Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: light switches, outlets, and vents. They are generally not pretty to look at. They stick out like a sore thumb taking away from the beauty of the rest of the space. In some cases, they're cleverly hidden during construction or a renovation. They are moved to the floor, hidden in a drawer, or tucked under the kitchen cabinets. When that’s not doable, furniture or art placement can keep them out of sight. But sometimes none of those things are an option and the offensive light switch or outlet is right there taunting you saying, “Look how ugly I am! You can’t do anything about it!” But hold up because that’s just not true. Let’s take a look at some options...
One way to make peace with your covers or vents is to make them blend completely into the background by covering them with the same wallpaper or paint color used on the surrounding wall.
design and photo by Segreto Finishes
This is a great before and after. The vent cover on the left was HAND PAINTED to match the rest of the wall. How incredible is that? It went from eyesore to barely noticeable. Some serious time and skill went into this transformation. Disguising the vent cover with paint requires much less skill and time if you're matching a painted wall with no design. It's the easiest and most cost-effective way to make them blend in.
design and photo by Leo Designs
This example leaves me pretty much speechless. The switch plate blends seamlessly into that amazing textured wallpaper. And the brass push buttons definitely elevate the look. If you're experienced with wallpaper, this would be an easy and affordable option. If you prefer to leave the wallpaper installation to the professionals (like me) obviously the cost to achieve this look increases.
Another way to stop hating on your covers or vents is to make them special enough that they warrant attention. They scream "look at me!" and it's a good thing!
design and photo by J.P. Horton
See what I'm talking about?! If I had a switch plate as gorgeous as that lucite and brass one above, you better believe I'd be showing it off. To EVERYONE. "Excuse me, pizza delivery person have I shown you my switch plate?" "Hi there, FedEx person! Would you like to see my beautiful switch plate?"
design and photo by Victorian Dream Home
There are plenty of beautiful options at places like Anthropologie, CB2, and Rejuvenation, to name a few, but let's not forget about vintage. A quick search on Etsy showed pages and pages of vintage covers and vents in different styles. And if your home is older, it's a great way to honor the style and history. In the photo above, the homeowners found a vintage wall register to use in their Victorian style home. Much better than a basic white cover don't you think?
design and photo by The Francis House
Just look at how sad the "before" outlet cover looks in the middle of that beautiful marble backsplash. Once replaced with a pretty brass cover, it becomes intentional and stylish. It deserves to be in the mix with that stunning marble.
Which option do you like best? Disguising cover plates and vents with paint or wallpaper or making them worthy of showing off?
Interested in working together to design your space? Let's get started! Book a discovery call with me below.