As much as we try to keep our homes pretty, the necessities of modern living sometimes require unattractive accoutrements. We’re talking, of course, about all the technological gizmos, doohickeys, and contraptions that make our lives more comfortable at the expense of aesthetics. The world is growing more wireless, for example, and yet we still have a plenitude of wires to contend with, not to mention bulky and ungraceful devices. Manufacturers try to accommodate us with sleeker designs and fewer appurtenances, but they often fall short. To help hide these potential eyesores, here are four ways to cover up ugly things in your home.
Router Hideout
Few of us can live without the internet and the Wi-Fi that makes surfing the web from anywhere in the house so easy. Still, even the best-looking routers can look a little too chilly and robotic in the confines of a country-style home. Put your woodworking skills to use by creating a charming cedar box with any necessary openings to let wiring run in and out unseen. If you’re feeling extra crafty, front it with the carefully separated spines of several discarded hardback books. You’ll hide the router while gaining a lovely surface for plants, office supplies, and the like.
Ensconce the AC
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units do so much to keep us cool in summer and warm in winter. If you have a ducted or radiator system, all the better. The unit is often safely hidden away in the basement or attic, doing its job without irritating your senses.
But what about mini splits and similar devices that provide pleasant warmth and coolness but do it while sticking out of the wall in an intrusive way? Luckily, there are several ways to hide mini splits in your home. You can paint many of these devices to match the walls and ceiling, or you can decorate them with appliqués and the like. With a little work, you can even set them back into the wall and cover them with a more pleasing wooden screen.
The Art of Distraction
We need our electrical outlets and switches, but that doesn’t mean we love to look at them. The easiest way to beautify them is by removing the standard plastic and metal covers most contractors and builders install and replacing them with wood or metal ones that better match your decor.
If you’re dead set on making an outlet or switch cover “vanish,” create a lovelier distraction higher up. Many designers recommend creating a gallery wall of paintings, photos, or other elements that draw the eye up and away from the outlets and switches on the same wall.
Feeling Wired?
The last of our four ways to cover up ugly things in your home deals with unsightly wires. If you have multiple wires emerging from your computer, television set, or any number of other appliances, lift them up, up, and away. You can accomplish this by installing power strips beneath your table, counter, or desk and adding hangers that let you raise and roll up the cords out of sight. If this isn’t possible, invest in a basket for the floor. You can roll up cords and store them inside!
