7 Smart Ways to Use Leftover Wall and Floor Tiles

Durable, long-lasting and easy to maintain, there are countless reasons why so many of us choose to clad our walls and floors with tiles – and when you consider how the sophisticated design of these floor and wall tiles can make an interior stand out, it’s easy to see why they’re such a popular choice.

From bathroom floors to kitchen splashbacks, wall and floor tiles are guaranteed to add something unique to the aesthetic of your home – but what should you do with any leftover tiles? While setting some surplus tiles aside is recommended in case you need to replace any cracked or broken tiles, repurposing any leftovers means that you can unleash your creativity – and get the full value from your floor and wall tiles. That’s why today, we’ll be inspiring you to try your hand at DIY with our 7 stylish ways that you can give your unused tiles a new lease of life.

1. Attract attention with your table top design

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Putting your own stamp on the place is the easiest way to transform your house into a home, which is why a table that’s adorned with your favourite mural tiles – as well as your own creative touch – is so appealing. Whether it’s a coffee table or the surround for a dining table, if your furniture has seen better days, why not embellish the surface with glossy decorative wall tiles to create a vibrant feature that will capture the gaze of anyone who enters the room?

2. Repurpose decorative wall tiles into coasters

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If you’ve chosen smaller sized tiles for your home, it couldn’t be easier to revamp your floor and wall tiles into functional and fashionable mug coasters. While plain tiles can be upcycled into a design of your own choice with patterned scrap paper, Mod Podge and spray acrylic sealer, mural tiles will look equally effective – and the consistency between your feature wall and coasters means that you can create an interior that screams seamlessness and style. Simply cut white felt to size and attach to the reverse of the tile with craft glue and leave your leftover tiles to dry.

3. Adorn your garden with an artistic mosaic feature

When it comes to the garden, there’s no reason why you should resign your floor tiles to the patio area. From bird houses to garden statues, embellishing surfaces with glossy mosaic floor tiles means that your eye will be drawn to these one-of-a-kind features in the garden all year long. Making your garden stand out with gleaming, brightly-coloured tiles could attract more birds too – so your backyard could soon become a hub for wildlife.

4. Get creative with a decorative mirror surround

While mirrors will encourage natural light to bounce around the room, there’s no reason why these accessories can’t be a feature in themselves. Whether your mirror surround doesn’t fit in with the aesthetic of the room or you’re just looking to add something unique to the wall, fixing polished decorative wall tiles to the edge of the frame means that you can add an extra level of shine to this section of the room. If you’re looking to add even more of a twist to your mirror, why not consider creating a mosaic with a range of different coloured tiles? That way, you can use up any surplus tiles without worrying that you’ll run out of a particular style of tile.

5. Transform large floor tiles into a chic cheese board

The easy-to-clean and scratch-resistant nature of porcelain floor tiles makes them a practical choice for a floor that will last, but that’s not to say that this is the only way that tiles can be used in the home. By sticking silicone or cork feet to the reverse of any leftover large floor tiles, you can easily transform unused tiles into a sophisticated serving platter or cheese board that suits the tone of your kitchen-diner – and this soft backing will help to protect the surface of your tabletops from any accidental scratches.

6. Embellish planters with mosaic floor tiles

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Whether it’s for your outdoor patio or a window sill garden, adding tiles to your plant pots can instantly brighten up your green spaces. While the plants will do the talking during the summer months, the vibrant tones and intricate patterns of your tiled plant pots means that come wintertime, your garden will be just as attention-commanding. When it comes to tiling a planter, the process isn’t dissimilar to creating your own kitchen splashback: simply apply the surplus tiles to the planter with adhesive, leave to set, then use a putty knife to add grout to the surrounding section.

7. Create a custom-made chair with mural tiles

If you have leftover wall tiles, upcycling drab wooden chairs with tiles will instantly add a distinctive aspect to an interior – without overpowering the overall aesthetic. From adorning the chair legs with differently sized tile pieces to cladding the seat with vibrant coloured tiles, adding a different texture to these surfaces means that your chair will become a feature in it’s own right and capture the eye of anyone who enters the room.

Both long-lasting and visually impactful, there’s no shortage of reasons why you should use floor and wall tiles in your home – and with our inspiring guide, it’s time that we realised that tiles shouldn’t be restricted to the floors and walls of an interior.

Utilising leftover tiles means that not only will you be able to enjoy the full value from your tiles, but you’ll be able to add distinctive character to your home design. So what are you waiting for? See which high quality tiles would best suit your interior decor today, and get creative with floor tiles.