My new house has a lot fewer opportunities to hide electrical cords and wall plugs than my other house did. I guess it's the smaller size, lack of wood trim and the fact that the builder of our other house ignored code and set all the outlets low to the floor.
So, I've got a couple of places in the house where I am staring at a plug in the wall or in one case at a big ol' honking transformer brick which is black against a pale grey wall...bleah!
I am definitely of the 'Function over Form' mindset. I refuse to do the trick of a plant or a vase or something strategically placed to hide the outlet. That's so HGTV! I'd rather go with the honesty of materials approach, but it's bugging me to see these things hanging off the wall. For the transformer brick, I was thinking of painting it the wall color to make it fade away some. Does anyone else have any better ideas?
THANKS!
Maybe
extend the wires so the transformer is at low (floor) level ?
Surely as long as the voltage is transferred between the supply and the appiance it doesn't matter where the transformer lies ?
Wires etc. bug me too !.. I totally understand 🙂
*roll on wireless electrical supply- in our lifetime ? *
Yep,I know the feeling
I live in a house built in the late 30's by an architect for his mumm,and while I am enjoying the 10 foot ceilings,and hardwood floors,huge closets,but the rooms are sadly devoid of more than 2 outlets apiece.I have strategically hidden powerstrips in 2 rooms and it's a drag,but, oh well,so many plus features outweigh this negative.
I'm a
big believer in The Power of (Interior) Architecture. A band around the room at the height of your outlets -- think of it as a 3D chair rail -- could conceal both the receptacles and any wires connected to them, leading from one part of the room to another and allowing a cord to drop to the floor (or whatever) where it is needed.
The rail would consist of a 1x6, with a 1x3 attached to the rear at right angles. The 1x3 is horizontal and near the top, concealing the wires and outlets from standing occupants; a row of simple hooks on the back carries the wires. At 32" intervals a 2 1/2" angle bracket is screwed to stud locations in the walls, and supports the 1x3. Everything is concealed except the wood itself, which can be painted or stained.
This rail would make a great place to lean framed art; if it were deeper, it could be used as a shelf.
How very unmodern of all you folks...
Olive,
Persons will think I am being facetious here, but I am not.
A house remains, among other things, a machine for living in.
Things must look like what they are made of.
Infrastructure is part of structure.
Wires should not be hidden. They should be thoughtfully and boldly presented.
If your space has a rectilinear theme, route the wires openly on wall surfaces rectilinearly. If curvilinearity dominates, route the power cords in curvilinear patterns. If your space is one or the other, and in need of formal counterpoint, use wires for formal counterpoint.
Paint the wires a contrasting color to the wall surface, or floor surface.
Or even better, route combinations of wires through clear conduits.
You don't hide the windows that let light in. Don't hide the wires that bring light in.
You don't hide the light switches. You design pleasingly functional and beatiful light switches. Do the same with wires.
Wires can be and should be functional ornament in a modern design, IMHO.
Design your wires.
Don't hide your wires.
Look at a printed circuit board with different colored circuits and transistors, etc., in an old transistor radio. They are actually quite beautiful.
I know folks are going to hoot at me about this, but I really think that designers need to start thinking about wires not as a coil of snagged, black snakes, but as strands of color and form with routes that can be "designed" to enhance a space, while also serving it functionally.
I must agree with DC on this one...
I've been in houses that present none of normal life's eye sores. Nothing makes me feel more uncomfortable. I don't want to live in a showroom. I don't want to impress anyone(not saying anyone else here does). All I'm saying is I'm a bit drunk and God love modernism in the 21st century. We have wires. So what? Save the interwoven monstrosity of an entertainment setup, let them be. Modernism is all about honesty. We have to plug things in as it stands. Why pretend like we don't?
Thanks DCW, SDR & Lunchbox
I think you guys were just the tonic I needed on this! It's a modern house, we have wires, we have lives. We don't have lots of furniture or useless decorations. So, accept my wired life and move on!
I have tidied the wires and laid them neatly on the floor and used a short extension cord to bring the big black brick to a corner location where it doesn't show much. My biggest issue was that I am too ecologically minded to leave a transformer brick (also known as a vampire) plugged in all the time. I figured a way to add a small switch into the deal and I'm happy now.
And no, usarem2 it's not a problem with incorrect or unfinished installation it was really just an aesthetic issue.
Ark, sorry but that thing is F-ugly! ...just my opinion.
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