Lansdowne Life

Painted Polynesian wood dishes

by Erin Heaton

This wall in my kitchen above the refrigerator has a random electrical coverplate. I’m guessing it was from an electric clock years ago.

I thought a framed picture hung that high would look fairly ridiculous, so I had to come up with something that fit the shape of the wall and didn’t need to be viewed from up close.
 

I found these “monkey pod wood” dishes at my grandma’s house, but I have seen them in thrift stores for like $2.
 
I wasn’t digging the luau feel and both of the dishes were pretty banged up.
The smaller one also had a chip out of the tip, which I rebuilt with some wood filler and sanded smooth.
I primed them and then painted them with acrylic craft paints and sealed them with a clear spray sealer.
They were transformed from polynesian kitsch to sort of mod looking. The one on the left looks a little NBC peacock-esque. The other reminds me of a logo for an agricultural organization.

If you are worried these were valuable antiques I spoiled, they weren’t. Before I painted anything, I checked to see if these were worth anything on eBay. They weren’t and were probably going to end up in the trash if I hadn’t rescued them.

…………………………………………………………………………….

Addendum

Shortly after I mounted the dishes on the wall, this one came crashing down and broke on the ceramic tile.
I’m still trying to decide if I want to try to fix it, but I think the broken portion is too big to salvage it. I’m not so much disappointed that it broke, but that I have to find something else to hang in its place! I’ve had a rash of failed and floundering projects lately. Ugh.

Comments

  4. Simply Charming Life says

    What beautiful trays, I have about twenty of these I have been picking up to sell on etsy, but not much action, they are soooo much prettier painted. I think I will keep a few painted ones for myself, I like them so much!!!
    SimplyCharmingLife