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Designing with a purpose: camouflage the blemishes

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Your home is likely to have some unsightly blemishes. Some are minor, some major. Sometimes we do not have the budget or ability to permanently fix these issues so we turn to the art of disguise. Let’s look at some frequent flaws found in homes and apartments and how you can hide them from sight with little effort or remodel time.

Black Paint: the Master Concealer A little bit of black paint will go a long way to hide visual imperfections. Using black paint on your interior trim work such as moldings, casings and baseboards has a lot of advantages. Perhaps its single best use is its ability to neutralize problem areas. For example, if you replaced part of your trim, it is likely the new and old grains don’t match. Painting them black will help those flaws go unnoticed. With wood pieces, sometimes a dark stain works better than paint, as it will hold up better over time. Another practical reason to paint your trim black is to hide all those scuff marks that are sure to occur if you have pets or kids running around. Black is simply more forgiving than white or other light neutrals.

An added bonus of black trim is the contrast it provides against white walls. It energizes the space for a real eye-popping look and social environment. Make sure to consider the atmosphere of the room you are decorating. A living room, dining room and kitchen that invite social encounters are perfect for black trim. Your bedroom or bathroom may not be the best place; these rooms typically call for a more serene environment.

Use Furniture to Hide Ugly Wires We have all seen the DIY tricks for mounting cords underneath desks with eye hooks and zip ties or boring holes into drywall to hide unsightly TV, cable box and Blu-ray player wires. We turn to these tactics to achieve the timeless, orderly and serene design we all crave. But there are other ways to accomplish this task without the DIY hassle.

Consider putting your furniture and built-ins to work. Built-in bookcases surrounding a wall-mounted TV will help you keep wires covered. You can easily pull cords around the shelves to neatly tuck them away. Plus, your decorative accessories, family pictures, books and other cherished items will take center stage.

Furniture with back panels is an amazing tool to conceal outlets and the wires that will extend out of them to whatever device needs power. Outlets located higher up on the wall can be completely covered. End tables, desks and bedside tables can all easily conceal all kinds of wires from lamps, alarm clocks, computers and other technology. If your outlets are closer to the baseboard, these types of furnishings will still help shield most of the unattractive connections.

Try a Literary Front Book covers are a wonderful concealer for all types of eyesores. You can tuck devices into them, such as routers, or use them to keep gaming remotes hidden while they’re not in use. Plus, who doesn’t love the look of a row or stack of books present? It’s a very comforting accessory to add to any room.

Repurpose Shutters and Decorative Screens Shutters and screens are a great way to hide any large scale item. Think heaters, air conditioners, a washer and dryer unit. These accessories easily set up in the corner of any room to distract the eye and add a personal touch while disguising the blemishes.

Love the Imperfections Away with Personalization When you don’t have a remodeling budget, your kitchen and bathrooms can take a real hit. And these spaces are very important to your home. The best way to cover the flaws is to add as many personal touches to them as possible. Think favorite accessories and favorite colors. Personalized signs and unique pictures can grace the walls. You may not physically be able to cover dated fixtures or appliances, but you can distract the eye from focusing on these lackluster points. HLM

Are you ready to design with a purpose? The interior design experts at Decor & You are here to help. A Personalized 5-Step Decor Plan will make the most of your home or office for tasteful and happy living.