Jumbo Wood Tray

Modernized Solid Pine Hand Crafted Heart Wall Shelf

Bringing New Life to a Country Classic. We’ve all seen them: those solid, well-built pine shelves from the 80s and 90s that have a lot of heart (literally) but are stuck in that unmistakable "orange" stain era. While the craftsmanship is top-tier (this one was hand crafted by my father in law), the color can often feel a bit too retro for a contemporary home. In this tutorial, I’m showing you how to take a vintage 9-cubby wall shelf and transform it from a dated relic into a bolder, fresher, and more current statement piece. By applying a rich chestnut brown stain , we’ve traded that brassy orange hue for a deep, sophisticated tone that highlights the wood grain. Follow along as I walk you through the prep, the staining process, and how this simple color shift completely changes the vibe of the piece—making those iconic heart cutouts feel intentional and chic rather than just "country."

This gorgeous wood tray was purchased at a local church thrift sale. It had such beautiful grain and size I could not pass it by.

Somewhere along the lines it must have had handles of some sort. I filled this with wood filler and sanded the tray smooth.

I will add this sleek new silver handles but which orientation? I did a poll on the Creative Moment's Instagram and Facebook pages; there were loads of votes but both were split about 50/50.

We decided to go with on the side for ease of handling, easier storing and better stability. My handyman drills new holes for the hardware and I installed it.

I had envisioned the word GATHER on this tray. Using my script stencil I moved it around to see where it would look best. My sister suggested the lower corner which I loved!