A DIYer Made the Cutest and Most Functional Sofa Tray Using Just 3 Items

Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via…read more
published Aug 21, 2025
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Bright living room with white sectional sofa, blue and beige pillows, glass coffee table, and large windows with sheer curtains.

If you plan on having a couch potato autumn, then there’s a DIY project you should do ahead of time to prep for cozy vibes. Whether your living room is too small to have a coffee table or you’re the type to constantly test fate by resting your tea mug on the pillow next to you, this DIY sofa table is going to come in clutch. Another bonus? You can use commonly-found items, making this project as affordable as it is easy to complete.

Instagram user Geneva Vanderzeil shared a video about how she made a sofa table using a faux marble tray and a cutting board, held together with some strong glue.

“Did you know that if you grab a tray and a piece of timber or a small chopping board, turn the tray over [and] take some glue along the long edge of the wood, then press that onto the underside of the tray, allow to dry, and then slot it between your sofa cushions, you will have the cutest and most functional sofa tray, perfect for tea, snacks, and crafts?” Geneva said in a voice-over in the video.

She wrote in her caption that she used a $13 tray from Target and a chopping board from Woolworths in Australia to create her sofa table, but you can just as easily find similar trays and cutting boards from HomeGoods, Amazon, or Wayfair. 

“I know it’s very small and the easiest project ever but I love it so much!” Geneva continued in the caption. “You can also literally use any cute tray that you have!”

How to Make a Sofa Tray Table

It’s best to use a tray with raised edges to keep your beverages, snacks, or crafting supplies in place, but feel free to experiment with size, shape, and material. This large wooden tray from Wayfair, for example, would be great for this project because of its higher sides and large surface area.

And this small wooden cutting board from Amazon would fit perfectly underneath it. Whether you’re shopping online or in store for these materials, just make sure that the cutting board is not longer than the tray you’re using. Otherwise, it will stick out awkwardly on either side of the tray.

Then, just use some heavy-duty glue to attach the cutting board to the tray, and that’s it! Whether you use it for drinks, books, remotes, snacks, crafts, or more, this little sofa table will change the way you couch potato from here on out.

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