Creative ways to use tiles that you won’t have thought of

Mix up your tiling talents this year with these quirky designs and vibrant colours

Sprinkled over the floor like decorations on top of a cake or stacked up the walls like a towering Jenga, tiles are in and they're here to stay.

Go against the grind and try new laying techniques, experimenting with different sizes and clashing tile patterns.

They are the interior jigsaw for adults so see what unusual pictures you can create...

Mismatch your designs

Unusual tile display

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Clash your floor tiles with those up the walls and on the top of surfaces to form an interesting Arabic-inspired design like this hallway.

Lay bold floor designs

traditional tile

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Lay your floor with traditional tiles to add some character and colour whilst putting a spring in your step.

Design a heavenly headboard

bedroom with fabric tiles and metallic headboard

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Opt for a wall of fabric tiles or make a metallic headboard to shape a statement wall in your bedroom.

Assemble a mosaic

bathroom with bathtub

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Mosaics tend to frequent our bathroom walls but try switching it up and cover your floors in the design instead.

Make a rug of stone

ornate floor with a rug

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Instead of covering an ornate floor with a rug, cover a plain floor with giant slabs to create a quirky floor design.

Be bold with your layout

bathroom with zingy chevron wall

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Bold bathroom tiles are set to be a massive trend throughout 2016 so jump ahead of the curve with a statement piece like this zingy chevron wall.

Make a fireplace feature

living room with fireplace

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Tile the wall around your fireplace in order to set the hearth at the heart of your living room.

Plate the exterior

tiled house

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Tiled houses are creating a buzz this year as the bricks look more fresh, modern and glossy than regular bricks.

Flash your splashback

bold splashback with kitchen

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Opt for a bold splashback beyond your industrial looking hob to add vivid patterns and vibrant colours to your kitchen.

Cobble your carpet

dining table with strips carpet

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Try your patterns out with strips of carpet to create a statement floor piece much more interesting than a beige carpet.

Mirror, mirror on the wall

kitchen with mirrored tiles

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Mirrored tiles add a contemporary twist whilst also making the room seem bigger and reflect light in to the dark corners.

Refashion the worktops

bathroom with tiles

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Cover your bathroom surfaces and kitchen counter tops in tiles for a completely unique design in your favourite colours.

Try out a different shape

chair with floor lamp

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Pentagons, triangles, circles - whatever shape, opt for something other than the classic square or rectangular tile.

Opt for an original style

bathroom with bathtub

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Restore your bathroom with uniformed Victorian tiles in bright cobalt and geometric prints that are long lasting and hard wearing.

Lend a hand to herringbone

kitchen with chimney

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Add a twist to the metro tile fashion by laying them at a herringbone angle rather then horizontally for a wow wall.

Cover your cupboard interior

kitchen with cabinets

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Line your cupboards with old school metro tiles and cover with glass doors to admire you talents and create a cool kitchen.

Like this? Don't miss out brilliant bathroom tile ideas.

Thea Babington-Stitt
Assistant Editor

Thea Babington-Stitt is the Assistant Editor for Ideal Home. Thea has been working across some of the UK’s leading interiors titles for nearly 10 years. 

She started working on these magazines and websites after graduating from City University London with a Masters in Magazine Journalism. Before moving to Ideal Home, Thea was News and Features Editor at Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc and Country Homes & Interiors.