Every cottage, condo, townhome, farmhouse & estate home has them, and we need them for our homes to work well and keep us comfortable. But that doesn’t mean we want to see them, yet there they are, visible and not very attractive. Not all heating vents, pipes and air ducts get enclosed, in many homes, they can even be an eyesore, but what can you do? Check out these ideas to help make the inner-workings of your Muskoka property disappear, or at least blend in better with your sense of style and furnishings.
Standing radiators and speakers. If you have an older home with a standing radiator or still enjoy your original surround sound speakers, but don’t want to see them, consider getting a folding screen to discreetly and artfully hide them. With a standing screen, you’re also not completely covering these items up so their functionality isn’t compromised. The range of styles you can find in folding screens also gives you an easy way to make an artful statement. Another option is to encase them in an artfully designed cover so instead of an eyesore, they become a conversation piece.
Open shelving spaces. Open shelves are a growing trend, and this brings with it some great design benefits, especially if you want to show off your dishes. But not all things on shelves need to be seen. If you have a closet where the doors are long-gone, or some built-in shelves that are more utilitarian than display, hang a curtain or tapestry to hide the contents. You match the curtain to the wall colour so the area blends in or take advantage of the spot to add in a colourful fabric print.
Tech gadgets and wires. These can often become the biggest eyesore, and if you have a lot, they can overwhelm a space. For gadgets such as routers or hard drives, use shelving contact paper to wrap them in something more appealing to your taste. Wherever you need to keep them, a shelf or a desk, they will blend in as a piece of décor. For wires & cords, you can build a closed shelf to cover them, or for where you need more flexibility, you can get a cord cover. There are material and colour choices galore. Match them to your wood or carpeting, use fabric to blend in with curtains or furniture, or paint them to match a wall.
Thermostats and light switches. Sure, you can paint switch panels and outlets, so they blend in, but thermostats, security alarm pads and other wall gadgets are a bit harder to incorporate. A bit of creativity can literally make these pieces disappear, yet still, be easily accessible. The key is to hang something that doesn’t lay flat on the wall. Add a stylish curtain rod to hang a quilt or tapestry. Or you can place a tall house plant in front of the control. A 3-dimensional wall sculpture may have the perfect section to rest in front of the area you want to hide. Find more artful ideas to hide home essentials you don’t want to always see with this article at Realtor.com.
When it’s time to buy or sell your Muskoka home, cottage or condo, The Rick Wearing and Sandra Parrott Team is here to work in partnership with you. Choose a team whose local and realty experience is something you can rely on. Choose a team you can trust and let us put our expertise to work for you. Please call us at 705-788-3535 or email at info@WearingParrottTeam.com today!
This information is taken from sources deemed to be reliable. The Wearing Parrott Team does not guarantee accuracy; we recommend information be validated independently.