If the controls have a temperature sensor, covering the controls will have an impact on the sensitivity of the sensor. It's not just older homes that have poorly placed controls and switches. I think builders should be punished for placing things like that right in the middle of a wall. Any chance you can rearrange the furniture to put the sofa elsewhere so that's not a feature wall?

The thermostat is not difficult or complicated to move. I’ve had almost every thermostat relocated in every house we’ve lived.

I agree with kswl and it should be relatively easy to move.

But if you can't move it, don't cover it but paint it the same color as the wall and ignore it, hanging whatever art you want around it and pretend it's not there.

Or wall paper that wall and the thermostat will be disguised in the print of the paper.

A wall shelf and incorpoate it into the decor

If they can't move it, see if they can just install a new one someplace, disable this one and then you can hang art over it if you want.

Since this is a play room with lots of kid colored bright stuff, maybe just aim for "interesting" for now. I left your pictures up but I would start by adding something round to the right. Paint, paint all the wall controls and vent the paint color. Once little Rambo grows up a bit, you can get more serious. This is just an idea, there are zillions of diy geometric wall ideas online.

Mdln, how awesome are you?? I love that grouping!!

Don’t ask me why apparently it would take Einstein to move this control panel. It’s just for the air exchanger so I think it just has a humidity sensor in it. There’s also a blank cover plate also in the middle of this wall. The previous owners of this house were really fond of putting things smack dab in the middle of walls and it’s super annoying. At some point I’ll probably do a rewire in this room (potlights) so at that point I’ll at least have both the sparky and the drywall saw in the same area and I may be able to better relocate things. But that’s after several other years’ worth of projects.

Little Rambo is very apt - my major rule for this wall is no glass!

Was thinking would be great to have him featured in the art, maybe canvas prints?

What about a colorful, fun, and busy wall mural that would serve to camouflage the offending protrusions?

There are many styles of removable wallpaper murals to choose from.

Some botanical designs:

I pulled some stuff out of the closet and did up a gallery wall for now….but I think if the right large canvas jumped out at me I’d leap on it.

Also taking your suggestions for the Perfect Warm Neutral (or warm color) that can hold its own in very cold daylight. Right now I’m considering Beacon Hill Damask which is a light olive but probably a bit much. PS I do paint samples of everything.

I have Beacon Hill Damask in my east-facing kitchen. There is a tinge of green to it but I wouldn't have thought to describe it as "light olive". That said, it can read "acid-y" in certain light, if that makes sense. Imo, it's not as liveable as your current colour. (I tried taking a picture of my kitchen walls to share but my cell phone does not render the colour accurately at all.) My paint colour suggestion is BM's Silver Satin, a versatile greige that reads light grey in eastern light and beige in western light. Never overly cool or warm, imo.

You've gotten great ideas to camouflage the HRV control. I can certainly relate to the decor headache of such protrusions; I have three in my small entry! Fwiw, I like the look of your gallery wall. Btw, we had the same Ikea table and chair. Loved that indestructible table (artist markings were a breeze to wipe off)! Our set has already been passed down to two families. :)

Love how you arranged the art!

I have a living room wall with stupid controls on it I can’t change. I just try to pretend they aren’t there, and enjoy my Joe Grandee print. :)

That is a heat recovery ventilator control, not a thermostat. You might try contacting an HVAC company about moving it.

What is behind that wall?

Oh. I didn’t know what a HRV control was until Graywings spelled it out. So this probably won’t work. Nevertheless, I’m going to post it.

I was going to suggest a Nest thermostat which is just an unobtrusive circle which is a little over 3” (83mm) in diameter. The front is mirrored. Mine tells me the temp when I walk past, or it could be set to do nothing until I touch it. In the picture below it is showing the usual information. I cannot find a picture of what it looks like when it is just a small mirror.

It comes in white, charcoal, sand, fog (pale blue).

You can purchase a separate sensor. From the website:

Your sensor will tell your Nest thermostat the temperature in the room where it’s placed. Your thermostat will use that reading, rather than its own built-in sensors, to control when the system turns on or off. You can schedule it to use different sensors at different times of the day.

Sounds to me like you could cover the Nest thermostat with a picture and use the separate sensor, which is unwired and battery operatered. The sensors are 2” in diameter. They can be hung on a wall or set on a bookshelf. I think they only come in white

The wall looks great robo! I think the setup works very well!

Sometimes the best you can do is just make sure that the covers and switches for your controls are the same color as the wall.

I know this is hard to believe but I actually had my whole HRV unit replaced by a contractor in the fall and left very explicit instructions with my husband that the control, which was being replaced anyway, Was To Be Moved. Came home from work - same freaking place. story was it was too difficult to move. perhaps my husband balked at the cost. i hate delgating!

When we had our AC system replaced, we had them relocate the thermostat for the upstairs unit because the location above the entry was preventing the AC and heat from working properly. They moved it down a wall, across a doorway and to the other side of the wall. Left a few small holes in the wall to be dealt with, but it wasn't that difficult. It was on the second story and they were working right above that wall. The crew also relocated the AC and furnace units to a safer place in the attic and came prepared for running wires and gas pipe as needed. Maybe your crew didn't have the materials or tools to run new wire and fish it through? Maybe they didn't know how?

I think it was of low importance to all guys involved. High importance to yours truly!

Your gallery wall looks nice.

I have the same issue with one of my "gallery walls." Just have to try and pretend it doesn't exist. But it majorly impacted my gallery arrangement, and not for the better. Oh well, first world problem. Also, bear in mind it may stand out more to you if you focus on it, than it will on a daily basis and to other folks looking at the wall. One idea though, a print wallpaper would maybe disguise the technical parts, but then using it for a gallery might be more challenging.

The updates to the wall look great! But most importantly, accessorizing with the cute dog makes all the difference. Who cares about any other decor when you look into that adorable face?

Great job on the gallery wall! Did Penny help a lot; she looks tired.

Poor penny got quite a bite at the off leash park last week and she is still not herself!! Totally the other dog being aggressive - grrrrrr. her first bite in six years of daycare and off leash parks.

i really like this new ”cherry” painting I got which it turns out is totally crabapple.

Oh no, that is a shame. I'd be livid! Give Penny A hug from us.

Be sure she's not getting an abscess from the bite...that could lead to nasty infection and may require surgery and antibiotics to fix.

Give Penny a hug for me as well! I hope she is feeling herself very soon.

My Noble got bit several times. It happened over several years. Luckily the dogs were not super biters and he never had any more than a bite mark so no stitches but he still hates other dogs. Also he is fine going to the vet's still and I was worried about that. They do have high quality treats there though.

Now he just barks viciously and won't go near them. He never bit any dog back. He's a big dog but doesn't seem to defend himself.

Poor Penny. :(

Hope she feels better soon!

Annie - we took her to the vet right after and they flushed the wound and gave antibx but I’m not totally happy with how it’s healing. They said give it another couple of days and bring her in if it still looks angry. Although actually, this morning is an improvement.

That’s a great idea, Robo— something large, soft, and colorful!

here's an article about hiding a thermostat with a painting. it's hinged so you can quickly access it. https://www.bobvila.com/articles/hiding-a-thermostat/

something worth looking into: consider getting a smart thermostat with wireless temperature sensors and then just cover up the main unit. you can operate the thermostat with your phones.

if covering the thermostat skews its ability to read the temp in the room, place a sensor in there and program that to be the "target" that the app is using to maintain the temp. (not sure if I'm making sense, LOL.)

the sensors can go literally anywhere. we have three in our house, and it's really helpful. I like knowing what the different temps of different rooms are.

or there are wireless thermostats, and you could put the main controller unit anywhere you want. ask the person who services your HVAC, they can help you figure out if your system is compatible with something like that, and can also install it for you.

I never would have seen the thermostat had you not pointed it out. If anything, just paint it the same color as the wall and call it a day, You did a great job, btw!