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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Painting Outlet and Switch Covers

As we worked on the flooring project in the master bedroom and family room, I got that usual desire to fix things just right in both those rooms and I think it's paying off.

Do you have things around your house that bug you, but for the longest time you just don't do anything about it?  Things like this


(Note: This pic was taken after the base trim was removed, I couldn't have lived without the trim for 6 years.)  What bugged me was the paint on the outlet.  It was like that when we moved in and it stayed that way for SIX YEARS.  On an outlet that was in plain site on an open wall and I did NOTHING about it - until NOW!

We repainted the bedroom, but the family room walls were already just lovely so we left the Mayan Red. After painting the walls in the bedroom a greyish blue, the switch covers looked bad worse against the blue paint.  When I paint a room, I like to paint the cover plates to match the wall, so this was just temporary.

Before - bleh!


Lucky for me I married an electrician.  Because I got new switches to go with the new switch cover. 

AFTER!!

I love these textured paintable plate covers, they cost about $2-$3 each in my area.  It only take a few minutes to paint them and they give your fresh paint job a nice clean "finished" look.  The InvisiPlate brand that I bought comes in a few different textures to match your wall almost perfectly.

After they are dry and installed use a cotton swab to paint the screws.  Wearing painters gloves is a good idea when handling these. Notice I placed the plastic packaged under them to keep them from sticking to the paper.



I'll be perfectly honest, I only painted the outlet covers that show.  With all the furniture against the bedroom walls I think there were 5 or 6 outlets hidden behind furniture and the layout of the room does not lend itself to rearrangement.  The only option would be to put the bed in front of the windows and I doubt we will ever do that.


So just in case you are wondering how the red cover plates turned out.  They practically disappeared.  Which to me is a good thing.  

But it made me wonder how people felt when they first got electricity in their homes many decades ago.  Maybe they proudly displayed their modern convenience! They were probably excited to have electrical outlets and wouldn't have considered trying to make them blend in with the wall.


I promise I don't put this cat in my pictures.  He's a camera hog.

Much Love & Laughter,

Laura


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3 comments:

Maureen Wyatt said...

You have a camera hog cat and mine won't pose for love or money! I hate seeing the switch plates and always paint mine. Not being married to an electrician, I have to put up with the old sockets but I painted the surface of them too.

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

I have always just painted the switch covers I had...but it didn't always want to stay on, after dirty, oily, hands touch them and then 409 would just take the dirt and paint right off!
Love the paint-able surface!
I always wonder why people don't paint the air return registers either.
You have a beautiful buttery yellow wall...and then this dingy, almond colored air return?!

...glad to hear of this product! Pat

Debbie said...

Just like you, I'm in the mood to really fix things "right" that I have neglected, little things like that.

I actually want to change out the outlets themselves because I want white ones and have beige.

Want to send your electrician husband to Georgia for some charity work?

They look great, and I love the floor next to them in a big old way!!