Many a homeowner can attest that it’s the little things, nay – the things that go unseen that truly make the home what it is. Any home it seems, regardless of cost, style, or layout has those areas you’d proudly show off as well as those unsightly yet essential components you’d rather keep hidden; things like heat registers, garage door openers, gas furnaces, and flat screen televisions, to name just a few.
Of course, manufacturers of these utilitarian systems have begun to take note of a rising demand that these typically visually unappealing elements should do a better job of melding into a home’s existing décor. Having said that, if you’ve neither the time, inclination, or budget to scour the store looking for the right thermostat to set off your window treatments, you might be happy to know that there are easy ways for your to hide these household eyesores on a dime.
The Ubiquitous Flat Screen Television
Every home’s got one, some have one for each room. While they do represent the nucleus of our nightly entertainment, there’s arguably no household appliance that so effectively derails a room’s style. Mounting the television to the wall will help, but only if you take some steps to hide the large black box when it’s not in use. If you’re looking for a DIY project one lazy Saturday afternoon, consider framing the television with folding screens that’ll do more for your living room’s aesthetic than your television ever could!
Radiators
If your home uses radiators to disperse heat, there’s not much that you can do with them short of completely overhauling your home’s heating system. Even then, your options might be limited given the age and layout of your home – but that doesn’t mean you can’t make quick work of this eyesore. Radiator covers effectively mask these unsightly components and can even provide you with additional space to display some of your favourite décor items.
If you’d rather not build your own cover or you’re worried it might impeded the radiator’s ability to keep the room warm, you can always try embracing the vintage look of the radiator and bring it to life with a fresh coat of paint.
Poorly Placed Outlets
Naturally, each room needs plenty of easily accessible outlets. Every once in a while however you’ll come across an outlet that is no longer used or was placed in a very strange location by a previous homeowner (a location that must have fulfilled a mysterious but necessary purpose). Regardless, if you’ve got an unused outlet on your wall in full view of you and your guests, you can hide it by installing a hinged painting to cover it – all you need is a screwdriver, a hinge, and an appropriately sized piece of art. This also works with alarm control panels and light switches.
Exposed Plumbing
Though not a particularly common issue in the kitchen or bathroom, exposed plumbing in laundry rooms is a regular occurrence, especially under the wash sink. One nifty little trick to hide those pipes is to add a sewn skirt using a colorful or patterned material. This will still allow easy access to the sink’s nether regions, but will spare your guests from having to look at them.
Router Concealment
Concealing your router might seem like a tough ask, what with its plethora of cables and wires plugged into it, but it’s actually quite a simple and cheap thing to do. First, you can hollow out an old hardcover book (preferably not a first edition or a prized part of your literary collection) and effectively “sandwich the router” between the covers. You can also place your router in any number of fancier organization boxes, cutting a hole in the back for the cables to pass through (maybe people regularly place these lidded boxes on their end tables to store remote controls, keys, writing instruments and other bric-a-brac).
Use Crown Molding to Conceal Your Paper Towels
Crown molding is both tasteful and elegant. What isn’t is the roll of paper towel you’ve placed in your guest bathroom. A 14” piece of crown molding can effectively conceal that paper towel from view while also providing a little extra shelf space in an otherwise small washroom – ideal for a candle or diffuser.
Wires Behind Your Workstation? Nothing a Black Drop Cloth Can’t Hide
A carefully measured black drop cloth can give the appearance that your simple desk has a solid backing – it also does a great job at hiding the cables and cords coming from your computer, monitor, printer, and other peripherals!