I love my new DIY stenciled tray! I made this for the Ringing in Spring 2014 Home Tour (see my living room makeover here.) All of our remotes and living room table clutter were driving me crazy, and I think this will be the perfect pretty solution.
Supplies you will need to make a DIY stenciled tray
Tray – This one is from Target
Painter’s tape
Stainless steel spray paint (this stuff holds up well for high use projects)
Stencil (I used the Royal Design Studio Get Ziggy With It Stencil, available here.) Stencil adhesive (optional…I didn’t need this)
Stencil brush
Craft paint or stencil creme for accent colors
Polycrylic or other sealant (may be optional…I haven’t sealed mine, but I will probably go back and do that since this will be used a lot)
Step 1: The beauty of this stainless steel spray paint is that no priming is required. I just taped the edges of the tray and applied 3 thin coats of spray, letting each coat dry for about ten minutes before applying the next one.
Step 2: Once the final coat is dry, position your stencil either with stencil adhesive or by taping the edge if necessary. I was very fortunate that my stencil was the same size as the inside of my tray, so I didn’t need to do anything to hold it in place.
Step 3: Dab your stencil brush very lightly into your first accent color and offload most of the paint onto a paper towel. The critical thing with stenciling is to use a dry brush. When you have too much paint on your brush, it can slip underneath the stencil, messing up your pattern. Not fun. Using light, even pressure, gently brush the paint around the stencil edges using a circular motion. Find additional instructions and techniques here.
Step 4: Once your initial accent coat is dry, apply a coat of any other accent colors you would like.
Seal if desired and enjoy!
Becky is the voice behind Life in Velvet, an organised, intentional living blog focused on practical food, calm homes, thoughtful projects, and everyday systems that make real life feel easier. A mum of 3 living in the UK, Becky writes from lived experience, sharing what works, what doesn’t, and the decisions that make family life run more smoothly.
With a background in marketing and content writing, and over a decade of blogging experience, she brings a thoughtful, structured approach to everything from baking and home projects to routines and decision-making. Life in Velvet is where planning meets creativity, with ideas designed for real homes and real life.