Upcycle Boring Boxes Into Creative Tiled Custom Game Storage

Storage cubes and cabinet boxes are a must in any home for their functional value, but sometimes their plain wooden or plastic exteriors can leave much to be desired. If you're a savvy DIY enthusiast, however, these surfaces can be a blank canvas with which you can boost the visual appeal of your living space. A little extra paint or a uniquely patterned fabric can help transform these furnishings from bland to eye-catching. Plus, these DIY home decor projects won't diminish the practical value of these storage accessories, which will still help you keep your space free from clutter.

If you're looking for a creative way to transform the outsides of your old wooden storage cubes or cabinet boxes, the YouTube channel blondesigns has an elegant upcycling project tutorial that uses these furnishings to make neat game storage containers. In the video, the YouTuber begins by sketching her new cabinet designs and dry-fitting ceramic mosaic tiles over her wooden boxes. She then uses a strong adhesive to glue the tiles in place and paints them with unique game-themed patterns. One box follows the layout of a traditional dice, while the other features a fully functional chess board.

To build tiled storage boxes, start by finding some small ceramic craft tiles. Squarefeet Depot White Matte Finish Ceramic Mosaic Tiles are a solid choice for this project (and might also come in handy for making one of the best upgrades for your bathroom). Next up, purchase a quick-drying adhesive, such as BEACON 3-in-1 Advanced Craft Glue, to hold your tiles in place. Then, you'll need some grout, a grout float, and sealant. Spray sealant is a good choice for this decor piece since it's affordable and easy to apply. Finally, don't forget to pick up your preferred colors of spray paint.

Dry-fit your tiles over your cabinet boxes to find out how many you're going to need for each side. Then, use scissors to cut through the netting on the back of the tiles to bring them down to the correct dimensions. Next, lay your tiles out on a drop cloth and apply two layers of spray paint. For the smaller, patterned parts of your design, you can measure and cut a cardboard stencil to make the painting process easier. Alternatively, you can hand-paint small details, as the YouTuber does in the video. After painting, apply your spray sealant. Then, clean your boxes thoroughly with a damp cloth, let them dry, and glue down your painted tiles with your quick-dry adhesive. As a final step, grout the tiles. 

The chess board and dice creations seen in the video are neat and thematic, but you don't necessarily have to follow these exact designs to make eye-catching storage boxes for your games. Make sure to select paint and tile colors that match your existing interiors so your new decor pieces won't clash with your other fixtures and furnishings. A backgammon board could be a great alternative to the alternating tiles of a chess board and would be equally functional when it comes to actually sitting down and playing. Puzzle piece icons, dominos, or small game piece symbols could also look great, depending on the size of the tiles and the length and width of the box.

If you don't feel like tiling your storage boxes but still want to give them an elegant exterior, you might want to consider using alternative materials such as fabric or peel-and-stick wallpaper. These are ideal for particle board surfaces, which don't support tiles very well. Make sure the surface of your box is completely clean and dry before applying either material. If you need to store larger games and can't fit them into your box, then you'll want to check out this TikTok trick for tidy board game storage.