We all have a critical streak inside of us, with some more acute and wide-ranging than others.  But you know what people tend to be most critical of?  Their homes. Especially once they start looking a little rough around the edges.

Take, for example, when you can no longer stand the way a certain room looks.  Right away you’re inclined to reach for macro solutions, some combination of re-painting, new window treatments, new wall art, and so on.  And what happens when you don’t have the time or budget to implement your ideas?  Right, you do nothing and feel more frustrated than ever.

Well, what about a micro solution?  Something little when compared to a total make-over, but still capable of livening up the look of a room?  There are umpteen such possibilities, and here’s one of them:  decorating your exposed wall outlet and switch plates.

Here are a few suggestions on how to add some personality to yours:

Shop for Some Pop:  Head to your local hardware store and buy one or more new covers. There are many options to choose from, so you can make the whole house match, or choose the best design for each room. Mirrors, metallic, wooden, and patterned! Even unique shapes, like a boat, for your nautical themed bathroom.

Print one: You can easily find the patterns online, use printable graphics, or create one yourself. Then you just print them out and use mod-podge or a white glue to affix it to your old wall plate.

Paint: How about painting wall plates to match or complement the color of the wall, or simply have all the plates in one room match each other. Want something a little artsier? Try painting them look like an unpainted background like tile, brick, or granite.

Crafting fun: Using glass tiles or upcycling broken glass, you can create a colorful design as unique as your home. You can also dip a white wall plate into a bowl with rubbing alcohol and a swirl of colorful ink. Each plate will have a different pattern, but will match in style and color.

Of course, before you get too far into this project, it’s a good idea to take inventory of wall outlets and switches themselves.  How old are they?  Are they in the best possible shape?  Are you taking advantage of recent technological upgrades in home electronics?  These are all questions Excel Electric can help you answer while implement any upgrades you might desire.  These include wall outlets with USB ports, motion-sensitive hard-wired night lights, glow-in-the-dark wall plates, and more.  Contact us today to learn what’s new in how electrical convenience and a free quote to upgrade your home electrical fixtures.