Yesterday on the open thread, Erin said, "Our puppy has a gigantic black-wire crate (the fold-down type) and there's really no room for it anywhere but our living room. I'm okay with that, because the living room is for her to live in too, but I would love to see some interesting ways to cover it up and integrate it into the room better.
We can't just get another more fashionable type, because 1) we travel a lot and need the collapsible kind and 2) we just don't have the money for fancy dog furniture.
Slipcovers, anyone?"
Dog crate covers from 
If you're for DYI, "Patient Elizabeth" who did the Cure in NYC made a slipcover out of really cute houndstooth fabric. I'm sure you could do the same with minimal effort (fabric glue, iron on hem tape, or sewing if you're so inclined). See http://www.flickr.com/photos/47091571@N00/sets/72057594105693993/.
I've been trying to figure something out for my dog's crate too. It's the same large wire kind, only it's in the bedroom. I've been trying to figure out a way to make some sort of hoop canopy that could be hung from the ceiling, but I don't want it to look too frilly. I'd like to be able to tie the fabric back and I don't know if I could do that with a cover. My dog stays in her crate during the day and I'm afraid it would be too stuffy in there for her with a cover, especially in the summer. I've found a few hoop canopies online for $20, but they all use netting, which wouldn't work because it wouldn't hide the crate. Like this one: http://annaslinens.stores.yahoo.net/canop.html
I worry about permanently enveloping the crate in fabric. Beyond the stuffiness factor, if your dog gets stressed out s/he could get destructive, potentially pulling on and ingesting fabric (my dog was happily crated for over a year before he freaked and became a blanket eater and crate chewer, it was terrifying and dangerous... I no longer crate him). Besides, even if they are crated they like to see what's going on. Have you considered a screen solution? You could keep the crate out of sight when you are home but your dog would still have access to it, then you could pull the screen back when you aren't around so that Fido has an unobstructed view outside. A store-bought screen would work but you could repurpose something else (bamboo fencing, shutters, etc). Good luck, I'm sure that you'll find an attractive fix!
I have a plastic crate that I would like to find a cover for, I have an idea of what I would like so that it remains open to the air.
Anyone?