I reckon a lot of us have probably got a set of old cork-backed placemats - or coasters - knocking about at home that no longer as style-ish as they once were or perhaps don't really 'go' any more?
Why not thinking about upcycling your old placemats instead of binning them and give them a full on facelift with a cool, current geometric design!
It's a really neat make that won't cost too much to do and will give you something completely unique instead of buying new. What you create is totally up to you so you can choose your colours and your design and make something totally unique.
I first started upcycling placemats when I came across bundles of placemats and coasters for just £1 for a whole set in a charity shop - everything from pictures of cathedrals, chintzy flowers and 90s abstract designs - great raw materials but seriously crying out for an update! 
If you haven't got a set at home in need of a makeover it's worth having a look through your local charity shops too. Compared to the price of buying new cork-backed place mats they're an absolute steal and if you read on I'll also be explaining how to freshen them up so they are like new as well as create new designs on them.
It took a bit of trial and error to work out the best way to it to make sure the paint held up and was durable and could withstand the heat and moisture of being used.
Once I started using Fusion Mineral Paint products in conjunction with the right prep it all got a lot easier! Of course you can absolutely experiment with other paints and top coats using my methods but I'd suggest try it out on one mat, do a scratch test and remove the tape and see how you get on before spending a long time on a full set to be sure!
Fusion is particularly known for being a very grippy paint and very durable. Because it has an in-built top coat I don't need to worry about the colours bleeding into each other when I top coat over later too - though you might get around that with a spray lacquer if you're using regular wall emulsion for your designs. I'm all for using up what you have if you can so have a play! 
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