How to Hide Those Plugs and Switches

diamondblue says:

Great topic Jason! All in the details. My favorite way to hide plugs - Trufig is pretty deluxe.
http://www.trufig.com/gallery.php

Brian Harris says:

some good and bad way's to hide your computer cables.

http://frogmob.frogdesign.com/mob/power

Ginny Truyens says:

What a fantastic idea for an Idea Book Jason! Well done, thank you for sharing this!

Sally Hammond says:

This is such a pet peeve for me! When the switch plates are not "disguised", they become a focal point in the room. I always instruct my painters to paint the covers the same as the walls. They disappear, which is what you want them to do! A little primer and a coat of paint makes them durable and cleanable (as long as you're not using flat paint, which is another peeve of mine!) Glad to see this topic discussed!

ds design studio says:

Great topic, thanks Jason! Lutron has come out with a nice designer collection of wall plates. I recently used Desert Stone on a stone and glass mosaic kitchen backsplash and it looks great. http://www.lutron.com/Products/StandAloneControls/Wallplates-Accessories/Pages/Designer.aspx

I am really intrigued by Trufig that diamondblue shared above. Looks like the ideal solution!

jacqueliness says:

Kudos, Jason...this comes up for me all the time, particularly because I must supply lighting plans to electricians. I especially think the undercabinet light strip receptacles are a great idea. Perhaps you can work on computer/av spaghetti? Thanks!

global_librarian says:

When we had our house built, we had them place some bathroom outlets inside the cupboards. That way we can recharge things like toothbrushes & shavers without any of it setting out on the counter.

geo55 says:

My electrician tells me you should never paint over the outlets. (The plates are okay, just not the actual outlets.) I've always painted them in the past when I could and when not, I'd put something in front to cover them...Not where I want the eye to go!

Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR says:

My latest trick was the trap door. In my client's custom designed buffet cabinet, we put trap doors in the top at the back that fit in with the lines of the cabinet. You can't even tell there's a door there.

Lots of great ideas here. You must have nearly gone blind looking for these outlets! Totally love the undercab strip.

Here is the link to the beautiful and minimal light switches I mentioned to you when we talked. I think they fall under the "feature it" idea.
http://www.basalte.be/

Tricia Rose says:

Brilliant ideas - are outlets where the term 'plug-ugly' came from?
I have outlet strips in black above my FireSlate counters and upstands both sides of my kitchen and because they don't interrupt the walls they are unobtrusive. In the bathroom outlets are inside the cabinets - even better than not seeing the outlets is not having trailing wires.

mary1 says:

When we built our last home, I knew the furniture placement and then had our builder install outlets in the floor to avoid any cords dragging to wall outlets. We can also hid the outlets under our furniture.

Bill Fry Construction - Wm. H. Fry Const. Co. says:

Great examples of upper undercabinet outlet strips - here's one of a lower undercabinet outlet strip (I love this black walnut island too):

http://www.houzz.com/photos/52503/Black-Walnut-Island-with-concealed-power-strip-contemporary-kitchen-san-francisco


:) Rhoda
http://www.billfryconstruction.com/

Jenny says:

During our latest building project I was told that you cannot put outlets on the sides of an island. To do so causes a dangling cord hazard.

Jason Ball Interiors, LLC says:

@jennyspears1 - this may be a local code issue. In Portland, we are required to have a plug somewhere on an island and the sides are the most common area. Inspectors here don't want you draping a cord from an island to the perimeter counter area.

Hole in the Wall Manufacturing LLC says:

I like some of your Ideas but there is a new product on the market you should check out.
It is called The Hideout, and can be installed in most areas and covered to match anything from paint to granite walls. Attached is a photo of an outlet mounted in black granite. For more information go to http://holeinthewallmfg.com

Jewel Box Homes - Robert Latham, GMB says:

All clever tricks, however (someone correct if I'm wrong) anything that hides an outlet from view negates its contribution to meeting code requirements. So as a specific example, hiding the required outlet for an island behind a flip down door means that outlet doesn't meet the requirement. Some inspectors will catch this, some won't.

Now if you were to "forget" to put the door on, and the homeowner put it back on after completion, well, . . . . . .

Jason Ball Interiors, LLC says:

@blatham489 - I believe the requirement (at least in my region) is that as long as it's accessible, then it meets code requirement. I've specified an outlet inside of a pullout in a bathroom vanity and that met code. It might be different in various cities/states.

mrsben says:

Excellent ideas. Two Manufacturers that come to mind that are leaders in the field of electrical outlets are Bocci or Trufig. Their concepts are basically flush mounted which are almost invisible.

PaintColorHelp.com Dallas says:

Plaztex makes a series of textured, pre-primed light switch and outlet covers, which can be painted to match the wall. Three textures plus smooth, I believe. They are sold at Sherwin Williams and maybe a few other stores.

Jeannie Merritt says:

Bathroom idea: locate the plugs in the vanity drawers. Then you put the hair dryer and other electrics in thendrawer and it is ALL hidden.

staceyann0527 says:

Here is another option that I have seen and used before (not from this specific person but same concept) http://www.switchplatelady.com/

dancingfish says:

We were installing plugs in our new bathroom this weekend.. It was alot harder than I thought it would be... 1) you don't want it to be an eyesore 2) you want it to be accessable 3) you want it to be at the right height 4) you don't want it to be "floating".

I ended up going with a 9inch off the counter and 9 inch from the wall set up (center of plug).... I guess time will tell if I made the right move!

lisalnorris says:

Thank you for addressing this issue. I wish I would have seen it before we built our house, especially the strips mounted under the upper cabinets. Another solution is to place them inside the drawers. We have a wall of windows surrounding our kitchen sink area and did not want to have the code-required outlets every two feet cluttering up the window area. Our solution was to place them inside the top drawers. They are there if you really need them, otherwise, totally out of sight.

Jason Ball Interiors, LLC says:

@lisalnorris - thank you for that tip. I haven't seen that before and it's brilliant!

joani duval says:

The attention to details matters and this was such a good idea file. Thanks

Amy Southard says:

Similar to one above. I had a tile back splash and the outlet just stood out so, I called in an artist to faux finish the outlet to make it disappear.

Scott Haig, CKD says:

Really enjoyed sharing the ideas, thank you. And Lisa Norris, that is a great idea (above)!

I will often put outlets inside the vanity sink base (code approved) near a shelf, so that users may keep blow dryers, curling irons out of sight, but easily accessible. Also, at double vanities, I gang the outlets together to keep things simple.

Angela Todd Designs says:

Great topic Jason. This is frequently an afterthought, and it SHOULDN'T be.

thehifigi says:

Hi Jason!
I have used Trufig and find it a good but somewhat costly solution. What really gets me is the multiple light switches in a row, yuk. there are many keypad options available that condense the multiple switches into one location. Lutron, Crestron, Radio RA are examples. Curt Nelson-Lewis AV

ejsam2000 says:

hiding plugs and switches is all well and good, but lets talk about hiding the plethora of cords that are attached to a desk top PC, lamps, telephones, etc. That's magic if it can happen.

avrel says:

Love this idea so much! Thanks for sharing!

barrychameleon says:

So the other really cool thing about TRUFIG is that the power outlets meet UL certification with the fascia painted. This is not always the case with regular outlets. Then there's the other really simple excellent thing ... a "blank" fascia without the socket holes for all those power outlets that you don't use. The ultimate in camouflage! If you want to use it, you simply remove the magnetically held fascia and clip it back on when you're done (keeping in mind that the TRUFIG outlets still meet code with the fascia off). Check it out!

barrychameleon says:

Here's what I'm talking about

smittycdm says:

Great Ideabook & fabulous ideas from everyone. Don't know when it was posted, but my whole house remodel is finally finished. Using books & magazines, I incorporated many of the above ideas on my own. We live in CA & have all the restrictions in the US (I think CA & VT have the most.) Scooteroo, we installed the hairdryer in a drawer by drilling via the inner side panel, it's the greatest. This is really the point I wanted to make: why is it so hard to get the contractors, electricians and other trades people to "think outside the box" (sorry to use a trite expression); even when you point out its obvious benefits and they agree? Example, placing the kitchen electrical outlets horizontally, when they've always installed them vertically? Whew, glad those arguements are over!

joannehale says:

See undercounter power strip at:
http://www.tasklighting.com/products/angle-power-strip/