like…a tray!
Doesn’t that look better? Yeah. Told you. It’s all about the tray.
So that is what I know about that. It’s take you five minutes and cost the roll of tape. Are you on it yet? Get going!
Feel inspired? Here are some other terrific and inexpensive ideas I have found around the web this week…
Apple votives (perfect for Thanksgiving!)
Leaf garland from plastic bags
Could I ask, what brand is that colorful floral tape that is on the tray holding the wooden pineapple? Is it Duck Tape? And if so, where did you get it? Kind of love it.
Thank you!
Amy
Duck brand. I got it at Michael’s but I have seen it at Home Depot and Office max too!
Thank you for the quick response. I see a trip to Office Max in my future.
Amy
My office max also carried some duck tape that was printed with photo image macaroni and cheese. Just saying’
🙂
Stopping by from Craft Schooling Sundays! This is a genius idea! Thank you for sharing.
Love your new coffee table. How about a close up look?
Better than that — here’s a whole post! http://www.auntpeaches.com/2014/08/25-spirograph-coffee-table.html
Wouldn’t you know it, the only brand of patterned duct tape I’ve ever seen in Australia is Scotch?
Awesome idea though, and I’m thinking contact paper would work well for this too! I use it to cover oth storage boxes and it is pretty sturdy, love the idea to use lids as trays!!!!
Indeed — contact paper would be a great solution! Fingers crossed the patterned tape crazy comes down under — it has gone crazy here the last couple years. 🙂
May i just say I love your entire website. It’s so colorful, eccentric, and fun it is so much fun to snoop around on and look at!!!!