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There’s nothing quite like sitting back on the couch after a long day and propping your feet up on that big, cozy block in front of you.
But the surface of an ottoman is typically pretty bland. And hey, where are you supposed to put your drink?? It’s time to complement it with a beautiful ottoman tray with the best things that the home decor aisle has to offer!
And that leads us to the question of how to decorate your ottoman tray. In this post, I’ll be listing out some really great tips for styling your ottoman tray, as well as offering some decorating ideas for ottoman trays to help with your inspiration.
The Right Shape and Size Ottoman Tray For You
In a lot of spaces, ottomans are the center of the room. And if you want to make your ottoman really worthy of that spotlight, you’re going to want to get your ottoman tray perfect!
Getting your ottoman tray just right means starting out with a good foundation – the ottoman tray’s size and shape. This mostly depends on your ottoman shape and size, but simply your preference in the end.
- For round ottomans, stick to round ottoman trays.
- For square or rectangular ottomans, stick to square and rectangular ottomans trays.
- Ensure your ottoman tray doesn’t take up more than two-thirds of your ottoman.
- If your ottoman tray is hanging off the edge of your ottoman, your tray is too big!
I have an oversized square ottoman – and I have a rectangular ottoman tray. It works beautifully together! I think it’s one of the best ways to style an extra-large ottoman.
Stick around for styling tips and placement of the tray on your ottoman.
One of the best parts about ottoman trays is that they are there when you need them to be. But they’re so easy to just lift up and move out of the way when you want to turn your couch into a movie night oasis (completely speaking from personal experience 😂).
Color and Material of Your Ottoman Tray
Since we’re on the subject of starting out the right way with your ottoman tray foundation, I had to briefly talk about the color and material of your ottoman tray.
I’m personally a big fan of the wooden ottoman tray look. I think it goes with just about every ottoman!
But it’s good to know that there are several options to choose from when picking out that perfect ottoman tray that’s going to make your ottoman sing.
- Wooden ottoman trays
- Glass ottoman trays
- Metal ottoman trays
An ottoman tray could be the best excuse to throw an accent into your room. If you have a light-colored ottoman, opt for a darker ottoman tray. And vice-versa.
Ottoman Tray Functionality
If you don’t have nearby side tables when sitting in the center of the couch, your ottoman tray is going to be your best friend.
99% of the time I’m sitting on the couch, you’ll find my coffee on the ottoman tray (and usually a big box of Cheez-Its).
When thinking about decorating ideas for ottoman trays, it’s so important to remember functionality!
- Your ottoman tray should be easy to pick up. Remember how I said one of the best parts is you can just lift it up and out of the way? The best way to do this is to get one with handles.
- Don’t overload your ottoman tray with decor. Yes, we want it to be adorable. But you still will want to sit drinks on it and you don’t want it to be impossible to pick up.
- Your view should be unobstructed by decor when sitting on the couch. This is very important especially if your TV is on the other side of your ottoman tray. Your decor should be short enough to where you can have a seated conversation with someone on the other side of the tray.
- Use your ottoman tray for small functional items like TV remotes. This will help you keep track of it next time you watch TV. I would stick to one or two items in this category to permanently live on your ottoman tray. You want to avoid cluttering it up!
As you can see, my ottoman tray has little handles that allow me to move it easily. I chose smaller decor since we don’t have great access to our single side table when sitting in the corner of our couch.
And I mean on this couch I wouldn’t sit anywhere else haha.
So our ottoman tray seriously acts as our side table 100% of the time.
Sometimes I even take my ottoman tray into the kitchen so I can easily transport snacks back to the living room for my guests!
Placement of Your Ottoman Tray
When I’m trying to style my ottoman for guests, I typically place my ottoman tray slightly off-centered, and at an angle.
- For smaller ottomans, place your ottoman tray in the center of the ottoman.
- For larger ottomans, place your ottoman slightly off-center. Angle it to add a little more interest to the ottoman. While this may sound silly, sometimes the parallel lines when the tray is matching the ottoman will look a little too staged.
- If you have a longer ottoman, you can either place your ottoman tray perfectly in the middle, OR on either end of the ottoman.
- Round ottoman tray with a square ottoman? You can stick the ottoman tray in any of the corners.
- When using your ottoman tray for function, make yourself comfortable and pull your ottoman tray closest to the edge you’re sitting at. Your ottoman tray should be a very free-flowing item that can go wherever you need it – whether that’s decoration or to sit down your adorable mug!
- Regardless of where your ottoman tray lives, make sure your ottoman tray is never hanging off the edge of your ottoman.
While the placement of your ottoman tray doesn’t matter too much when you’re styling an ottoman, some positionings do look better than others.
And this should really only matter when you’re trying to make your space look good for friends and family.
When it’s just me and my husband and the ottoman tray isn’t trying to look good, it’s most likely as close to us as possible with all of our favorite snacks!
I told you ottoman trays come in handy. 😏
Styling Your Ottoman Tray with Decor
The moment we’ve all been waiting for – decorating ideas for ottoman trays. So if you’re wondering “what to put on an ottoman tray”, this section is for you!
As you can probably imagine, and one of the more fun aspects of owning an ottoman tray, is that you get to decorate it with the seasons.
In the fall, I add small spooky decor like a cute pumpkin. In the spring, I’ll get a bundle of fresh hydrangeas in my vase.
Most of the time, you’ll see my hand-wrapped vase filled with flowers, interchangeable coffee table books, and a fresh-smelling candle every now and then.
Btw, if you need any ideas with stacked books, I have a post with 61 of my favorite coffee table books to make your life easier!
RELATED POST: 61 Best Coffee Table Books – Interior Design Inspired!
Ottoman Tray Styling Tips
- As mentioned earlier, stick to about 3 decor items on your ottoman tray. Odd numbers look best. No need to go crazy! For smaller ottoman trays, you can get away with just 1-2 pieces of decor. I recommend a beautiful centerpiece like flowers if you have a smaller tray.
- The colors of your decor items matter. If you have a mostly neutral room, you don’t want to choose a bright orange piece of decor. You can take two routes – 1) Stick to neutral colors like taupes, whites, navy blues, and blacks, OR 2) Accent with gold, copper, or bronze elements.
- Have some fun with texture! An ottoman tray doesn’t have to be this bold, serious thing. Try out some short, fluffy pampas grass. Use glass jars. Use round beaded ropes. Texture can add a lot to your space and round out your living room nicely.
- Remember the unspoken height rule from earlier. Ensure your decor items aren’t extremely tall – they will look out of place and throw off the balance!
- Add some greenery or flowers. There’s just something about adding flowers to a room that makes your space feel homey. Faux flowers get the job done if you don’t want to worry about the upkeep!
- The larger the room, the larger your objects can be. And the larger your tray should be. If you have a big great room and a tiny tray with super tiny decor elements, it’ll get lost in the big room. You want to make sure your choices are appropriate for your room size!
I love the idea of incorporating soft elements into the ottoman tray look – because it complements your cozy couch well. But you need balance, so that’s where you can add harder elements like books, candles, etc.
What To Put On An Ottoman Tray
Use this list as some inspiration for what to put on an ottoman tray:
- Wooden chain
- Beaded rope
- Coffee table books
- Candle
- Pampas grass
- Small vase
- Flowers (real or faux)
- Geometric metal objects
- 5”x7” picture frame with art or your favorite people
- Small glass lantern
- Small sculptures, statues, or figurines
- Apothecary jar with greenery
- Single decorative ball (or any other type of bowl filler)
The Best Ottoman Tray For You
When you start to consider different decorating ideas for ottoman trays, you’ll be happy to know that the sky is truly the limit.
There are just SO many variations, vibes, and pieces of decor that you could incorporate on your ottoman tray.
And the best part?
There are no wrong answers when it comes to decorating an ottoman tray! At the end of the day, you’re the one who will live with it 24/7, so you have to make sure that your ottoman tray decor is something that YOU absolutely love.
Plus, your decor doesn’t have to be permanent – you can change up your ottoman tray decor any time you’d like.
I know each time I walk down the aisle at HomeGoods I’m finding something new that I want to put into my decor rotation!
One of my favorite things is decorating my ottoman tray each season. But outside of the seasons, an ottoman tray will provide you with the much-needed decor that will take your ottoman from boring to beautiful!
I hope these tips and styling ideas for your ottoman tray help inspire you to get the most adorable-looking ottoman tray out there.
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