Clever Tips for Hiding Modems and Routers, According to Designers
Though the design of WiFi modems and routers has gotten better in recent years, they’re typically not nice to look at. These blinking boxes can be a nuisance to integrate into home decor, especially since you don’t get to choose where they go and are limited to wherever your cable line enters your building.
Luckily, there are clever ways to hide or disguise this necessary tech in your home so that your aesthetic doesn’t get jarred by a mess of wires and plastic. I asked interior designers how they tackle these unsightly internet accessories, and they shared a few smart solutions.
How to Hide Internet Routers and Modems
When concealing technology devices, keep two things in mind:
1. Make sure your solution has ventilation. Like any tech, the operating components of routers and modems generate heat, and these pieces’ side vents need room to breathe so that the device operates smoothly. That being said, keep devices out of direct sunlight, too.
2. Don’t obstruct the signal. It might be tempting to hide modems and routers in closed cabinetry or something with doors that shut, but the more solid objects you have blocking the tech, the more likely it is that you’ll weaken the signal.
Clever Designer Tips for Concealing Home Tech
For a $0 solution, designer Ruthie Staalsen of Ruthie Staalsen Interiors suggests using smaller decor items you already own to creatively disguise unsightly devices. “Placing internet modems behind a potted plant or in a basket always works,” she says. “Or on a bookshelf in a basket or a decorative ceramic pot with holes.”
Louisiana-based interior designer Colleen Waguespack also recommends designing around modems and routers, like adding custom shelving or an open-weave cabinet to a blank wall as functional hiding spots. “When there is no credenza directly below to hide these in, I look at what is going on in the room on the opposite side of the wall,” she says. “At our office, [these devices are located in] the kitchen, so we used floating brackets from Rejuvenation to create shelving and hid the modem in a basket with a lid on the shelf.”
There’s no shortage of baskets and boxes that can safely (and stylishly) help conceal your internet modems and routers, as well. Check out a few ideas below.
