What to Do With Extra FLOR Tiles and Carpet Samples

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We've been big fans of FLOR carpet tiles for ages now...they've proven to be a renter's affordable solution for our small home office, our stairway and soon, our living room, at a relatively modest cost. But what's equally impressive is what people have dreamt up as alternative uses for FLOR and other remnant carpet pieces around the home. Ample Sample is a site/annual contest dedicated to ideas illustrating how to "upcycle" the more than 700,000 carpet samples that are shipped to architects and interior designers each year into purposeful goods. Here are some of our current favs from last year's entries...

Our favourites in order above, some with instructions to make your own:

Ample Sample is currently calling out for entries for their 2009 competition, and interested parties can enter here to be qualified to be showcased at NeoCon 2009 and featured on the website with blueprints and instructions for public consumption.

Comments (7)

The samples make great coasters.

I agree with the coasters. I also like them under large potted plants : )

The best part about Flor tiles is that they're low-VOC and partially recycled/recyclable for about the same price as rugs you get from Overstock or Home Decorators. I can't afford most Rugmark certified rugs, so Flor is a reasonable alternative.

I love the pet bed -- way cool!

Other than that, my library uses them for story time seating for small kids. I get ones that roughly match my installed carpeting for door mats that can be trashed if really destroyed without damaging the wall to wall.

Not too fond of carpeting made into lamp shades... I kind of expect light to penetrate a shade...

Hey great DIY!
If you have a small place and a cat find a small wall cut a piece of the Flor carpet to fit and with small nails attach it to the wall as a great scratching post. My cat loves it and it looks pretty cool too. Way better than an ugly cardboard shag covered tubular thing.

i, too, have cut the samples in fours for coasters.

I wonder if you could use them instead of a cushion on a window seat. . .