You might have the most architecturally stunning property in the town. But functional utilities have an annoying habit of lowering the tone. You want your property to look beautiful and stylish through and through. But you just can’t get the look you want because of some awful drain pipe or fan.
The trick here is to get creative. No—you can’t get rid of these utilities completely—that would wreck your quality of life. But you can dress them up to look a little prettier.
Here are some ideas.
1. Create A Trash Can Enclosure
Trash and recycling cans are a functional monstrosity of the contemporary world. These off-color plastic tubs add nothing aesthetically to your property.
But that doesn’t matter. As an avid art lover, you still have options.
One idea is to create a kind of outdoor booth you can use as a shroud. You can either paint this in a pastel color to complement the rest of your exterior. Or you can use it as an opportunity to display an attractive mural. In either case, you’ll be glad you have form and function.
2. Transform Your Filing
There’s nothing worse than going into your office or study and seeing a bunch of ugly filing cabinets lining the wall (especially if they have labels say things like, "2008 accounts"). But again, this hideousness is actually an excuse for radical beautification.
Your best bet here is to rethink your cabinetry. Instead of putting items on a shelf, try hiding them away in a sideboard or chest of drawers. Something antique or repurposed should suffice.
3. Hide Your AC Outlets
Standard AC outlets aren’t always stunningly attractive. But, again, you don’t have to look at them if you don’t want to. You can always box them in with attractive paneling or artistic designs.
If you’re feeling brave, you can also use functional elements, such as ducts and grills as artistic centerpieces in their own right. Surrounding a grate with a frame or mural can help it look and feel more attractive. Brands offering 24 hour AC repair won’t have seen anything like it before, but that doesn’t matter, so long as it doesn’t interfere with the operation of the unit.
4. Sort Out Your Recycling
Recycling is a quintessentially modern chore. But it can also be an ugly one if you don’t get it right. Again, the issue here is big, green plastic tubs and boxes all over your kitchen and garage—not what you want.
The good news is that you can easily upgrade your recycling’s appearance using old-fashioned labeled straw sacks. Not only are these eco-friendly, but they also look great too, especially in neutral rooms.
5. Cover Anything Unsightly With A Painting
Lastly, if you have anything unsightly in your home you don’t want to look at, cover it with a painting. If that isn’t safe, obscure it with a plant or ornament. Ideally, you want all ugliness to vanish and to draw the eye towards more beautiful elements.
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7th & Palm was created to support giving away more time and resources to help others. Giving back 1% of our time, 1% of our profits, and 1% of our products at a bare minimum to the local and global community, 7th & Palm remains committed to a 1/1/1 giving pledge. YOU can be a part of that by shopping small and voting with your dollar! All artwork, stationery and greeting cards, prints, and home goods are created by artist Andrea Smith. |