A brief blog for a Thursday but I was keen to share an exciting re-purposing in the hope that it may inspire you too.

I have been hunting for a long time for a shallow decorative tray that I could stand a candle and flowers on in our kitchen. With fresh flowers picked from the garden and the scent of my favourite candle burning away, I was keen to make this more of a feature on our worktops.

I had searched Pinterest for inspiration and found plenty of similarities online but most options where around £20 which I felt was just a little excessive.

You will know by now that when in doubt, head to TK Maxx. I was hopeful that I would find buried away at the back of a shelf my ideal decorative piece – preferably glass and wrought iron perhaps or dark timber. I was shocked and saddened when TK Maxx didn’t come to my rescue……or so I thought…..

An idea popped into my head. How about a deep set or 3D photo frame? Sat on the floor with frames around me, I lay the frames down to see how flat they sat and then grabbed a candle and vase of similar measurements to home and displayed on a unit….TK Maxx must love me, they must think I’m planning to move in. Great tip – don’t be afraid to use your surroundings to check you are buying what will work best. Department stores always have furniture on display so help to style them up whilst you shop!

Anyway, I found a perfect option! A deep set surround, plain in colour but large enough to hold a vase and candle without being too tight. I haven’t yet removed the back stand because it actually sits quite flush to the worktops but that is an option if you find it is off balance. And, of course it was a bargain – £6!

I then had to consider what to place inside the frame. I did originally plan on a plain sheet of white paper but then it struck me….we still had some photos of our wedding with one photo in particular I was keen to find a home for…..my treasured wedding flowers.

So ta dah! Here it is!

Hope that has given you some inspiration on re-purposing a photo frame. This idea would also work well with the more ornate frames – perhaps a single 8×5 size with a pretty candle? I would love to see your photos if you choose to take on this little project. Click the Instagram or Twitter button and share away!

x PB x