You were recently in the market for some new carpeting and, in the process of selecting the final product, you have found yourself up to your neck in carpet samples. Now you don’t know what to do with them. While some of them you paid for and the rest of them were gifts from the showroom salesman, you just can’t bring yourself to throw them all away. If you’re looking for a weekend project or new way to “upcycle”, repurposing your leftover carpet tiles will allow you to explore your creativity and also give back to the environment. With just a little elbow grease, some ingenuity and creativity, the endless way you can repurpose your piles of carpet swatches are almost infinite.
Patch Together a Runner
Perhaps one of the most popular options for repurposing a carpet sample would be to assemble them into a rug or runner for your living room, hallway or stairwell. Mix and match colors and go for a contemporary look with patterned square tiles or perhaps a more modern approach with a hard-gradient rainbow of swatches.
Make a Game of Hopscotch
Does a rainy day have your kids held captive inside the house with nothing to do? With just a few passes of a hot glue stick and a brush of some fabric paint, you’ve got yourself a game of indoor hopscotch using just carpet swatches. Treat your kids to this nostalgic game and even have them help you in the process of making it. Make it a family activity.
Cat Scratch Pads
Tired of your feline friend ruining your furniture and carpet with their incessant scratching? With some scratch materials you probably have lying around your garage, you can repurpose your carpet samples into small scratch pads for your furry family member. Take the attention off your floors and furniture and give them the full satisfaction of destroying something you own.
Textured Wall Art
Mount your swatches on your wall to create a collage of textures and patterns that’s sure to be a point of discussion. Use this opportunity to create a work of wall art that’s interactive. Incorporate different textures and colors. Create something that gives yourself and your guests something to not only talk about but also something fun to look at and touch as well.
Upholstery
Take that Saturday garage-sale furniture find and give it a new life by using carpet samples as a unique and inventive way to reupholster your piece. From stools, benches and headboards, using carpet samples as a means of upholstery will allow you bring depth and dimension to ordinary pieces of furniture while saving money.