Hide this ugly cord!
December 24, 2011 12:15 PM Subscribe
Ideas for concealing a cord than runs along a textured ceiling in my rental apartment?
There was no light fixture hookup in our living room, so we had to run a cord along the ceiling using white duck tape as you can see in the picture. It looks fairly awful. Any ideas on how can can conceal this and make it blend in with the ceiling better?
This is a rental, so we are somewhat limited. Thanks!
There was no light fixture hookup in our living room, so we had to run a cord along the ceiling using white duck tape as you can see in the picture. It looks fairly awful. Any ideas on how can can conceal this and make it blend in with the ceiling better?
This is a rental, so we are somewhat limited. Thanks!
Can you run it in the corner and use something like sticky tack to put crown molding over it? You're probably not going to be able to do much about the vertical portion but that can cover the horizontal.
Also, there are all sorts of little gadgets for concealing wiring along baseboards. Is that totally out of the question?
posted by feloniousmonk at 12:35 PM on December 24, 2011
Also, there are all sorts of little gadgets for concealing wiring along baseboards. Is that totally out of the question?
posted by feloniousmonk at 12:35 PM on December 24, 2011
Just attached all my similar wires to the ceiling with tiny bits of superstrong double-sided tape. It's slightly thicker than usual tape, might be called mounting tape. You could also go with the opposite, getting a really in-your-face cord and making a statement with it.
posted by Iteki at 12:36 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by Iteki at 12:36 PM on December 24, 2011
As for the the in-your-face cord, would something like this be acceptable?
Another option would be conceiling the cord with normal masking tape and then painting over it with the same paint used for the ceiling.
posted by Sourisnoire at 1:02 PM on December 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
Another option would be conceiling the cord with normal masking tape and then painting over it with the same paint used for the ceiling.
posted by Sourisnoire at 1:02 PM on December 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
No tape. There's no way you'll be able to completely hide it, so have you considered not trying to hide it? A color that's near the color of the ceiling will look out of place no matter what. Depending on the fixture, you could try running a cord that's a contrasting color and has a unique or interesting texture. I used some cloth covered wire that I got for a lamp I made where the cord had to be visible. First hit on google for cloth-covered cord here. Using interesting cord might be a good excuse to think about a new fixture as well if i'll work better overall. Instead of tape, letting it droop slightly might work better as well.
posted by sub-culture at 1:13 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by sub-culture at 1:13 PM on December 24, 2011
Depending on the style of fixture, consider making the cord a design element. Cover it with a gathered fabric tube, fully tape geometric stripes on the ceiling, swag it with decorative chain, etc. Is pic of surroundings available?
posted by mightshould at 1:17 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by mightshould at 1:17 PM on December 24, 2011
There are hollow half-tubes with double-sided sticky backing on the edges specifically for this. I don't know what the term is but go to Home Depot or B&Q or whatever and ask for cord hiders and they will point them out.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:18 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by DarlingBri at 1:18 PM on December 24, 2011
I asked this question a few years ago here. I can't remember what we ended up doing, but maybe something in there might help?
posted by jroybal at 1:22 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by jroybal at 1:22 PM on December 24, 2011
What DarlingBri said. They have them at IKEA, too.
posted by HotToddy at 1:25 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by HotToddy at 1:25 PM on December 24, 2011
You know that plastic edging that's used to hide the edge of MDF shelving in kitchen cabinets? That was used to hide the cords that feed out from a centre juncture box in my kitchen. Works like a charm.
posted by squeak at 1:55 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by squeak at 1:55 PM on December 24, 2011
Use a raceway and some pink or red or whatever paint. Draw attention to it, don't try to hide it.
posted by rhizome at 3:02 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by rhizome at 3:02 PM on December 24, 2011
Suburban electric chandeliers are hung from the ceiling from decorative chain, and the cord is concealed by being a similar tone and occasionally weaving through a link.
Serious chandeliers don't attach the chain at the ceiling, instead it goes through a pully on the ceiling, and attaches at the side of the room (so the chandelier can be lowered to light the candles).
You could take that design-form (the traditional light-fixture chain that loops from the ceiling above the chandelier, along the ceiling, to the side of the room, and down), and combine it with the disguised power cord of suburban electric chandeliers.
posted by -harlequin- at 3:11 PM on December 24, 2011
Serious chandeliers don't attach the chain at the ceiling, instead it goes through a pully on the ceiling, and attaches at the side of the room (so the chandelier can be lowered to light the candles).
You could take that design-form (the traditional light-fixture chain that loops from the ceiling above the chandelier, along the ceiling, to the side of the room, and down), and combine it with the disguised power cord of suburban electric chandeliers.
posted by -harlequin- at 3:11 PM on December 24, 2011
If the cord is long enough: do this. While it doesn't conceal the cord, it conceals its ugliness.
posted by matlock expressway at 4:21 PM on December 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by matlock expressway at 4:21 PM on December 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
Specifically, see the picture of a cord above a fireplace half-way down in the comment section.
posted by matlock expressway at 4:22 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by matlock expressway at 4:22 PM on December 24, 2011
omg, i feel like Edna Mode: "No Tapes!"
textured walls suck...i know, i have them all over. the reason they suck is that they are pretty much impossible to patch without going over the whole wall again. tape can and will rip a huge chunk of the texture off or gunk it up so it sticks out like a sore thumb. look for a solution that involves nails or screws. (even the most inept of painters can patch a nail hole flawlessly without disturbing the texture pattern or losing your security deposit.)
i would either do the bit with the decorative chain and hooks, or go pick up some of those cord nails at the hardware store (they might even have them at radio shack)...they look like regular nails but with a little plastic 'arch' by the head of the nail...you nail it in next to the cord and the arch bit holds it in place. space them regularly (8" to 12") so it looks neat.
posted by sexyrobot at 12:02 PM on December 25, 2011
textured walls suck...i know, i have them all over. the reason they suck is that they are pretty much impossible to patch without going over the whole wall again. tape can and will rip a huge chunk of the texture off or gunk it up so it sticks out like a sore thumb. look for a solution that involves nails or screws. (even the most inept of painters can patch a nail hole flawlessly without disturbing the texture pattern or losing your security deposit.)
i would either do the bit with the decorative chain and hooks, or go pick up some of those cord nails at the hardware store (they might even have them at radio shack)...they look like regular nails but with a little plastic 'arch' by the head of the nail...you nail it in next to the cord and the arch bit holds it in place. space them regularly (8" to 12") so it looks neat.
posted by sexyrobot at 12:02 PM on December 25, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by maxwelton at 12:25 PM on December 24, 2011