Chipping paint, prominent pipes, exposed cords, and years of stuff that you don’t nearly have enough storage for anymore—these are some everyday eyesores that make it so hard to relax at home. You see it and wish to yourself that you could do something about it without breaking the bank. But what if we told you there are quite a few ways to do just that?
While your home may have suffered some natural wear and tear through the years of living in it, it does not have to remain in a sad state. We are here to bring you some ingenious ideas to disguise those ugly parts without going beyond your budget.
How to Hide Ugly Walls
When the paint on your walls begins to chip or fade (or both!), it becomes difficult to beautify such a large part of your home. These ideas allow you to do things on your own and do an easy project out of your wall revamp.
1. Cover it up with some wallpaper
If your walls need a significant makeover, but you don’t have the money, time, or simply the patience to give it a professional paint job, wallpaper can do the trick. Choose a tasteful design that goes well with the aesthetic of your room and put them up to remove the unsightly spots on the wall.
You do not even have to settle for your standard wallpaper to fix the issue. You can also opt for stick-on shiplap panels to give your room some texture and an extra layer of sophistication. These peel-and-stick panels mimic the look and feel of actual wall panels—just minus the work and while being simple enough to install on your own.
2. Turn it into a bookshelf
If your wall is in a spacious area at home, one smart solution is to install a bookshelf that spans the whole length of the wall to transform it completely. This can be as straightforward as installing wood shelves with the help of online tutorials. Still, you can kick it up a notch by turning it into an art project.
For example, you can bring attention away from specific bad spots on the wall by installing invisible bookshelves that make your books look like they are floating against the wall. The trick with these is to use L-shaped metal brackets and using a hardbound book to conceal the bottom.
Just note that to make it work, you may need to cut slits or install velcro onto the bottom books. Make sure you use books you are less attached to for these tweaks.
One more tip: do not put too much weight on your invisible shelves as they do not have as much support as full shelves.
3. Install some art onto the space
Don’t want to DIY wallpaper installation or bookshelves? Easy! Find a huge art piece or two that spans the length of your wall and put it up to hide the wall.
Pay a visit to your local vintage store or houseware shop, and you will usually find a variety of wall art and paintings to satisfy your quick fix needs. If you are up for it, though, you can turn wall art into a household project by painting over it. Make it into something that has special meaning for your family so that everyone gets to appreciate the space.
How to Mask Your Clutter
Sometimes, the mess is not on the walls but in your stuff. When you don’t have time to declutter, here are a couple of ways to hide it.
1. Cover your cords
Your living room usually houses your TV, movie player, computer, and other electronics. This means there are plenty of cords lying around the area on a normal day. Hide these without renovating your TV mount by installing cord covers that mask your cords. Choose one that matches the color of your walls or floors to make sure no one notices them.
2. Use well-designed storage
A great way to disguise your clutter while also decorating your rooms better is to get yourself new, aesthetically pleasing storage bins. For example, use baskets to store items in your living room, such as your children’s toys, cleaning supplies, and more, and then cover them up with a throw. These smart touches easily beautify your room while removing the mess.
Of course, these tips should not take the place of periodically decluttering your home and checking for structural issues. But until your next house cleanup, these are great tricks to freshen up any space in your home quickly.
