Ninette French Provincial Footed Wooden Tray, Brass Snail Detail, Natural Timber

A footed tray in warm timber, with a brass snail come to rest on the rim.

Ninette is a footed tray turned from natural timber, a flat round top with a low rim raised on a turned pedestal. A cast brass snail sits on the edge, tarnished to a soft antique gold, the small surprise that makes the piece. The wood is left in its natural warm tone, so the grain reads clearly across the top.

This is the larger of two sizes, generous enough to hold a bowl of fruit or anchor a table. The fruit and other items in the photographs are styling props and are not included. The snail is.

Why we love it

• ◆ Brass snail detail, a small cast figure on the rim that gives the tray its quiet sense of humour.
• ◆ Warm natural timber, turned and left in its own tone so the grain does the decorating.
• ◆ A generous top, room for a pile of fruit or a still life, raised on a foot to read as a centrepiece.
• ◆ One of a pair, the larger of two sizes, lovely on its own or stepped with the smaller tray.

How to style it

A few ways to use it:

• Keep it as a fruit tray at the centre of a dining table or kitchen island
• Use it for bread or pastries when people gather, then bring it back to the bench
• Build a small still life with a candle and a stem, paired with a piece from our vases
• Step it with the smaller size and other pieces from our trays and cake stands

Care & Keeping

Wipe with a soft, barely damp cloth and dry straight away. Being natural timber, keep it out of standing water and use a plate or liner under anything moist. Keep it indoors and away from direct heat so the wood holds its shape. An occasional rub of food-safe wood oil will keep the grain looking its best.

Because Ninette is made from natural timber, the grain, tone, and markings vary from piece to piece, so yours will be one of a kind. Colour may also vary slightly between screens, all photography is taken in natural light.