Anyone who has visited our store in Cornwall knows just how much we love unique pieces— especially when it comes to antiques and one-of-a-kind, up-cycling projects! One of our very favourite items to work with falls into both of these categories: antique tin ceiling tiles!
In the 1800s, most popularly in the 1850s, beautifully patterned tin tiles were often used to adorn the ceilings of old farm houses. These tin tiles served not only as
a decorative element in these homes, adding interesting texture and charm, but also performed the practical function of reflecting heat downwards to more efficiently heat the main levels of these houses. Over the years, as the houses have been renovated or torn down, the tin ceilings have rarely been preserved as part of the house. Tiles are often missing or damaged and the cost to replace or restore them is just too high, especially since a tin ceiling in a new, or newly renovated house would generally be far more decorative than practical.
Luckily, the tin is often salvaged in good enough condition for antique-lovers like us to use it for some of our favourite up-cycling projects! It’s amazing how many different ways we can use these tin tiles to preserve the history of the old homes they came out of, while adding some antique character, charm and visual interest to new houses!
Here are some of our favourite ways to revitalize and showcase antique tin:
- Frame it! A single tile in a simple frame can be a work of art all on its own. Depending on the individual tile, we sometimes choose to simply clean and seal the tin to showcase the metal and rust, and other times we paint the tin to add a pop of colour and highlight its pattern.
2. Incorporate it into panelled doors! Tin is a great fit for the doors of small cupboards and medicine cabinets— it hides the mess inside the cupboards (which is definitely an important feature in my house!) and adds elements of texture and visual interest that you don’t get with a solid wood panel or mirror.
3. Frame it up and make a clock! Some tiles feature more simple patterns than others. These pieces can be great for making clocks because the simple pattern doesn’t interfere with the mechanism or clock hands, and allows us to paint the numbers on clearly!
4. Make a tin crown shelf! The flat tin tiles were often accompanied by beautiful crown moulding; both of these styles are great for making up-cycled tin shelves. We love to showcase heavily patterned tin in pine shelves; the simple design and clean lines of these shelves really features the tin nicely, and makes it the focal point of the piece!
5. Use it as a canvas! Antique ceiling tin provides a unique surface to paint on and makes for really interesting artwork; this way not only is your artwork one-of-a-kind, but your canvas is too!
We absolutely LOVE antique tin for its decorative texture, its history, and its versatility. With materials this great, it’s hard not to be inspired! Keep an eye on our store and website for more projects featuring antique tin ceiling tiles.
OOoOoOO I love this!!
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