Tray Trafficking: There's a New Spot to Hunt Down Some Hot Options

I’m a tray trafficker.

There's something timelessly elegant about these petite conveyances. They’re certainly not essential (much like egg cups, which I also love), but I think they add a bit of charm to everyday life. Think of those gleaming penthouse boudoirs in old black-and-white movies and there’s almost always a tray prominently on display. (For me, the fantastically arched-brow Nora of the Thin Man series immediately pops to mind.) I may lack the posh penthouse, and peignoirs of the incomparable Nora, but I do ferry my breakfasts to bed on a tray every morning, and one is usually sofa-side bearing coffee or chilled beverage, and energy-boosting treats, while I'm clicking on the laptop (like now). Currently, my most used tray is a simple, light-weight dark wood number with delicately raised handles that I got as a gift, and which I keep animated by trading out different napkin liners (another topic altogether).

I also like to give the gift of trays, varying from antique to mod, decorative to practical. For instance, during shopping trips this Christmas, I picked up a sweet, small hand-woven tray from Lavender Heart (Madison Park, 2812 E Madison St., #100; 206.568.4441), and snagged a chic rectangular tray at our state’s new West Elm (South Lake Union, 2201 Westlake; 206.467.5798; westelm.com). It’s the third tray from the bottom in the pictured big stack above, and is made of lacquered wood tinted in metallic silver and cost just $32.

And I’ve also added West Elm's Butler Trays (this one below is the low model) to my tray wish list.