Let’s face it, friends: the technology era is here to stay. And unless you have made lifelong commitments to live without it (if so I applaud you), then you have technology in your house. Whether it’s a television, a smart device, a laptop or two, or a gaming console, most of us have something.
Or maybe you or your partner LOVES technology. Perhaps you have THREE TVs, an apple watch, four phones, three laptops, several speaker systems…. you know who you are. My husband, for instance, is passionate about music, technology and audio. So the moment we got married, I had to start coping with all of the equipment. And the longer we’ve been married, the more equipment we’ve acquired. Some of it can be squirreled out of sight most of the time, but much of it can’t. Sound systems, for instance, can’t be hidden unless they’re installed into a wall, which is expensive.
And the CORDS….. OMG the CORDS!!!!
After spending a year or two rebelling, I realized something: Since I love my husband, and he loves music and sound, this is always going to be a part of my life. I can continue to rebel, or I can learn to live with it. And I've grudgingly begun to realize that I LIKE being able to have my favorite worship song play over the ENTIRE HOUSE while I clean or wash dishes. So I’ve come up with ways to cope - and even enjoy - all the equipment filling my living space.
Here's a few tips I've learned along the way...
1.) Make friends with the equipment, and keep it clean.
I know this sounds dumb, but it’s the most important step, I think. You need to start accepting that you’re going to see equipment in your house, and decide that you’re going to be okay with seeing it. Most of it can be hidden or screened, but much of it can’t, and nothing you do is going to make it fully disappear. So decide now that it’s okay, or you’re never going to be satisfied. Consider it an act of sacrifice for your significant other, put on a cheerful attitude and move on.
And hey, know what looks worse than tech equipment? Tech equipment covered with dust. Most TVs and speakers are black, which means that when they get dusty it shows. They also show fingerprints clearly. Want to hate that TV less? Keep it clean.
2.) Hide those cords!
This is one of the BEST things you can do to make equipment that is out in the open look like less of an eyesore. Here are a few solutions that you can use in any combination:
Use twist ties to roll excess cord length into a controlled bundle. Position that bundle so it is behind or under another object such as a curtain or a piece of furniture.
Have a TV with a dozen cords coming out of it? Get a power strip with a cord that blends with your wall. Plug everything into it and tuck EVERYTHING up behind the tv. The result is that the only cord leading from the tv to the outlet is the power strip cord. I started doing this years ago and it makes a big difference!
Now you see it, now you don't!
You can also run cords along the very back of a shelf or mantle, then place decor items in front of the cords so you can't see them. In my old rental home, I combined this with the power strip idea above, and it worked pretty well!
3.) Find ways to store what doesn’t have to be out in the open.
Laptops, phones, iPads and such aren’t used all the time and can be easily squirreled away in a drawer or cabinet when not in use. Pay attention to WHERE you tend to be when you use or charge a specific device, then look for a hiding place nearby. Always using your laptop on the couch? Store in a nearby console, coffee or side table. Use your phone as an alarm clock every morning? Set up a charging station inside your bedside table. In fact, setting up a charging station for a device is a great way to make SURE you'll put it away. It's a win-win.
How to Create a Hidden Charging Station
Step 1: drill or cut a 1 1/2" hole in the back of your nightstand, just behind the drawer. Feed an extension cord through the hole to the inside of the drawer (there's usually enough space to get it into the drawer without having to cut the drawer as well.)
Step 2: Plug in all lamps and device charging cables into the extension cord. Tie up excess cord with twist ties so it's not a mess.
Step 3: when items are charging, leave the drawer slightly open and plug them in.
Step 4: When charging is finished, tuck the cords away!
It took me forever to get around to doing this in my master, but once I did I was so glad! This is GOLD, my friends!
4.) If you can’t hide it, treat it like decor.
TV out in the open? Pick out a beautiful piece of furniture to sit under your tv, then arrange your TV and speakers on/above it as though they are pieces of decor. Then, if you have space and your significant other is okay with it, arrange some other pieces of art or decor with it. Subwoofers make great plant stands, for instance. Or hang your tv on the wall and hang art around it. Put it above a mantle and decorate the mantle.
In my living room, I have two largish speakers that - according to my audiophile husband - need to sit at ear level when the listener is seated. Which means they have to sit on top of my shelves. So I solved the problem by putting my wall art on the shelf with the speakers instead of hanging it. The result is that the speakers look like part of
the decor and you notice them less.
(Oh, and by the way, the CORD for the speaker on the left is running along the shelf, up the side of the fireplace and across the back of the mantle to join the power strip behind the far right shelf. You never see it because the decor hides it completely.)
5.) Purchase thoughtfully
Is your significant other looking to purchase some equipment? Try working WITH him/her to shop for items that will work with your decor - there are lots of great options out there these days. At the very least you can chime in on color and size. Here's some other ideas:
- Vintage wood encased speakers are freakin cool as a piece of decor, if you can score them.
- Vanatoo has a speaker called the Transparent Zero that is surprisingly small. My husband was shocked at the sound they can put out, especially when paired with a subwoofer.
- Have you seen The Frame from Samsung? It's a tv that looks exactly like framed artwork when not in use. And the price is surprisingly good!
- If you're trying to control the acoustics of your space, check out the Diffuser Panels at GIK Acoustics. They are gorgeous, and made from real wood.
6.) Design the rest of the room
A room can still feel amazing even if the focal point is the television. Throw all of your love of beauty into the rest of the room and see how little the tv dominates the feel.
The tv area in my house is rather plain by itself, and I admit there's a few things I could do to spice it up (a hanging plant in the corner, for starters...) But this picture doesn't show the whole room.
THIS is the whole room.
I don't know about you, but the tv doesn't look so drab to me anymore. I took pains in this room to plan the space well and decorate it thoughtfully. The result is that it's one of the most pleasant rooms in the house, despite the television.
So, regardless of what type of technology you're dealing with, it's still possible to have a beautiful home. Now it's your turn! What are some of the solutions you have found?
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