The $7 Gem I Always Buy 2 Of (It’s Perfect for Hiding Eyesores!)
I’ve never considered myself a perfectionist. If I let myself fixate on all of the little problems in my home that bother me, I would be perpetually upset by minor defects. That said, there are some issues that pop up once in a while that instantly have me calling my super, like a crack in the wall above my headboard or a weird sound my air conditioner makes.
For some people, necessary wall fixtures like thermostats and breaker boxes feel like they throw off their home’s aesthetic. I’ve personally never had an issue with these, even though my apartment has three big thermostats that definitely stand out. Still, when I recently saw a TikTok detailing how to conceal wall-mounted home fixtures, I was struck by how simple and clever the creator’s solution is.
@brickhomehaven Save this simple hack for disguising your unsightly thermostat! We just completed a hallway glow up and the thermostat was driving me bonkers. It was the perfect spot to hang another piece of art 🖼️ or something pretty. 🤩 I had seen several ideas for building a box frame around thermostats, but I had this basket lying around 🧺 Hubby also strongly encouraged me to not cover the thermostat with framed art. Challenge accepted 😎 The spring vibes are immaculate and now I don't have to see this dated looking silver eye sore every time I walk to my bedroom. 🌿 Would you try it? #homehack #thermostatdisguise #thermostatglowup #hallwaydesign #hallmakeover #painteddoors #DIY #beadboard #swurbanebronze #halldesign #hallwayinspo #satisfying #beforeandafter #fyp ♬ Somebody's Watching Me – Rockwell
In the video, you can see the creator cutting a hole out of the back of a basket before affixing the basket to the wall over the thermostat. She then places some eucalyptus leaves inside the basket. Many people in the comments say that hanging a basket over your thermostat is a bad idea because it could block the temperature-reading sensors and prevent the device from working properly. Although hanging something over your thermostat is not advisable, I was still inspired by this trick and think it’s a great way to hide wall blemishes or other unsightly fixtures like unusable light switches.
How to Achieve This Look in Your Home
You can find hanging baskets pretty much anywhere, but in browsing baskets online, I found that Michaels has some great options that are both cute and affordable. One of them is this 9.5×9.4-inch seagrass and chipwood basket. It has a flat back, which is what you’ll want for this project if you plan on cutting a slot in the back to go over a light switch. Its weave doesn’t appear that tight, so you shouldn’t have too much difficulty cutting the basket, the way the creator does in the video.
Of course, you’ll want to measure the dimensions of the wall fixture before buying a basket. If you need something bigger, Michaels also has this 14.25×11.75-inch basket made of willow and chipwood. Like the smaller basket, it has a top handle that you can hang on a nail or even on a stylish command hook if you don’t want to nail a hole into your wall.
Once your basket is on the wall, consider adding some faux flower stems to dress it up and add a pop of color. Michaels has those, too, though you can find pretty stems almost anywhere, including Crate & Barrel, Afloral, and Amazon.
Not only will this simple hack hide eyesores, but if you don’t like other people messing with a specific wall fixture, it might just help put a stop to that, too. Consider the basket idea a fun and easy DIY project to try, right in time for spring.