Honestly, I’ve wondered if all this hiding is worth it too. Once had a “perfect” wall that turned into a nightmare when I tried to add a new switch—took out half the drywall just to find the old wires. Ever tried those decorative cable covers? Not invisible, but way less stressful down the road. Sometimes I think future me will thank current me for not making things too complicated...
I totally get the urge to keep everything hidden, but after wrestling with plaster walls from the 1920s, I’ve learned to pick my battles. Here’s what’s worked for me:
1. Map out where you might want future switches or outlets—seriously, just sketch it on paper.
2. Use surface-mount raceways or those paintable cable covers for anything new. They’re not invisible, but they blend in way better than I expected.
3. Label everything. I use a label maker, but masking tape works too. It’s saved me hours when I forget what’s what.
Honestly, sometimes the “perfect” look just isn’t worth the headache later. My house has enough quirks without me adding more...
I hear you on the “perfect” look—sometimes it’s just not worth tearing up old plaster. I tried to fish a wire through my 1935 walls once and ended up with a patch job that’s still visible under certain light. Surface raceways are underrated, honestly. I painted mine to match the trim and now I barely notice them. Plus, if you ever need to swap out tech (which seems to happen every couple years), it’s way less hassle.
Yeah, I’ve run into the same thing—old walls just don’t play nice with new wiring. Surface raceways aren’t glamorous, but they’re practical. I’ve even used them for speaker wire and ethernet. Honestly, after a coat of paint, nobody notices unless you point it out. Swapping cables later is way less stressful than patching plaster, that’s for sure.
