When was the last time you looked through the photos of a beautiful home on a website or in a magazine layout? Did you miss anything? Probably not.  The non-stylish parts of a house have been digitally removed from the photos so that all a viewer sees is style.  Electrical outlets and cords, as well as HVAC vents, are necessities in a home, and while photo editing software cannot hide them, there are plenty of tricks to conceal them. 

 

  • Canvas art usually has an open back and can be placed over flat-screen televisions, thermostats, and window unit air conditioners (when not in use). 
     

  • Paint can cover many things we do not like, and if your kitchen appliances are lacking, there is paint for that!  It does not have to be a color; appliances can be painted for a stainless look as well. 
     

  • Create a gallery wall around the thermostat, and it will fade into the framed pieces. 
     

  • Return air vents are necessities but can be made to look much nicer: purchase a stylish cover that is made specifically for return vents, hang a stylish doormat over the vent, or switch the everyday slatted panel with decorative sheet metal. 
     

  • Hide the home <span class="SpellingError SCXW76850043 BCX0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; -webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-position: left bottom; background-image: url(" data:image="" gif;base64,r0lgodlhbqaeajecap="" 8aaaaaaaaaach5baeaaaialaaaaaafaaqaaaiilgaxcchrtcgaow="=&quot;);" border-bottom:="" 1px="" solid="" transparent;"="">WiFi router in an empty box with holes cut in the back for cords, an inexpensive basket, or get crafty and make a screen from old book spines! 
     

  • Cover popcorn or dated plaster ceilings with prefinished wood planks, faux beams, or tiles made of one of the many materials available at local home stores. 
     

  • Make that plain bathtub go undercover with self-stick tiles.  They come in all styles, shapes, and colors, and do not require any previous installation know-how. 
     

  • Wall-mount televisions have become the norm, and the cords hanging from the screen can be unsightly.  Home centers have cord cover installation kits in many styles and colors for those who feel confident enough to use some power tools. 
     

  • Paint radiators in the same color as the wall.  This may not hide them completely, but they will blend in, making them easier on the eye. 

 

Who needs a designer or magazine layout to make those household essentials fade into the background?  Updating the style of the mundane and functional parts of a home can be fun and easy, and while some of them may be little changes, they can make a big impact. 

 

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins. 

Photo credit: CTAM