DIY Bathtub Tray

I’m not taking baths right now (California is going through a record setting drought), so our master bathtub feels like an afterthought. I’ve always enjoyed the look of a bathtub tray, but the ones I've seen feel a little too utilitarian or industrial. I wanted one that looked simple, but elegant enough to fit in with the rest of the bathroom decor, while corralling some of my favorite items. Here are some simple steps to make your own:

Items You'll Need (adjust for your tub size):

- Three 4" x 35" long pieces pine wood board

- Two 4" x 12" long pieces of pine wood board

- Gorilla glue

- White semi-gloss primer + paint spray

- Sandpaper

-Two gold leaf gilding sheet packets with decoupage gilding brush and adhesive

-Non-Yellowing Gloss Varnish

The Steps

1. Sand the edges of the wood pieces until they are smooth.

2. Use Gorilla Glue to attach the three long pieces together horizontally. Then, glue the smaller wood pieces to the bottom of the larger pieces, perpendicular to the top, about 7 inches in from the outside edge. Let the glue dry for at least two hours.

3. Spray paint the tray in a well ventilated area, keeping the nozzle at least 6 inches away from the tray. Layer with multiple light coats and let the paint dry between applications. Leave tray to dry overnight.

4. Add tape to the top and bottom of the tray and leave the edges visible. Brush adhesive on to edges and wait 5 minutes until it's tacky before applying gold leaf.

5. Finish with a light coat of water resistant gloss varnish onto the entire board.