8 Creative Ways to Hide Ugly Details Inside and Outside Your Home
From vents to trash cans to tangled wires, there are some elements of your home that are not so pretty to look at every day. Luckily, there are easy ways to cover them up or hide them away. Below, find eight creative ways to conceal the eyesores inside and outside your home and make it look more streamlined and Pinterest-worthy.
Hide your trash cans inside an island
If you have a roomy kitchen island or cabinets, consider tucking your trash can inside. This will keep it (and the smell) hidden away but still easy to access while you’re cooking and cleaning. Outside, you can create a wooden shed to place your trash bins in or hide them behind tall plants.
Organize your pantry with airtight containers
Although a pantry is typically already behind a closed door, it sure is nice to not feel embarrassed by clutter when you have people over and you need to grab something. It’s actually easier than you’d think to create a picture-perfect pantry. All you need is a few baskets to organize things and airtight containers or mason jars to store your nuts, flours, oats, pastas, or snacks.
Camouflage light switches, outlets, and thermostats with a gallery wall
If you have a random light switch, outlet, or thermostat somewhere in your home that you don’t love to look at, create a gallery wall around it. This will distract the eye from the switch or outlet’s random placement and allow you and your guests to focus on the beautiful artwork or photographs instead.
Make vents part of your decor
Since a vent can’t be completely covered up, the trick is to embrace it instead. You can spray paint the vent a cool color to make it pop and look like decor. You can switch it out for a more artsy one with eye-catching designs. Or, if you’re feeling crafty, you can DIY a shelf or cabinet either below or above the vent to make it look more cohesive and make it functional too.
Swap out your soap dispensers
Let’s be honest: The packaging of most soaps isn’t exactly aesthetically pleasing. They tend to ruin the vibe of a space when they’re sitting on the counter. Ditch the soap packaging and instead buy reusable soap dispensers for your bathroom and kitchen. This is an easy and inexpensive way to elevate the look and feel of your space.
Use baskets and decorative boxes to conceal clutter
Baskets and decorative boxes are your best friends when it comes to hiding clutter. Sprinkle some throughout your home to store shoes, books, magazines, toys, wires, electronics, and any other knick knacks you have lying around. They’re practical, multi-purpose, and complement any decor. You can use this trick in your garage to keep things organized and even outside to house toys, tools, and gardening supplies.
Make a hinged frame to hide electrical panels
Electrical panels and breaker boxers are essentials in a home, but unfortunately, they’re not easy on the eyes. You can make yours essentially disappear by installing a hinged frame to cover it up. Choose one that seamlessly matches your decor and no one will ever suspect it’s there.
Disguise pipes in your garden with faux rocks
If you have pipes, utility meters, or other landscaping fixtures in your yard that you want to mask, head to your nearest home improvement store and pick up some faux rocks. They come in a range of different styles and sizes and will quickly make your outdoor space feel more like an oasis.
