This “Beautiful” $35 Marble Tray Made Me Forget All About the Other One I Wanted (It’s 2x Cheaper!)
Recently, I decided my rental kitchen needed a bit of a refresh. Although I’ve invested plenty of time and money into making the rest of my apartment feel like me, I’ve pretty much left my kitchen as is. It’s small, gets the job done, and there isn’t much that I’ve really been able to change, considering I can’t swap out any appliances or paint my cabinets a bold color.
After spending more time at home over the summer, I’ve found myself wanting to pretty up the space a bit. I’m trying to become better about romanticizing little daily rituals, like making my coffee each morning, for example. While visiting one of my favorite thrift shops, I came across an adorable trio of blue and white jars made for coffee, tea, and sugar, so I snagged them.
Once I filled each of the jars and set them on my countertop, though, they looked a bit underwhelming against the black marble. I decided that in order to make them pop — and elevate the setup a bit — I’d put them on top of a small marble tray to better define that area of the counter.
Because these containers sit right next to my sink, I didn’t have room for a big tray, and I also didn’t want to spend much, given I’d inevitably have to wipe up spilled coffee grounds in this spot. I also wanted a quick fix. So I took to Amazon in search of a tray that would fit my parameters: under $40, at least six inches deep but no more than 15 inches wide, and good-looking. I landed on this beautiful scalloped marble tray, which came in at $39.99, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how the final setup looks.
What’s great about this tray is that if I eventually rejigger things on my countertop, I could easily repurpose this piece while entertaining (it would make a nice cheese board!) or even in another room of my apartment. I could see this tray looking right at home styled on a bookshelf with a candle and a trinket or two on top, or in my bedroom corralling perfume bottles on the dresser, and so on.
It’s a versatile piece — one I’d happily purchase again down the line. It would make a nice housewarming or holiday gift for someone who loves to entertain, and the marble has a substantial weight to it, making it feel as though it costs much more than $40. I’ve seen similar styles on other sites, and they’re usually at least two times the price, if not even more!
So far I’ve encountered a bit of messiness while scooping coffee grounds out of my jar in the morning, but everything has wiped off the tray easily, with no stains left behind. From both a functional perspective and an aesthetic one, I’m happy to report this tray is a winner.