Make a Jewelry Holder from a Cutlery Tray
This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads
The materials for this project have been hiding under my kitchen table (a.k.a. my craft table, a.k.a. our microwave table) for several months and I finally had a chance this weekend to put them all together and make this pretty DIY jewelry holder!
This project only took me a few hours and I really love how it turned out. I tried some hand painting just for something different, but it would also look nice decorated with decopauged fabric or stenciled paint. The glass knobs are a feminine touch, and I’m more than happy to display my necklaces as pieces of art on my wall (most of them are by my talented friend, Bella’s Beaudoir of Jewelry).
It’s clear that I love hacking Ikea things, and this project was no exception!
Materials:
- wooden cutlery tray (I found mine at IKEA)
- paint (I used latex paint samples I bought from testing colours for our new house)
- knobs (I used pretty glass ones)
- cup hooks
Directions:
Sand the tray thoroughly (the back of this tray was laminate, so it helps paint to stick and look nice and smooth). Paint all sides and crevices carefully with a brush (I used Valspar’s Tempered Gray for my main colour).
Let the coat dry, and then paint another coat.
I chose to add some hand painted details inside the boxes of the tray with white paint (Valspar’s Ultra White) and one of my daughter’s little craft brushes, but you could also skip this step or try painting with a stencil (or painting the back panels a different solid colour). The options are endless!
One of the best furniture painting tips that I learned last year was to always finish up with a few coats of clear Varathane to protect the paint and give it a satiny smooth finish. I used two coats on this project.
Next, attach the knobs to the tops of each compartment. I used super glue instead of a drill – it was a lot easier and it seems to be holding well!
Screw the little cup hooks along the bottom of the tray (I used 5). I started trying to do these by hand, and then finally gave up and had my hubby drill pilot holes so that they were easier!
This tray happened to have a nice ledge at the back that I used to hang it, but if yours doesn’t you’ll need to attach some kind of picture hanger to the back.
I didn’t have enough knobs for all of my panels, but I’ve decided that I’ll leave the big one knob-free. It looks cute as a little brooch or bracelet shelf!
Oh, this is a much better (and prettier) way to store my necklaces than the jumbled mess I had on my dresser before!
It’s amazing what a little bit of paint and glue can do (and how much I’m falling in love with this soft, gentle gray as a potential colour for our new house)!
How do you store your jewelry?
I found you via Ikea Hackers. This is so cute! I am inspired to make my own. In the big space with no knob, I think I’ll string some wire across, or use small dowels to have a place to hang earrings. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for coming by, Jeana! I love that idea. That would be the perfect spot to hang earrings~!
You could also get some of those ring holder figurines (like a little cat or dog, that has a long tail sticking up) in the big space to hold rings.
Hey! I love this box. Super cute and great accent for a room. What do you think of putting mesh in one of the window boxes so you can hang up earrings? Right now it seems like it’s pretty exclusively for necklaces and earrings.
It turned out great! Very pretty! I desperately need a single thing like this to store my jewelry where I can see it. . . I keep on forgetting which pieces I have because they are all tucked away, and then I remember that I had the perfect piece to go with a certain outfit AFTER the fact. D’oh!
It’s genuinely very complicated in this active life to listen news on TV,
therefore I just use internet for that reason, and take the most recent news.
Wow!! that’s really awesome and super easy. Sometime even became creative and do explore to make something like this. 😉 Super like!!
Hi,
This is really awesome trick to keep your jewelries. I always keep my Designer earrings in the plastic box to protect from the water and other things and its very easy to accessible too. 🙂 Good job and very nice article.
I was wondering where you got the glass knobs?
They’re so perfect!
Appreciate this writing very much dear Christina. in earlier i just think about the multiple perspective of wooden crafts but in above you explain that with a accurate step by step guideline.
Learn a lot from it and hope will try soon.
Thanks for this worthy guide.
That’s wonderful, Alex! So glad that you enjoyed it.
Having read this I believed it was extremely enlightening.
I appreciate you taking the time and effort to
put this article together. I once again find myself personally spending a significant amount
of time both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!
Nice article ,whether I am looking for an anniversary gift, I always like Diamond gifts.
Thanks for sharing jewellery holder design & development process. Can you make one video?
then better for easy understand.
really amazing your article.
Awesome article, Thanks, Christina. for sharing, I really find your step by step guides really helpful. Keep up the good job.