DIY Tray Inspired By Pottery Barn Number Canvas

Many of you have probably seen the Pottery Barn Number Canvas that so many bloggers have recreated over the years (It’s no longer available online, but here is a quick Google Search that shows you a few images). Even though the print is a few years old, I STILL love it.

When I stumbled upon this old black tray laying around my house I instantly knew what I wanted to do with it. I took the inspiration from the canvas and recreated the image onto my tray. And today I’m giving you a little insight into how I made my DIY Tray Inspired By Pottery Barn Number Canvas.

And here is a little before and after to show you how it doesn’t take much to give an old decorative piece a complete makeover! Yeah?

And do you want to know a secret? I actually bought the original black tray at World Market when I was a freshman in college… and yes, I have no idea how I have managed to keep it around this long. I apparently knew I would have a need for it one day :)

Supplies Needed:

– Serving Tray

– Vinyl Stencil ( I made mine using my Silhouette Cameo, but you could also buy vinyl numbers and use them as stencils or create your own)

– Americana Light Buttermilk and Snow White Acrylic Paint/Brush

– DecoArt Satin Varnish

– 160 Grit Sandpaper

– 1/4″ Sisal Rope

I used my Silhouette program to replicate the number design from the Pottery Barn Canvas. My tray measured 12″X16″ so I set my paper to those measurements and then played around with the spacing of the numbers. I found that the Century Font was the closets to the font used in the PB print.

Once my design was final, I cut it out onto vinyl.

The vinyl I used was only 9″ wide, so I had to piece the design together. I cut the first section and then used transfer paper to apply it to the tray and then cut the second section and very carefully aligned them. Lastly, I just put an extra layer of painter’s tape around the edges just to be careful (glad I did).

I wanted a more distressed look for my tray, so I mixed together Snow White with Light Buttermilk to give an off-white look. It look a good 4 coats to successfully paint over the black.

Once the paint was dry, I gave it a light sanding with some 160 grit sandpaper. I wanted a very subtle distressed look so I didn’t over-do it. I cleaned the dust off the tray and then applied a coat of satin varnish to help seal the paint to the tray. This will really help with the wear and tear.

For the finishing touches, I wrapped the handles in 1/4″ sisal rope. I found a huge roll of it still in the package at the Goodwill for $3.99. It was a great find!

See what a little paint and sisal rope can do? Now I’m really glad I managed to keep this tray around for so long!

About Taryn Whiteaker

Taryn Whiteaker is the voice of style behind TarynWhiteaker.com (formerly Design, Dining and Diapers) ! Taryn is a previous PR/Marketing professional who got back to her creative roots after becoming a mom and now shares her passion for home decor and design for the world to see. Taryn lives in the greater Seattle area with her husband and three kids and loves coffee, the outdoors, and exploring with her family.