5 Smart Ways To Use A Serving Board—Beyond Serving Food

Style is best served on a serving tray.

When it comes to putting the finishing touches on your home, style is best served…well, on a serving tray. Gone are the days when serving boards were merely used for presenting delectable spreads at happy hours or bringing your breakfast to the comfort of your bed. Today, design enthusiasts are finding new and creative ways serving trays elevate every room of the house—not just those culinary quarters.

“As a Southern gal, I just love serving trays,” shares Grey Joyner, an interior designer based in North Carolina. “Whether it's your great-grandmother's china serving tray or a sterling silver tray you purchased at an estate sale, they can all be both practical as well as decorative!”

Like shopping for any other piece of home decor, it’s important to find a serving tray that works with your space, not against it. “Consider the area where it will function,” says Hattie Collins, owner of Hattie Sparks Interiors in New Orleans, “You don't want a highly scratch-able lucite tray on a table where you're tossing your keys, and an antique silver serving tray is probably not the right fit for a living room ottoman.” Depending on your space’s needs, Collins recommends looking for serving trays in an array of materials like silver, brass, rattan, and lucite. "Classic lines and details that will mix well with a variety of decor,” she adds. And, while you will want to make sure your serving tray is long enough to hold your belongings, it shouldn’t cover the entirety of the surface it rests on. (After all, a layered look will give your space a warm, welcoming touch.)

So, you found a serving tray or two that ticks off all the boxes—now what? A few designers are here to help by serving up their favorite and genius decorating tips.

Create A Centerpiece

As any host with the most can tell you, a tablescape can turn even the most basic meal into an elevated, multi-sensory affair. But, if you’re itching to take your dining room table to the next level, a serving tray can act as an anchor for your centerpiece.

“By skillfully incorporating the serving board into the arrangement, a sense of coziness and authenticity emanates,” says Texas designer Nina Magon. “Enlivening the board with the presence of flickering candles or a vase adorned with vibrant flowers exudes an ambiance of comfort and warmth.”

Another thing to love? You can easily move your centerpiece whenever you need to clear or clean your table.

Show Off Your Collection

When it comes to making the most of your serving tray, there’s strength in numbers. If you are an avid collector–be it of porcelain teacups or matchboxes from your favorite restaurants–pile them on a serving tray. Not only is it an excellent way to show off your belongings, but a tray will also bring a thoughtful, put-together touch to them.

Bring Decorum To Your Daily Essentials

If you’ve spent more time than you’d like to admit searching for your car keys, you’ve come to the right place. Place a slim serving tray on your foyer’s console table as an easy way to keep those must-haves hiding in plain sight—stylishly, of course. “They're a great way to corral and ground items that might look a little loose on a plain surface,” Collins shares. “Things like candles, key dishes, vases, and stacks of books just look better with something beneath them.”

Tip

When using a serving tray for utility purpose, consider the material. You don't want your car keys scratching a porcelain tray, after all. Materials such as marble and wood are more durable options—and this functional tray is made with both.

Beautify Your Bathroom

A bathroom counter can be a great place to stow go-to cosmetics; however, there’s a fine line between “curated” and “cluttered.” The solution? A petite serving tray. “An antique or even modern tray can hold perfume bottles or makeup and provide that finishing touch,” Joyner adds. In addition to giving your bathroom a more polished look, a tray will also add as a visual reminder to limit your countertop’s contents. (In other words, if your favorite hand cream can’t fit on your tray, you might need to move it to a drawer.)

Opt For Art

Just because a serving tray has a practical use doesn’t mean it has to be hidden under all your stuff. Instead, show them off by hanging a few on your wall. “I love to find six to eight serving trays of varying sizes, shapes, colors, patterns and materials to create an art wall in a foyer,” Joyner shares. “It's a wonderful way to enter a home.”

This dimensional art is bound to be a conversation-starter, but it doesn’t have to be confined to your walls. For an thematic take on the trend, Magon recommends incorporating your trays into your kitchen decor. "An essential aspect of incorporating serving boards into the design lies in strategically placing them against the backsplash to introduce captivating dimensions and contrasting elements,” Magon shares. “The combination is particularly beguiling when employing marble boards, resulting in a dynamic and organic aesthetic that effortlessly draws attention and captivates the senses.”

While a handful of serving trays can come together to build a textural gallery wall, a single, oversized option can be an excellent way to spruce up a smaller nook or powder room.

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