20 Different Ways To Style Your Serving Trays

Breakfast in bed, accenting the coffee table, passing around drinks at your backyard party; serving trays have tons of function. But they’re also a great way to spruce up, highlight and compliment a space. But it’s all in how you accessorize and personalize them. We’ve compiled 20 ideas to show you all the different ways to style your serving trays for a variety of entertaining and decorative situations!

Chic & Layered

serving trays to layer side tables

You can easily use serving trays to layer side tables or entryway pieces. We love how this design gives us a bright pop and chic, clean overall look.{found on windhula}.

Eclectic & Cozy

Geometric wooden serving tray

Not only is this wooden serving tray super unique in style and shape, but we love it’s stamped design as well, which adds to the overall style. Your cup of late night tea never looked as beautiful.{found on theglitterguide}.

Written & Personalized

Give thanks serving tray

A bit of chalkboard paint can transform any older tray you may have sitting around. A personalized message can make for a festive way to style and serve your favorite treats!{found on corynnepless}.

Simple & Clean

Simple and clean ottoman serving tray

Here is a beautiful example of how a serving tray can add depth and a bit of charm to a traditional, clean space. It’s simple enough not to overwhelm or look out of place, but adds a great amount of homey style too.{found on shirleyparksdesign}.

Vintage & Light

Vintage serving tray

Add a bit of vintage flair to any nook or cranny of the home by using this beautiful set up as your inspiration. Notice the silver tray adorned with some fun pieces full of old-age spirit.{found on mustlovejunk}.

Easy & Quick

Contemporary design for serving tray

Add an easy, casual essence to your more contemporary living room with a chic serving tray topping the ottoman and filling it with candles. It’s perfect for when you’re entertaining guests and need a cozy ambiance.

Repurposed & Homey

Wooden crate like serving tray

If you decide to repurpose an old, wooden crate like they did here, you’ll get a charming, vintage-style accent for your home. Use it in the kitchen to store your tea plates or style a sofa table with eclectic plates and fresh flowers.{found on dreamywhites}.

Posh & Subdued

Pop of color with flowers

An easy way to add a pop of color and interest to a table, a round serving tray topped with some pretty vases is a simple, subdued way to accent this posh space.

Outdoors & Romantic

Outdoor furniture with hexagon tray

Dress up your cozy, outdoor space with some extra style. Serving trays are perfect ways to transform an ottoman into a useful table space, and they added lanterns – providing romantic light for evenings – to this piece!

Masculine & Functional

Masculine leather tray table

There’s a bit of masculinity wrapped up in this textural, leather serving tray. And we love how it highlight the creamy accents of this bathroom, while helping to stay organized!

Country & Girlish

Reclaimed wood tray with handles

Here’s a great example of wooden serving tray that you can DIY. But more importantly, we love how this country piece is style with soft, girlish florals.

Mid Century & Contemporary

Style mid-century furniture with trays

You can highlight your mid-century modern home with a styled serving tray as well. Take a look at this fresh and funky dining room table and the vintage piece accenting the buffet.

Fresh & Lively

Fundation for your small succulent garden

Of course you can always use a serving tray as the foundation to your green thumb adventure. Spices, small flowers and succulents make this piece pop!{found on eclaireart}.

Levels & Colors

White modern ottoman tray

Here’s a serving tray that was styled with a multitude of colors, levels and textures. That makes for sure a great combination when you want interest and personality infused.{found on armoniadecors}.

Bright & Functional

Bright and functional limonade tray

Even when you decide to use your serving tray for it’s simple function, you can make sure it’s styled! If you decide to serve up some lemonade for your friends, accent the tray with some fresh lemons, colorful straws and a beautiful pitcher.{found on magnoliahomes}.

Familiar & Traditional

Red Mediterranean Kitchen

You can use your tray to keep accents together in your cozy, homey space. Here we see it styled with plants and family photos!

Whimsical & Springlike

Night stand tray with milk vases

Brighten a corner but keep it chic and clean with the addition of whimsical, fresh florals and milk glass antique on top of your stylish, serving trays.

Wooden & Rustic

Wooden and rustic chevron tray

This DIY, wooden serving tray is gorgeous on its own but we also adore the simple way the piece was styled. Fresh fruit for a pop of color and for the kids to grab a quick snack, and a couple of vintage books for personality.{found on lisajaynelee}.

Unique & Innovative

Old drawer turned into a tray

Of course, you can always use your imagination when finding a serving tray. And older, wooden drawer can do the trick and add a vintage charm to your living room!{found on embracemyspace}.

Feminine & Modern

Feminine and modern tray

A marble serving tray finished with fresh florals and beautiful coffee table books make a unique and modern design that’s touched with just the right amount of femininity.