How Do I Choose the Best Dresser Trays?

To choose the best dresser trays for your furniture, look for stylish pieces that will attractively display your belongings while also protect the bureau top. Choose a tray with a leak-proof base, especially if you'll be using it to hold perfume or other bottles that may drip or spill. A footed dresser tray may look elegant on a chest of drawers, but may scratch the top of the furniture if it isn't moved carefully when you dust the bureau. If your dresser is rustic in design or has an antiqued look, a footed or rougher metal or ceramic tray could still work. If instead you have a chest of drawers that has a smooth surface you'd like to keep intact, a leather variety may be a better choice.

For a men's, or even a women's, bedroom bureau, a valet style of leather tray could work well. Valet dresser trays have sections designed to hold items such as extra change, keys and eyeglasses. Another popular style of leather dresser tray is the type that features each of the four corners held together with a metal stud. As leather is both sturdy and soft, trays made from this material can be a practical choice. This type of dresser tray also has the advantage of suiting most kinds of bedroom decors, including traditional and modern.

If your bedroom features antique furniture or is done in a romantic or cottage decor style, vintage dresser trays may be a good option. A popular style of women's vintage dresser tray features a mirror base with an openwork metal trim. It can add interesting texture to a bureau top. A duck decoy dresser tray is a vintage men's design. There is typically a sectioned portion on the top of the carved wooden duck's back.

Vintage ceramic dishware can be transformed into dresser tray designs if felt or other soft material is added to the underside to keep it from scratching the furniture. For a unique look, a long, narrow boat-like olive dish can be used as a dresser tray to hold loose change or other small items. An advantage of using dishware as a dresser tray is that it's easy to wipe clean or even wash in soapy water or in a dishwasher.

Wood and metal dresser trays are other options to consider. It's usually best to keep metal dresser trays in the same color as any other metals used in the room's decor, such as on furniture handles or lamps. Unfinished wood dresser tray designs can look great in rustic styled bedrooms, while carved, stained options may be better for more traditional rooms.