Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Before and After : Metal Trays

Before :
$1 rusty, crusty tray from thrift store

Before :
75 cent matching tiered tray from yard sale

After :
My new and ever so loverly black trays for holding craft supplies.


I put some buttons on there to show y'all what they will look like when they're full of embellishments and trinkets galore. I am so pleased with how they turned out. I went back and forth trying to decide whether to paint them black satin or heirloom white. My final decision was based on the fact that my new workspace (all in my head at this point) will have white walls, white beadboard, white shelves, etc. I'd like all of my accessories to be black and white with a dash of color thrown in here and there.


Now, for those of you wondering how I did this...it was quite simple. First I wiped them down with a tack cloth. Then I applied a thin layer of spray primer...Rustoleum Painter's Touch White Primer. Next, I used Rustoleum Satin Black and applied several thin coats. Be sure and wait the appropriate amount of time between coats. Tomorrow I will put a couple clear coats on top for added protection and hopefully to prevent scratching.


I am thrilled with the outcome and can hardly wait to use them in my new workspace. I think they will add just the right touch of whimsy, personality, and uniqueness! Plus...they will be super cute paired with my new dress form!


34 comments:

Unknown said...

How cute! i just love the trays. I am glad you told exactly how you did the painting. I am always looking for painting tips.

Thank you for sharing

Kristina P. said...

They look so great!

Staci said...

Totally cute!! I'm thinking of everything I can spraypaint now! I spy with my little eye... A lamp! Yep, she would pretty in black!

Pretty Organizer said...

Okay, so my husband is The Defender of Natural Wood and I think I'm the keeper of the silverware... is that real sterling silver? Deep breath.... The trays ARE BEAUTIFUL black. I love them... I just have this heirloom handicap. I get it from my mothers side... antique collectores, the whole lot of them. I'm working on my aversion to painting silver....

Allidink said...

How awesome! What a great way to cover up scratches and make it look so glam!

All the best,
Allison

Dawn said...

Wow! What a great transformation! I love the way they turned out!

Mrs. Jones said...

What a great idea! I have a tray in my closet and wasn't sure what to do with it. It never occurred to me to paint it back!

~Heather

Caroline said...

I found your blog last week and added it to my blog roll. I really enjoy checking out your makeovers. The trays look super..what a great idea.

Andi said...

I love those trays- black and dark red are mu accent colors in my kitchen, so I will be on the lookout for trays like these. Good job, girlie!!!
That navajo white spray paint is Rustoleum, but I have only seen it at Home Depot, our Wally World didn't have it when I went yesterday. Andi

Jess said...

Cute. Cute. Cute. I can't wait for recital season to be finished so that I can go thrifting!

A Southern Rose said...

They turned out so pretty! They will be perfect for your craft room. We might be going to Hattiesburg this Friday night. It is my little boy's birthday and my friend Stevie's little girls birthday a couple of days later. They want to go to Chuckie Cheese. We took them to that one before and they loved it. We don't have one here and the one in Jackson isn't very clean. I might have to make a stop at Hobby Lobby too!

Hugs,
Lee Laurie

southerninspiration said...

OOOOOhhh, love those!

Suzanne

Georgia Girl said...

Oh how cute! I have a couple of those and never even liked them but seeing yours I do now.

Gotta go to Hobby Lobby this weekend and look for me a birdcage....I am so wanting me one since you posted about them.

Thrifty Decor Chick said...

Adorable!! They turned perfect!

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

Ok, so maybe the nasty trip was worth it after all...I mean to have matching trays? :)

Michelle Bebe said...

wow you have an eye for what can be! love it!

Anonymous said...

Great minds must think alike. I have been trying to choose between the exact same colors of paint for a metal tray I bought. I decided on black too, because . . . it would be surrounded with white.

Is that a crazy coincidence or what!!

Vivienne @ the V Spot said...

Those turned out so great! I would have had some other silver in my mind, but the black is fantastic. I'm going to re-evaluate my "treasures" now, black spray-paint in hand...

Anonymous said...

So cute!! I love trays!

Kim said...

Love what you did with those trays Amanda - also love what you did with the initial in your other post. Btw - you MUST have a Shark steam mop! I just turned mine on to warm up while I checked my blog and then read this! Too funny! Go get one - and only buy it at BB&B so you can use the 20% off coupon!

Julie said...

WOW!!!! so glad you told us how you did it too!!! great idea!

Kim Pigue said...

Such a cute idea! i am hunting around my house for trays to use the same way!

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

LOVE. It. I may have to steal this idea, but first I have to find some trays. ;)

Unknown said...

oh, I love them!

Mandi @ Sweetly Home said...

What a transformation! I was wondering what you would do with the trays. Great idea!

The Phillips Place said...

Nice work! Your painting tips made me feel like such a shirker... man, you prepped 'em and EVERYTHING! :)

Great idea using them for your crafty trinkets-- who says organization can't be beautiful?

Jen @ tatertotsandjello.com said...

Cute - what a good idea! I love spraypaint - what would we do without it? LOL

XOXO
Jen

Mandi Shandi said...

The trays look great, and I love the black. Your workspace sounds a lot like mine, a beautiful place in your mind. I have been trying to figure mine out for months now. It will get there eventually.

kristal said...

super transformation! i CANNOT wait to see your work space....don't worry...i'll keep nagging:)

Ele at abitofpinkheaven said...

Great tiered trays. I love the black. Think I need to go back to the thrift store!

Made In The South said...

Your trays look great. I have never thought of painting them...

Unknown said...

Perfect! Now get to work on the craft space so that we can drool over it!! :)

Nicole ~ said...

They look great. I cannot wait to see your new space. Nicole

Molly Anne said...

Oh I like that! Very cute!

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