Painting cords is a solid move too—beats staring at plastic spaghetti everywhere.
Totally agree, but I’ll admit I’m a sucker for hiding tech in plain sight. I’ve wrapped cords in jute or even old fabric scraps—way less plastic-y, and it adds some texture. The stained wood plates are genius, though. Sometimes I wish smart switches came in “antique brass” or “distressed oak” instead of just white and black... not everyone wants their house to look like a spaceship.
- Tried the jute wrap thing once—looked cool but my cat thought it was a scratching post. Lesson learned.
- I’m with you on the switch colors. Why is “futuristic white” the default? Not every room needs to look like a tech showroom.
- Found some wood veneer outlet covers online, but they’re pricey. Anyone else just stain regular plastic plates? Wondering if that’s a total fail or worth a shot...
Found some wood veneer outlet covers online, but they’re pricey. Anyone else just stain regular plastic plates? Wondering if that’s a total fail or worth a shot...
I actually tried staining the cheap plastic ones last year when I was on a “let’s make everything look rustic” kick. Honestly, it sorta worked? The stain didn’t soak in like it would on wood, but with enough sanding and a couple coats of primer first, the color stuck around. Up close you can tell they're not real wood, but from a distance they blend in fine. Plus, for the price difference, I’ll take “good enough.”
Totally agree about the switch colors too. My living room has this cozy vibe, and then—bam—bright white switches everywhere like little sci-fi portals. Why is that the default?
And yeah, jute wrap + cats = chaos. Mine shredded mine in about two days... live and learn.
Up close you can tell they're not real wood, but from a distance they blend in fine.
Same here—did the plastic plate hack in my hallway and honestly, unless you’re staring right at them, nobody notices. I did try using a faux wood grain tool once, but it just made things look...weirdly stripey. Still, way cheaper than those veneer ones.
I did try using a faux wood grain tool once, but it just made things look...weirdly stripey.
Haha, I know what you mean—tried that on some trim in my dining room and it looked more like tiger stripes than wood. Still, unless you're right up on it, nobody seems to care. I'm curious, has anyone tried those "smart" light switches with the fake wood covers? My place is old enough that every little update feels like a weird blend of old and new tech... sometimes I can't tell if it's charming or just confusing.
