Banish Gizmo Blemishes on Your Walls
Unsightly switches, vents and outlets can ruin your interior design's clear complexion. Keep the look pure with an architect's tips
Bud Dietrich, AIA
December 13, 2012
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I am licensed to practice architecture in Illinois, Florida, New Jersey & Wisconsin. Since 1996 I have worked from my home office and provide full architectural services exclusively to the single family residential market. My passion is to transform my clients' houses into their homes. I strive to have the "new" home accommodate my clients' lives without fighting them at every junction. I look to add curb appeal to encourage a beautiful streetscape. And I design any addition to look and feel like it has always been there.
Our projects have won numerous design awards as well as having been featured on television (CBS News Sunday Morning, HGTV, CLTV, etc.), in magazines (Better Homes...
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa... More
From electrical outlets to air vents, speakers to thermostats, all of the little items that we rely on for modern living are here to stay. And as we continue to develop new gizmos, like iPads, and building codes call for new safety requirements, like smoke detectors, the sheer quantity of these little items will only increase.
So it really bugs me when I tour a recently completed home renovation or a new house, and the interior walls and ceilings seem to have developed a case of acne. Rather than all of the accoutrements of modern life being considered in the design, the outlets, switches, air vents, thermostats etc. are all haphazardly placed. A little thought and coordination can prevent this type of scenario.
Let's see how the walls of your next project can keep a clear complexion.
So it really bugs me when I tour a recently completed home renovation or a new house, and the interior walls and ceilings seem to have developed a case of acne. Rather than all of the accoutrements of modern life being considered in the design, the outlets, switches, air vents, thermostats etc. are all haphazardly placed. A little thought and coordination can prevent this type of scenario.
Let's see how the walls of your next project can keep a clear complexion.
Think about placement early. It's always nice when items such as air vents are placed in sympathy with and to complement the architecture. Placement of these items should be looked at before construction starts. Either you'll have to move the framing or be stuck with an unwanted location for the register if you wait until after the walls are up.
Build in a power strip. We need to have electrical outlets to plug in all of those small appliances and as mandated by building codes. Just because we do, though, they don't have to mar the beautiful backsplash we've just paid a lot for.
Consider installing a plug mold at the base of the wall cabinets or the other options shown here.
Consider installing a plug mold at the base of the wall cabinets or the other options shown here.
Make it intentional. Keeping the backsplash free of any electrical device really helps to show off the tile and overall aesthetic. But if you'd like a television or docking station for an iPad or other tablet device, you can certainly recess it into the design, making it part of the overall look. The trick is to make it an intentional decision rather than an afterthought.
Camouflage it. Chances are that hiding the electrical switches won't be all that easily done. In those cases, especially where the switch is in a tiled backsplash, some camouflage will hide it in plain sight. Just take care that the person doing the camouflaging gets the colors and patterns just right.
Group switches. Where there isn't the possibility of hiding a switch or bank of switches, make sure to group the switches in an orderly fashion. It's disconcerting to see switches randomly placed about a wall, often within close proximity to one another. And while you're at it, position the group in a spot that's carefully chosen and use a switch plate that coordinates with the overall design.
Make them stylish. Of course, not all of these objects have to be hidden. Many manufacturers are now producing quite stylish and fun devices, like the Nest thermostat, that can be displayed as a bit of decor. The trick is to place these devices in a spot where they can stand out and be noticed.
Recess them. Let's not forget the speakers that are part of our audio visual systems. Recessing these items will keep them less obtrusive and less pimple like.
Integrate them into the design. While it's not always possible to do a media wall like this, integrating the speakers into the overall room design really helps.
Work with the invisible structure. Lighting, especially recessed can lights, really must be coordinated with not only what's visible but with what's not. Getting each light centered into each coffer requires that no framing, air duct or other item above the ceiling get in the way. So coordinating these elements during the design and drawing phase will pay dividends during construction.
Complement the architecture. Some rooms, especially those with tall and sloping ceilings, aren't easily lit. So it's always a pleasure when the lighting is coordinated with and complements the architecture. Achieving the exact placement of fixtures is the result of a coordinated plan, in which structure and electrical elements are all thought about.
Be ready for anything. There's little chance that we'll see fewer gadgets and gizmos in our homes. While just a few years ago, the iPad wasn't an item a designer would have considered when planning an interior, now it's almost omnipresent. So things like wall-mounted charging stations in every room have to be considered. Let's face it, a beautifully designed interior considers everything that's part of the room.
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I got recessed boxes. Then I plugged very short power strips into the outlet, drilled a hole in the bottom of the cabinet and mounted the powerstrip under the cabinet. It works and you can't see it. Most stuff in the kitchen stays plugged in all the time so there's no need to make the outlet easy to find. Hide it.
If I did it over again, I'd probably add a switch so I could shut off the kitchen (except fridge) at night, to save drip energy to those appliances that are always on.
Here's a picture of the mirror backsplash. Can you find the hanging powerstrip on the left before I mounted it under the cabinet?
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/228135537347402967/
Great article. This question is for Albert Angulo. I'm in the process of replacing my thermostat and read your comment about sensors that can be painted over and all. I've been searching but I've not been able to find a thermostat that is wi-fi, works with iPhone, and has the remote sensor that I can paint over. Ideally I would put the thermostat part in the hall closet and the sensor where the current thermostat is and primarily use the iPhone to do what ever it is that I need to do. If you know of something that would be great. thank you.