Got a few leftover tiles in the garage, or a backsplash you can’t stand looking at? These 32 DIY tile ideas cover both. You’ll find small, quick crafts like tile coasters, trivets and fridge magnets, plus weekend furniture makeovers where a thrifted table gets a brand new tiled top. There are budget fixes too: painted and stenciled tile that skips the demolition, a peel-free backsplash install and a tub refresh for under $50. Mixed in are a few finished bathrooms and kitchens to steal color and pattern ideas from. One tip before you start: a ReStore or the clearance pallet at the hardware store often has single tiles for under a dollar, which is plenty for most of these.
1. Modern Nautilus Abstract Turquoise Design
This turquoise shower proves glass tile can be the whole show. The interlocking oval pattern runs floor to ceiling in faded shades of blue, and it glows under a skylight like water on a sunny day. It comes from a beach-inspired San Francisco home, where white subway tile and gray stone keep the rest of the bath calm so the blue wall can take center stage. Want the look on a smaller budget? Try the same pattern on one accent wall or a niche and keep everything else white.
Get the full tutorial at House of Turquoise.
2. Painted and Stenciled Tile Backsplash
Hate your backsplash but can’t swing new tile? You can paint it! This painted and stenciled tile backsplash turned a dated red tile wall into crisp white with a bold black geometric pattern. The process is five steps: scrub the tile with TSP, prime everything including the grout lines, roll on a high quality acrylic paint, stencil the design with stencil brushes, then seal it with a water-based topcoat. Skip regular latex paint, since it won’t grip. Leave out the stencil and it goes even faster.
Get the full tutorial at Kaleidoscope Living.
3. DIY Tiled Side Table
A DIY tiled side table is a smart first tiling project because it’s small and forgiving. Start by building a simple wood cube for the base, then cover every side in tile. Sheets of small square tile make it much easier than setting single pieces one by one. This one wears matte sage green squares with white grout, and it looks like it came from a pricey design shop. Stretch the same idea into a long rectangle and you’ve got a matching coffee table.
Get the full tutorial at Alice and Lois.
4. Kintsugi Tile Coasters
Kintsugi tile coasters are a fun way to break something on purpose! Kintsugi is the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with gold, and plain 4 inch tiles make an easy first try. Wrap the tiles and crack them with a hammer outside, then lay the pieces back together on wax paper. Paint gold leaf paint along every broken edge, let it dry, then glue the pieces back with E6000 and let them cure overnight. Finish with self-adhesive cork on the back. They make lovely teacher gifts.
Get the full tutorial at Ideas for the Home by Kenarry.
5. Copper Tiles
A penny backsplash catches the light like a wall of jewelry, and it’s surprisingly doable. You’ve got two routes. Glue down real pennies you’ve saved, which costs very little and needs no special skills, or buy sheets of copper penny tile that cut easily and go up in a few hours. This bar wall pairs the shimmering copper rounds with exposed brick, live edge shelves and under shelf lighting. Penny style tile also comes in ceramic and stainless steel if copper feels like too much.
Get the full tutorial at Deavita.
6. Penny Tile Heart Tray
This penny tile heart tray is a sweet Valentine’s project that doubles as a trivet. Mark a heart on a sheet of white penny tile, peel those rounds off the mesh backing, then fill the gap with red penny tile. Trim the edges so there’s barely any cutting. Build a simple frame from a 1×2 and a scrap of underlayment, set the tiles in mortar (or plain white glue for a kids’ version) and grout. Wipe off any haze before it hardens and it’s done.
Get the full tutorial at At Charlotte's House.
7. Painted and Stenciled Fireplace Tile
Stuck with dark floor tile around your fireplace? Paint those tiles! Clean them well first, then brush on a bonding primer made for slick surfaces so the paint has something to grab. Paint the tile white, then stencil a black pattern on top with spray adhesive holding the stencil in place. A makeup sponge gives crisper edges than a roller because you control how much paint goes on. Less is more here. Seal it with a durable topcoat and the whole wall looks brand new.
Get the full tutorial at Do Dodson Designs.
8. Large Mosaic Garden Flowers
These large mosaic garden flowers turn broken tiles and rusty odds and ends into sculpture. Cut a flower shape from an old towel, soak it in a cement slurry and drape it over a domed form to harden. Coat the other side, then nip leftover ceramic tile into pieces and set them with tile adhesive. The center is a baked clay dome studded with rusty nails, screwed onto a threaded rod stalk. They’re weatherproof and dog proof, and they brighten a bare corner all year.
Get the full tutorial at A Crafty Mix.
9. DIY Tile Boot Tray
A DIY tile boot tray gives wet shoes a home by the door, and it looks far nicer than a plastic mat. Build a shallow frame from 1×4 boards around a 12 by 36 inch plywood base, with cutout handles on the ends. Set three 12 inch sheets of mosaic tile into the base with tile adhesive, then grout. A parquet pattern in dark basalt hides mud well. Stain the wood to match your entry, and you’ve got a boot tray that survives every rainy day.
Get the full tutorial at Her Tool Belt.
10. Grey Tile Floors
Grey tile floors are about as easy to live with as it gets. Spots and scratches don’t jump out the way they do on dark floors, and grey works with modern, rustic and minimalist rooms alike. This bathroom uses oversized grey tiles on the floor and walls for a seamless, spa-like box, with a floating black vanity, a round mirror and brass pendants for warmth. Big tiles mean fewer grout lines, so cleaning is quicker too. It’s a calm backdrop you won’t tire of.
Get the full tutorial at DigsDigs.
11. Stenciled Floor Tile
A stenciled floor is one of the cheapest bathroom makeovers out there. This guest bath had dull beige linoleum and no budget for new flooring, so a Portuguese tile style stencil did the heavy lifting. Clean the floor well, paint a base coat, then work the stencil square by square in black chalk paint over white, lining each repeat up with the last. Seal it with a tough floor topcoat. The finished floor looks like patterned cement tile and came in under $50.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
12. In-Laid Stone Tile Design
This spa-style master bath shows how far tile alone can change a room. The old bath was cramped and brown, so the design team stretched it visually with horizontal lines: a band of tile, a long floating vanity and a wide mirror. White woven texture tile covers the walls, and smooth white pebbles line the shower niche for a soft, natural touch. Steal the pebble niche idea for your own shower. Pebble sheets are easy to cut and set, even for beginners.
Get the full tutorial at Carla Aston | Designed.
13. Arabesque Ombre Grey Floor Tiles
Arabesque tile adds instant charm to a plain floor. Each tile has that rounded Moroccan lantern shape, so even a soft grey reads as a pattern without shouting. Here the grey arabesques sit under a classic white Shaker vanity, and bright white grout outlines every curve. It’s an easy way to bring character into a small bathroom or laundry room. Choose a grout color with some thought: white makes the shape pop, while matching grey keeps the look quiet and calm.
Get the full tutorial at DigsDigs.
14. Easy DIY Mosaic Table Using Broken Dishes
Don’t toss that old coffee table yet! This easy DIY mosaic table uses thrifted and broken dishes for a top that’s pure garden party. Clean the table with TSP and paint the base, then screw a piece of 1/4 inch concrete backer board to the top. Wrap the plates in a rag and break them with a hammer, sort the pieces by size and lay out your design. Set them in tile adhesive, spread sanded grout over everything and wipe clean as you go.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
15. Blue Green Glass Tile
Blue green glass tile is the easiest way to give a kitchen a beach cottage feel. This Kauai cottage kitchen pairs white cabinets and black honed granite with a mosaic backsplash of glossy, sea glass colored subway pieces. The tile shifts from aqua to jade as the light changes, so it never looks flat. Want to try it? A short backsplash like this one only needs a few sheets of mosaic tile, which makes it one of the most budget-friendly kitchen updates around.
Get the full tutorial at Centsational Style.
16. IKEA Hack Geometric Tiled Coffee Table
This IKEA hack geometric tiled coffee table starts as a basic Lack table. Glue and pin a strip of wood trim around the top edge so the tile and grout have a lip to sit in. Cut the backing off sheets of marble, frosted glass and green subway tile so you can arrange single pieces into your own pattern. Glue every piece down with a pea size dab, then use a sanded grout made for wide joints. Take your time spacing the tiles. That’s the secret.
Get the full tutorial at Delineate Your Dwelling.
17. Manhattan Chic Black And White Tiling
Black and white tile never goes out of style, and this bathroom shows why. Patterned cement tile covers the floor, classic white subway tile with dark grout runs up the walls, and a black steel framed shower door ties the two together. The homeowners wanted their 1936 Tudor bath to feel vintage but modern, so they started with the floor tile and built every other choice around it. Copy that trick: pick one tile you love first, then let it lead.
Get the full tutorial at Rue Magazine.
18. How to Paint a Tile Floor
Ugly reddish floor tile with stains you can’t scrub out? Paint it! Sand the tile lightly with 80, 120 and 220 grit, then strip and clean it well. Patch any cracked or missing grout before you prime. A good bonding primer is the key step, so don’t skip it. Roll on floor and patio paint with a 4 inch mini roller, and add a polyurethane topcoat if you’d like extra protection. This bathroom floor was still holding up beautifully six years later.
Get the full tutorial at Driven by Decor.
19. DIY Desktop Tile Planter
This DIY desktop tile planter is a mini version of the classic paver planter, made without power tools. Square dowels cut to size form the frame, joined with a drill and small wood screws plus Gorilla Glue. Instead of heavy pavers, use 4.25 inch white bullnose bathroom tile so the finished edge sits on top. Tape off a diagonal and spray paint each tile in two colors. Glue the tiles into the frame, line it with a trash bag and plant your succulents.
Get the full tutorial at Damask Love.
20. In-Laid Pebble Tile Scheme
This rustic spa shower mixes two textures you don’t often see together. Wood look plank tile runs horizontally on one wall, and a full wall of grey pebble mosaic wraps the other, with two long niches built right into the stones. A matching pebble floor and a dark stone bench finish the mountain lodge feel. It’s part of an award finalist log home. The pairing works because both tiles are grey, so the texture changes while the color stays calm.
Get the full tutorial at Rochelle Lynne Design.
21. Faux Hex Tile Painted Backsplash
No tile at all went into this backsplash, just paint. A honeycomb allover wall stencil sets the shape, and a shimmery pearl white paint goes on with a sponge brush. While that’s still wet, lightly blot tan acrylic on the same three sides of every hexagon to fake a shadow, and the flat wall suddenly looks like dimensional tile. A stencil brush gives a more even finish than a sponge. It’s a renter-friendly idea, since paint is easy to cover later.
Get the full tutorial at Reality Daydream.
22. Boldly Patterned Kitchen Tile
Black and white geometric tile behind a range is a big statement in a small space. In this restored Australian country cottage, the bold circle pattern sits under white painted shiplap, next to a dark stone counter and an industrial pendant. Rustic wood boards and simple white utensil crocks keep it relaxed rather than fussy. Patterned cement style tile like this works best in one contained area, so a short range backsplash is the perfect place to try a pattern you love.
Get the full tutorial at The Style Files.
23. Easy Tile Trivet
An easy tile trivet really is a one step craft. Any pretty tile works: a hand painted souvenir, a ReStore find, a renovation leftover or a plain white tile you’ve decorated with ceramic markers. Test your felt first by dabbing it with water to make sure the dye won’t run. Cut it a quarter inch smaller than the tile. Mix two part gel epoxy right on the back, smooth it to the edges with a scrap of cardboard and press the felt flat.
Get the full tutorial at Dans le Lakehouse.
24. How to Tile a Table Top
Tiling a table top is easier than it looks, and you don’t need messy mortar. This $25 ReStore table got a blue patterned clearance tile. Measure the top and the tiles first, because if they fit exactly you won’t cut a thing. Clean, sand and prime the table, lay the tiles out, then glue them down with E6000 using a dot on each corner and one in the middle. Let it cure 24 hours, grout, then seal everything, grout lines included, with a topcoat.
Get the full tutorial at Artsy Chicks Rule.
25. How to Tile a Backsplash With an Adhesive Mat
Tiling a kitchen backsplash can be a one day job when you use an adhesive tile mat. The mat comes on a roll and replaces thin-set mortar, so it’s clean, moisture resistant and you can grout right away. Smooth the mat onto the wall, peel the backing and press your tile on with 1/8 inch spacers. Cut edge pieces with a wet saw or a tile cutter, then grout and caulk. It works best with standard size tile like 3×8 subway.
Get the full tutorial at The House of Wood.
26. Magnetic Mini Tile Art
Magnetic mini tile art is a sweet rainy day craft for kids. Each tiny 1.5 inch tile gets a design sketched in pencil, then painted and finished with fine tip Sharpie details once it’s dry. Peel and stick a magnet square on the back, and it’s ready for the fridge. A fine point brush or markers give cleaner lines than the brush in most kits. Make a set of five as a gift for grandparents, and add sequins or rhinestones for extra sparkle.
Get the full tutorial at Jessie At Home.
27. Stenciled Penny Tile TV Tray
A stenciled penny tile TV tray gets the classic look of tiny round tiles with no tile at all. Clean a thrifted wood tray with TSP, sand the top down to bare wood and paint it with milk paint in a warm gray, which plays the part of the grout. Then stencil the penny rounds in white on top, adding a black border and a simple flower motif like an old fashioned bathroom floor. Seal it, and your morning coffee spot looks vintage and fresh.
Get the full tutorial at Funky Junk Interiors.
28. Bathroom Tile Paint Refresh
Stuck with almond or beige bathroom tile from the 80s? A tub and tile refinishing kit can brighten the whole surround for $50 or less. This kids’ bathroom got a crisp white update without ripping anything out. Clean the tile and tub thoroughly so the coating bonds, tape off the edges, then roll on the refinishing paint in thin, even coats. Give it the full cure time before showers. It’s the kind of fix that buys a bathroom a few more good years.
Get the full tutorial at The Heathered Nest.
29. DIY Hexagon Tile Coasters
DIY hexagon tile coasters show off a pretty ReStore find in about ten minutes of work. Lay a tile on thin cork, trace around it and cut just inside the line so the cork won’t peek out. Spread E6000 evenly over the cork with a skewer, paying extra attention to the edges, then press it to the back of the tile and let it dry. Trim any overhang with a utility knife. They double as plant trivets, and square tiles work just as well.
Get the full tutorial at DIY in PDX.
30. Paint Pour Art on Tiles
Paint pour art on tiles is messy, colorful fun, and plain 4×4 glazed tiles make a perfect small canvas. Use a thinner, runnier paint than standard craft paint, since the right flow is what creates those bright cells and swirls. Gloss enamels work well. Cover your work surface and keep paper towels handy, because it gets everywhere! The paint dries thick, so leave each tile flat with plenty of time to dry before you move it. Seal them for coasters or display them as art.
Get the full tutorial at Mad in Crafts.
31. Easy Mod Podge Tile Coasters
Easy Mod Podge tile coasters protect a freshly finished table for pennies. Plain white tiles cost about 30 cents each at the home improvement store. Cut scrapbook paper to leave a 1/4 inch border on all sides, brush a generous layer of Mod Podge Hard Coat on the tile and smooth the paper down, pressing out any bubbles. Then build up five thin coats on top, drying between each. Glue felt to the bottom corners so they won’t scratch, and tie a set with baker’s twine.
Get the full tutorial at It All Started With Paint.
32. Marble Mosaic Bar Backsplash With No Thinset
This marble mosaic backsplash went up in a home bar without a drop of thinset. Clean the painted wall with a degreaser and let it dry fully, then press MusselBound adhesive mat on from a top corner, rolling it down with the liner still on. Butt the seams tight, trim around outlets with scissors and press it all down with a grout float. Peel the liner in small sections, set the mosaic sheets with the spacers and a level, then press firmly. A utility knife slices through the mesh backing for cuts, and you can grout right away.
Get the full tutorial at Maison de Pax.
