Scandinavian decor is holiday-perfection! Let’s use it as the inspiration to decorate your table this Christmas.

Today’s post is a little bit different than the typical. It’s the response to a BLOGGER DIY CHALLENGE that was opened up to a mastermind group I’m part of with KariAnne Wood of Thistlewood Farms.
This is how it works! A “challenge” is put out into the group. Anyone who is up for the challenge signs-up. There is roughly a month of prep work and then all of the bloggers in the challenge all post on the same day, showing how they answered the challenge.
This challenge was to create a DIY post for a raised tray, showing it styled for the holidays!
After doing some looking around my house as well as Pinterest, I decided to add a Scandinavian influence to my piece. It was SO easy and I absolutely LOVE it!
Do you want to make one for yourself? Here’s how!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Oh, and don’t worry if you’re curious about how something else in this tablescape was made. I’m going to be doing a few follow up posts explaining just about everything for you!
For fun, make sure you get all the way to the bottom of the post to find all the links to the other bloggers’ posts as part of this challenge.
Supplies needed for your raised tray
There are so many ways that you can do this so definitely make use of any old paint and supplies you already have at home. For example, you’ll need a board. I learned, as a result of this challenge, that we have a pile of boards in our backyard that I never knew about! Let’s be thrifty!
Here’s what I used for my project scandinavian decor raised tray :
- 2″ x 10″ x 8′ Board
- Benjamin Moore – Ben Exterior Paint Soft Gloss
- Rust-Oleum Chalked Charcoal Chalky Smooth Finish (First Try)
- Krylon Chalky Finish Tintable Paint – Tinted Black (Second Try)
- Krylon Chalky Finish Clear Sealing Wax
- General Purpose Sand Paper – Assorted Grits
- Lint-free Cloths
- Wooster Ultra/Pro Short Cut 2″ Paint Brush
- Putty Knife
- Shape Template
- Fabric Pencil
- Measuring Tape
- Wescott Clear Ruler
- Frog Tape
- Artistro Paint Pens in white
- Plus 1 surprise supply mentioned down toward the end … are you scratching your head in wonder???
I used a Cricut Maker to cut my stencil from a sheet of Mylar. If you have one, great! You can make your own stencil to fit your project. Otherwise, you can use the technique I'm showing along with a shape template to make your raised tray with Scandinavian decor influences.
Scandinavian decor from scrap wood
You should have seen my delight when Dan showed me a pile of scrap lumber he has in the backyard!
It’s like a treasure chest that I never knew was hiding out of view yet just waiting for me to get my hands on for oh so many projects to come.
For this project, I picked a nice long piece. It wasn’t pretty wood but that didn’t matter because some rustic charm works for this project perfectly.

My “answer” to the Blogger DIY Challenge was to create a super LONG and IMPACTFUL raised tray for our 110″ x 40″ farm table. So I wanted the board to be BIG!!!

Wood Preparation
To prep the wood, I first gave it an overall wiping off and then sanding with some pretty rough grit sandpaper. I wanted to make sure all potential splinters were long gone.
In order to make the ends as smooth as the sides, I covered them with Dap all-purpose wood filler. This is basically like using a putty knife to spread thick peanut butter (that happens to be purple) on the board. It’s then sanded smooth. So easy and perfect for this project.
The wood filler dries in just a few minutes.
Creating your scandinavian decor foundation
The piece was intended to be slightly rustic. For that, I used two layers of paint; well, so I thought.
Spray painting doesn’t like wind.
First, I painted a coat of Ben’s Exterior Paint in white over the entire board. I didn’t “pick” this paint for this particular project, I simply had it out as I was painting the trim of our front door. Worked great!
Then, here’s where the trouble starts, I began to use Rust-Oleum’s Chalked Spray Paint in Charcoal. It was an unusually warm day that wasn’t going to last as it was coming and going all within one 12-hour window. In my mind [yes, I’m brilliant] I thought, “Oh, it’s going to be warm and sunny! I’ll go do my painting!”
What I didn’t account for is the fact that weather moving that fast comes with WIND. It was so windy and there I was trying to spray paint. No, not smart. I somehow got it done though and we ended up finished with a board painted and ready to stencil.

With some help, I brought it inside and set it up on some jars on our farm table to finish. Two things came into realization.
First, it was WAY too long! There was no way, at the current length, that anyone could sit at the ends of the table. It had to be cut down to 6′.
Second, it wasn’t dark enough. I was looking for black and this was definitely charcoal. Yes, I see that the can is labeled “charcoal” but the picture looks MUCH darker than the real color.
Both problems were easy enough to fix. Dan ran the board over to his brother’s house (right next door) to cut the board down, while I ran out and bought some more paint.
Turn a problem into an opportunity!
Now, I’ve used a LOT of different brands of chalk paint. I guess my favorite is Annie Sloan but it is a LOT more expensive than some of the newer products on the market AND is much harder to find locally.
Since I had already moved the project inside, I wanted chalk paint that I could paint with a brush. So I ended up getting Krylon’s tintable chalky finish paint and having it tinted black. I also bought their Chalky Finish Clear Sealing Wax at the same time. I was drawn to the idea of painting on my wax as opposed to rubbing it on with a cloth.
So I had to putty the end again and paint it, but look at the difference in colors before the wax.


It still wasn’t quite BLACK but much better! NOW, I was ready to paint my design.
how to paint scandinavian decor accents
This section might be better called, how NOT to paint but it all ends well.
I first tried outlining my stencil with my mechanical fabric pencil, which worked AMAZING btw and then filling it in with a brush. This was done with a full understanding that it would look freehand and NOT professionally painted and I was okay with that. In hindsight, I overestimated my ability to paint a simple design. It looked fine from about 20′ away but any closer and a 3rd grader may have done a better job. Ughhh. I covered it up with another coat of black paint. Try again.
This is when it got good. This is HOW TO PAINT SCANDINAVIAN DECOR ACCENTS. It’s the 1-2-3 that works.
The key is to use a paint PEN. I did a bunch of research and ended up with the Artistro Paint Pens in white. Warning: I LOVED doing this project so there will be more of them using this exact technique! Sorry, not sorry!
- Draw a centerline with a fabric pencil.
- Trace your basic shapes with your paint pen.
- Add styling accents to your basic shapes.



Here are three tips:
- If you’re going to create your own stencil with mylar, only cut the basic shapes. Leave all the details to do freehand.
- Practice the accents on a piece of paper BEFORE you start painting. Don’t just WING-IT as I did. (As my mother always said, do as I say and not as I DO!)
- You can use Frog Tape at the end of the stencils to hold in place. That’s my preference. You can also use repositionable spray adhesive too.
Adding the finish to your Scandinavian decor inspiration
The details are what makes this piece particularly interesting.
Let’s add some Character
First, I took out my fine-grit sandpaper and got sanding! Hitting all of the edges and corners to give it a slightly lived-in look. I wasn’t going for a full-on shabby chic experience. Just a bit of character, kind of like the little lines around our eyes when we smile!
After doing all the sanding, the entire board had to be wiped down with a lint-free rag and allowed to dry. That didn’t take long.
Protecting the Chalk Paint
When you use chalk paint, it needs to be waxed. This is typically done with a paste that is applied with a hard bristle brush or a rag. Personally, I hate the feel of it. Even with gloves on, it still bugs me.
What a surprise to discover Krylon Chalky Finish Clear Sealing Wax that goes on with a regular paintbrush! It has a consistency similar to Elmer’s Glue. There’s good and bad from my experience.
The bad is that it is a bit drippy, but nothing horrible. It also took a long time to dry. For the backside, I rubbed it off after a few minutes per the instructions. The finish is just okay.
On the front, I painted on the wax and let it sit. After about an hour, I buffed it in a bit with a lint-free rag. Then I waited. It took about 5 hours to dry completely. Kind of a pain, right! I mean, the typical wax is ready as soon as you’re done buffing it.
BUT, I really like the end finish. SOOO, I think I’m okay with waiting for it to dry due to the ease of use and final feel.
Interestingly, it gets a really good rating on Amazon but a horrible rating on Home Depot?? I’m happy with it but it isn’t the same as the other wax, so you might want to go with the paste.
The final reveal … very sneaky
As I was handling the board, the obvious kept running through my mind, “Man, this board is heavy!”. Well, duh. It’s a solid 2″ x 10″ x 6′ pine board!
Realizing that I wasn’t going to use this all year, I started wondering where I would store it. AND how, with the feet to elevate it (remember, that’s the primary challenge) can I simply slide it somewhere out of the way.
Then I had a brainstorm! For the Blogger DIY Challenge, the tray doesn’t have to be permanently raised. Just raised and displayed for the holidays.
Sneaky me … I ran to the Dollar Store and bought some votive candle holders. I just slipped one, turned upside-down, under each corner, and started decorating! Now when I need to store it, I can just slide the board somewhere, like maybe under a bed or couch. No worries about the feet getting in the way or caught on something!
You can see the glass in a few spots as I left a gap so YOU could see them in pictures. BUT, these could easily be hidden with the greenery and nobody will know how the tray is floating … or is it levitating???
Even seen, they still look really nice!


Here’s are the supplies again:
Here’s a closer look at the place settings.

Are you curious about how I did the table runners, plate wraps, and board display? No worries, it’s all going to be broken down in upcoming posts. Just be sure to subscribe so you can get the DIY emailed to you directly!
Blogger DIY Challenge – Round up
I’m posting these URL’s for the other women who are participating in the challenge, but I haven’t even seen them yet as they’re all going LIVE simultaneously. So, I’m just as excited as you are to see what they have each come up with for their answer to the challenge.
Note: These challenges aren't easy. Just to illustrate, we had 24 bloggers sign up for the challenge and 14 finished it. There are so many projects in the works for DIY bloggers, that adding one to the calendar is TOUGH. So kudos to all of the incredible creatives who completed this challenge in their own unique way!
Visit these friends’ blogs and be sure to comment on how beautiful their displays came out! (Please comment below on mine too!)
- WOOD PEDESTAL TRAY FOR A FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS | CHALKING UP SUCCESS
- HOW TO MAKE A FOOTED TRAY | COTTAGE IN THE MITTEN
- CHRISTMAS TRAY DIY | COTTAGE ON BUNKER HILL
- HOW TO CREATE A SENTIMENTAL FOOTED TRAY | FEET UNDER MY TABLE
- QUICK EASY WAY TO MAKE A FOOTED TRAY | FROM FARMHOUSE TO FLORIDA
- UNIQUE FOOTED TRAY FOR HOLIDAY DECOR AND ENTERTAINING | J DUB BY DESIGN
- DIY WOOD FOOTED TRAY| MODERN ON MONTICELLO
- HOW TO MAKE A FOOTED TRAY THE SUPER EASY WAY | MRS. COLEMAN
- HOW TO BUILD A RUSTIC FOOTED TRAY | MTB HOME LIVING
- EASY TO MAKE DIY FARMHOUSE TABLE RISER | THE PONDS FARMHOUSE
- HOW TO MAKE A TABLE RISER | SHOP AT BLU
- HOW TO USE SCRAP WOOD TO CREATE A PEDESTAL TRAY | SONYA BURGESS
- DIY DECORATIVE TRAY | SYDNEY AND CO.
- HOW TO MAKE AN EASY FOOTED TRAY | FAITH AND FARMHOUSE
Scandinavian decor influences
What I love about Scandinavian decor is that it’s textural, the designs are clean, it pulls from nature, and it blends wonderfully with a lot of aesthetics. That includes my own modern farmhouse style.
For example, all it takes is to throw a faux sheepskin over a stool and it just feels Scandinavian!

In keeping with the Scandinavian decor as my inspiration, I used kept my tablescape pretty clean. There aren’t a lot of color stories, mainly natural, red, green, and black. There are real pine cones and amazing faux greenery. And the tall pillars are perfectly in line with the muse, plus they don’t block conversations across the table!
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Have a fantastic week! Namaste,

WOW!! Beautiful and I love how you made it to fit your table!
Thanks, Cheryl! It was a lot of fun to make. Now I can’t wait for the holidays!
Allison! I LOVE this!! How simply gorgeous! You’ve inspired me to make a shorter one to add to my island. And GENIUS on using the votive feet! Great job, friend! And thank you, for leading all of us in this process. I loved every minute!
Thanks, Leslie! Send me a picture of what you end up making. I had so much fun painting this that I’m doing a similar approach to a few old boxes that I have!
Your tray is stunning! I love the tiny details of the stenciling and the dark black. Very clever idea to use votives instead of attaching the feet. I like that idea.
Thanks, Donna! It is just so big that I was getting nervous about storing it. Now, without feet, no problem! Thanks for joining the challenge!
Allison – this is beyond GORGEOUS! and I love Love LOVE the edge decor. I lived in Minnesota during grad school and oh, how that design brought back memories of the Scandinavian influences that are prevalent there.
Thanks, Sharon! I spent 10+ years in Wisconsin and now you have me wondering if that’s where I grew my appreciation for it. Hmmm. Ah well, it was fun to make and that’s what gets me happy!
What a beautiful version of a pedestal tray. The way you used it on your table i stunning. It was a lot of fun being part of this challenge with you.
Hi Sonya, yes, this challenge was SO much fun. I loved having a timeline for a reveal and then seeing everyone’s interpretation of the challenge. I love it!
What a great riser. I went back because I thought I missed your ‘feet’ then laughed when I read you made it a temporary riser. What a great idea if you are not sitting out the tray for everyday use.!! Love it! I think I have to rely on the cricut because my free hand is HORRIBLE. great job on making yours look great
Renee, NO! I actually started with my Cricut and then realized that it made no sense. The trick is to plan out simple shapes in a pattern first, and then go back and add details and, if needed, more details. I’m going to do another one showing exactly the process. I wouldn’t have known until I did this project! Weeding all the little shapes takes too long with the Cricut!
That is above and beyond!!!! Absolutely fabulous, especially how you styled it.
Thanks, Diane! Now I want to have a Christmas dinner though. lol.
Ali I love all of the detail on your riser! And the length is perfect! It makes such a statement with the gorgeous florals! What a fun challenge!
Thanks, Sue! Well, the length took some work and reconfiguration but it got to where it needed to be! Thanks for participating!
Your table is set so beautifully and the tray is the perfect addition! I love the stenciled edge!
Thanks, Danielle! I’m addicted! I’ll be doing much more of it!
WOW this is truly beautiful…………..this looks like it could be left out all year to be enjoyed – not just for the holidays………
Hi Julie, given the size, it just might be there ALL year, lol. Thanks for your comment! ♥️
Oh my goodness! I love how your tray turned out! The legs are genius! I am thinking I need to do something like this for our kitchen counter bar area.
Thanks, Linda! I struggled with the legs as I had a few ideas but in the end, I decided that I didn’t want them attached. So I just worked on how to make it a temporary riser. I love it as now it can be used in so many different ways!
Wow, Allison! The tray is beautiful as is the whole table! I love the detail and the color you used. So very pretty!
Thanks, Kim! The colors are actually prettier in person. I took my photos at 10:00 pm and edited them well after my bedtime so my eyes weren’t working their best, lol. Anyway, I’m glad you approve!!
Oh my goodness, Allison! I love love love love it!!!!!!! You are so incredibly talented! I have a thing about Scandinavian things and would love to add more to my decor!
Thank you for organizing the challenge for us! it was a lot of fun!
Me too, Kimberly! I love it in fabrics and all sorts of different uses. Just so clean but it’s not cold at all. I’m so glad you participated in the challenge. I’ve got to get through all the posts now. Been working catch up all day after not being on my computer for 3+ days!!! Good thing my youngest only turns 18 once!!
I thought my tray was long but yours is the winner! Love yor decor and what a great idea to use votive candles as feet to make for easier storage – love it!
Thanks, Jayne! Yes, it’s LONG and that’s AFTER I took off almost 16″. haha. Its size was a problem with storage so I’m glad I finally just decided to do something temporarily. Now I can tuck it away somewhere without worrying about catching the feet or handles on anything!
Your tray is fabulous! I love the artwork you added and that the risers are temporary so you can easily store it. What a great piece.
Thanks, Jennifer! This was such a great challenge. Yours is amazing, as are all of them. Now I have to work my way through comments! Thanks so much for commenting and participating. So much fun!! What a great group we have!
Allison,
This is so beautiful! I love the design on the sides. Really beautiful! Thanks for putting this challenge together! So fun.
Rachel.
Thanks, Rachel! Wasn’t it fun? I’m starting a Facebook Group for challenges as I enjoyed it so much. I’m calling it “The Great Create Challenge” lol. Hopefully, we can do another one too within the Mastermind!
Oh, This is gorgeous Allison!!! Thank you so much for putting this challenge together…I can’t wait to see everyone’s projects today!!
Thanks, Jennifer! Wasn’t it fun to do with everyone? I’m just done with my necessary catch up after too many days off of the computer and am so excited to visit everyone’s posts!