Thread: Tray design help needed

Hello, I have made a box of Qld Silver Ash with a Red Oak lid, and now have made a 2nd one, but this time with provision for a tray, which I am about to make next week.

I would like to get some advice on the design options for the tray please. The tray ends will be high with a curve across the width and with a hand grip, like the one shown below, but will have mitre joints instead of the chunky machined dovetails. (still working on my manual dovetail skill)

Should the tray be made of the same timber as the box i.e., out of Red Oak or out of QSA , or something completely different, like Northern Silky Oak or even pinkish paddock Jarrah?

Should the tray timber be light coloured or dark coloured? And what to do for the lining - bright red, black, or something in between ?

This whole string of questions raises the point as to whether good design principles exist for boxes and trays, to make them attractive to the eye. Normally I try to make boxes to the Golden Ratio i.e., start with the height, and keep multiplying by 1.62 to get the other two dimensions, or vice versa. These shape of boxes tend to look comfortable to my eye.

Will appreciate any ideas and suggestions, thank you

P1640161 (Large).jpgP1640168 (Large).JPGP1640179 (Large).jpg

P1640103 (Large).jpg