The Novelty Of Using Leftover Tiles As Serving Plates

You don't have to use ceramic tiles on the floor – to tile your kitchen or even you entire home. Tiles can also be used as cookware, dinner plates, stepping stones and even decorative ornaments. Below, we will talk about new ways you can use those extra tiles you may have lying in the garage.

Are you looking for a new way to cook and serve your friends, family and dinner guests? One very unique and visually appealing way to show off your cooking skills is by using tiles to cook and serve your delicious meals.

If you have just recently installed tiles in your home, you can put the extra ones to good use. Be sure to give them a good scrub down and washing and you'll have yourself a perfect pizza pie plate. A good idea would be to stop by your local stationary store like an OfficeMax or even a Walmart so that you can purchase those adhesive rubber or cloth dots to stick to the bottom of your tiles. This way, when setting down the tile, they will slightly hover over the table surface, making it easier to grab. The hover effect will also give your tile more visual appeal. Plus, with these ruber or cloth felt dots, you can protect the surface of your counter tops and tabletops from scratches.

Another thing available to you regarding tiles is the ability to bake directly on the tile. Of course, if you want to bake with a tile, you want to make sure that it is 100% ceramic because other materials may not be able to withstand the high heat making it unsafe to use in the oven. And, obviously, you don't want to bake your foods on tiles that have the rubber or felt dots underneath. You want to organize it so that one set of tiles is used for baking food while the other is used for serving food.

Here are some ideas of particular foods you'll be able to serve your dinner guests using tiles:

- Sushi
- Cheese and crackers
- Pizza
- Bread
- Fruit
- Quesadillas

You can serve virtually anything on a tile. Get creative.

Not only can you serve food on tiles, but they can also be used as trivets or objects that can be placed between a hot dish and a table or counter top. Near the stove would be a perfect area to place tiles so that you can set on them hot pots and pans.

The use of tiles aren't limited to just the kitchen, but they can also be used as a decoration like in the bathroom. Place a tile on a bathroom counter top and use it to set:

- Bath towels
- Soaps
- Potpourri dishes and containers
- Candles
- Plants

Another great place to use decorative tiles would be in the garden. Use tiles as a place to set your potted plants. With larger tiles, you can set them along the edge of the garden (outside or inside) to create a stunning visual effect. With more heavy-duty tiles, you'll actually be able to use them like stepping stones. But, before purchasing tiles that will be used as stepping stones, be sure to speak with a store employee about which tiles are strong enough to withstand heavy or even light foot traffic.

In the end, it's your own creativity that will transform a room, a garden, or even a dinner into an experience of visual appeal. Use your imagination and you'll find that there's an almost unlimited amount of things you can do with ceramic tile. And, just to be nice, share your ideas on the web. You'd be surprised how many people you will be able to influence with your creativity.

Will writes for Elle Cuisine and Ceramic Creation, specializing in tiles in Rockland County.