I always have extra frames in the house — I buy them for a dollar or two at tag sales or the thrift store — and I recently made this cute tray out of a large picture frame and two cabinet handles.
I love how it turned out.
When I saw this idea while searching for more DIY ideas, I decided that I just had to make myself a pretty tray out of a frame that I can individualize for years to come.
I decorated mine with a trellis pattern, but you could personalize your with photos, letters, movie ticket stubs, etc. – the possibilities are endless.
This tray also makes a wonderful gift, don’t you think? Who wouldn’t want an extra tray for their coffee table or kitchen?
DIY Frame Tray
You need these supplies:
- frame (large enough for a tray)
- drill
- ruler
- 2 cabinet door handles (you can find some at the dollar store)
- optional: spray paint
- optional: you might need to buy shorter screws that fit or cut don the ones that come with the handles
- optional: little floor protector pads
DIY Frame Tray Tutorial:
- Figuring out where you want to mount the handles on the tray. Find the middle of the shorter sides of the frame and then figure out where you need to drill the holes. I put my handle sideways so I ccould see where the holes are and marked my frame accordingly.
- Drill the four holes. Make sure you use the right-size drill bit that is comparable with the size of the screws.
- If your handles need spray painting, paint them outside or in a well-ventilated area of your home. Spray the first coat on the handles, let the paint dry, and repeat until you are happy with the result. My handles could have used a second coat, but leaving them like this actually gives them an interesting antique look.
- Take out the back of the frame and insert what you wish to display on the top side of the tray. I used contact per with a trellis pattern.
- Use strong tape or even hot glue to secure the back of the frame to the frame so it can hold the weight of the items you will be placing on the tray.
- Once the paint is totally dry on the handles, screw them to the frame. If the screws are longer than the thickness of the frame, you’ll need to cut them or buy shorter ones. Or buy handles that can be screwed in from the top with shorter screws.
- If the screws on the back of the frame could scratch your furniture, add little floor protector pad stickers usually intended to go on chairs on the back.
What would you display in your DIY frame tray?
If you like this idea, I’d love it if you pin it.
