Architectural Eyesores and How to Hide Them

Interior decorating is not just about adding beauty to a space. In some cases, your job as an interior decorator can also be about keeping the architectural eyesores away from view. There are areas in the home that are unavoidably not-so-pleasant to the eyes, and that can detract from the overall look and feel of the home. Your goal is to take the attention away from the eyesore or convert them into something that makes the space look better.

Here are some tips to deal with eyesores in the home:

• Hide exposed wires. You can use trim or hollow crown moldings to keep electrical cords that run along the wall out of plain sight. However, there are instances when wires can’t be kept hidden behind furniture because the socket is too far or to high. Instead of trying to hide them, make something good out of the situation. You can convert the wires into wall art. Adding whimsical touches to the wires (that make them a climbing vine or a tiger’s tail) can result in a lovely look for the wall. For wiring that runs, along the floor, you can use wood strips that mimic picket fences and use double sided tape to attach these to the bottoms of the wall. These keep the wires hidden in a decorative faux fence. Make sure you have enough space for the wires.
• Keep the clutter out of sight. The most common type of eyesore in the home is clutter. And day-to-day life will usually result in some level of clutter, especially if you have kids around. Make the messes more manageable by adding to the available storage space in the house. This way, the clutter has spaces where they can be kept neatly and in an organized manner. For instance, rather than having your pet’s food and water bowls underfoot, customize a bottom drawer in the kitchen just for them. You can bore holes in a piece of plywood and then place the bowls into the designated holes. When your pets have finished eating, you can simply push the drawer in and the clutter instantly becomes out of sight. The same goes for storage ottomans and drawers placed underneath the stair steps.
• Hide electrical switches, thermostats, fuse boxes and pool controls with framed art. Hang an antique picture frame to hide unsightly switches and alarms. Rather than hanging the frame from the top, you can hang the frame using hinges at one side. You can also fill the wall with a gallery wall of framed pieces.
• Conceal electronic accessories in a drawer. A drawer is also a handy way to keep electronics away from view. This can include the modem, as well as other devices that are being charged. You can simply mount an extension cord and attach this to the back base of the inside of the drawer. Make sure to leave space for the wires so that they don’t get frayed during the opening and closing of the drawers.
• Convert your TV into a painting. Keep the classic and old-world look and feel of your room by putting an empty antique wood frame around your LCD or LED TV. This creates the impression that your modern TV is a classic painting.
• Keep your air vents creatively covered. Air vents don’t have to be exposed as is. Take an oversized empty wood frame and mount a decorative metal radiator screen on it. Fit this frame right on top of the air vents.