Creative Uses for Carpet Tiles and Squares

Carpet tiles and squares have become indispensable tools for creative budget decorators. These easily manipulated pieces, ranging from one to several square feet in area, can be affixed to various surfaces using glue, special tape, or other adhesives. Among their advantages are low cost, color and texture variety, and availability. Just because they're made of carpet material doesn't mean they always belong on the floor! Consider these creative uses for carpet tiles and squares.

Creative Uses for Carpet Tiles and Squares: Idea #1
Placemats. Often placemats come in rectangular or trapezoidal shapes, but carpet tiles make a nice square alternative. If you find pieces that are, say, 16"x16", you'll have generously sized placemats that are sturdy and heavy - great for indoor and outdoor use. Trick: for a weathered, beat-up look, you can fray out the edges of the carpet squares yourself with a utility knife or scissors

Creative Uses for Carpet Tiles and Squares: Idea #2
Wall Art. By selecting several solid-colored carpet tiles and arranging them in an aesthetically pleasing pattern, you can add texture and visual weight to a wall. You have the flexibility to create your own design, select colors that complement the room, and determine a pattern that you find appealing. Remember that you can use negative space, overlap carpet squares, and position them at unusual angles. Be creative! (I personally like repeating square tiles arranged in three-by-three rows with several inches between sides.)

Creative Uses for Carpet Tiles and Squares: Idea #3
Room Divider Covering. Many folding room dividers feature elaborate rice paper or other attractive designs that shouldn't be futzed with. But if you have a plain-looking, solid room divider that can handle the weight of carpet tiles, you can affix them in a visually appealing pattern to add color.

Creative Uses for Carpet Tiles and Squares: Idea #4
Ceiling Checkerboard. Maybe your floor's great as it is, but your ceiling needs something? Especially if you want the room to feel smaller and cozier, a ceiling checkerboard pattern made with carpet tiles may do the trick. Just be sure to measure well and affix firmly.

Creative Uses for Carpet Tiles and Squares: Idea #5
Cat Scratching Post. Having never lived with a cat until I met my roommate's kitty, I wasn't aware of how much they like to scratch. As an alternative to those ugly (and expensive) storebought cat-scratch contraptions, make your own version with carpet tiles. You can attach the tiles to anything that seems appropriate - maybe a wooden crate nailed (safely) to a small piece of paneling on the floor. If you poke around your basement, attic, or garage, I'll bet you can find something feline-friendly to cover with carpet tiles.

Creative Uses for Carpet Tiles and Squares: Idea #6
Bulletin Board Covering. Unless the pile on the carpet square is very thick (which is usually not the case with most carpet tiles), push pins stick well in carpet tiles. You can "upholster" an old, unsightly bulletin board with the squares to add color and warmth to otherwise boring cork.

Creative Uses for Carpet Tiles and Squares: Idea #7
Matting for a Framed Print. This requires shrewd choices of art and frame, but you can use carpet tiles to carve a mat. After measuring precisely, simply take a utility knife and slice out the section you need. Because of the thickness and textured quality of carpet squares, they can't complement every piece and don't do well with most photos. I like them as a mat for pencil sketches, however. The center edges of the mat may end up jagged and frayed, which can rustify the framed art in a pleasing way.

Have any other creative uses for carpet tiles and squares? Add a comment to the article!