Decorating dilemma: desk trays

Here at The Apartment, we're on a mission to offer smart style solutions and make decorating your place that little bit easier. So when reader Em wrote to us asking for advice, we were only too happy to help. She said: "Got any good websites or brands for desk stuff? I'm on the hunt for gold or copper in-trays and have had no luck!" Ask and you shall receive...

Our first pick is this gleaming copper tray from Douglas & Bec, a New Zealand design studio 

with an online store as well as a shop in Melbourne. While this isn't your traditional in-tray, it will

do the job in style (check the dimensions as it's available in a few sizes) and double as a display

piece for your coffee table.

We're also loving this copper-plated design from the European branch of Anthropologie. It's the perfect width and depth for keeping paperwork at bay, and comes with a subtle hint of glimmer. While the postage for this one is a little steep, the tray itself is the cheapest we found, which - as

any serious shopper will know - pretty much cancels out the shipping fee!

Heads up: brass is set to become the new copper. Get in first with this hand-polished  Zakkia tray.

Kate Spade is our go-to designer for seriously chic desk accessories, and this acrylic and gold in-tray is no exception (trust us, the image doesn't do it justice). Head to Papier D'amour or Lark (both also great sources for high-style study essentials) to pre-order the piece, set to arrive in Australia soon.

Image via www.amykrist.org

If all else fails, it's time to get your DIY on. There are myriad gold and copper-look paints on 

the market that are both effective and easy-to-use. Find a simple desk tray from Ikea or Officeworks and glam it up with a few coats of spray-paint - try these options from Dulux and Rust-oleum. (We recently tried our luck on a metal plant stand and were amazed by the results!) While you're at it,

you can makeover the rest of your stationery supplies too (because really, who wants to pay

$30 for a gold stapler?)

Image source unknown

Got a decorating dilemma that needs solving? Write to us at theapartmentsyd@gmail.com, comment below or post it on our Facebook or Instagram page - we'd love to help!