Few things can throw off the overall look of a space like an errant cord or cable. We get it—no one wants to sacrifice their electronics for a pretty aesthetic, and more often than not, the placement of outlets in your home is outside of your control. But lucky for you, our expert interior designers know a thing (or seven) about how to hide cords in your home to give you the best of both worlds: You get to keep your TV, router, and other essentials where you want them, without having to deal with the jumble of cords and wires that come with them.
The key to reducing this kind of electric visual clutter is getting creative—you can basically think of it as design hide-and-seek. When your cords and wires are out of sight, they’ll be out of mind—so the rest of your space can look pristine and stylish. Here, Havenly designer Brady Burke shares his pro tips to help you hide your wires for good, along with real-life Havenly cord-concealing projects.
How To Hide Cords and Cables
1. Hook cables to furniture
Whether your style leans toward the modern, classic, contemporary, or eclectic, your furniture can still conceal electrical cords when properly hacked. Rather than letting them run along the wall or floor, use wire clips to run cords along the back leg or wall of your nightstand to keep them out of view. Alternatively, you can use a command hook to string up electrical cords along the backside of your furniture. You can even paint the cord the same color as the furniture to disguise it further. While the cord is still there, it’s much less of an eyesore. This is one of the simplest, most cost-effective ways for how to hide cords, and doesn’t even require a hammer. Here’s a full tutorial for both methods:
@thehavenly Cords? Don’t know her. #cords #cordsolution #cordstorage #hidecords #diy #homedecor #interiordesign #interiordecor #decor #decorinspo #interiordesignideas
2. Hide them underneath a rug
Running cords underneath a rug is a great, incredibly simple way to keep them out of sight. We recommend a little bit of electrical tape to keep them running snugly along the floor. And if you have corded items that are too far from the edge of your rug, you can consider cutting a (very!) small hole in the rug, through which you can slip the cord and hide it as it runs towards the nearest outlet. Voila! No cords in sight.
3. DIY an aesthetically-pleasing cord cover
You can always buy a cord cover or hack a storage box to hide your wifi router in a pinch (simply cut a hole in the back), but if you want a solution that really blends in with your home’s aesthetic, consider DIYing your own statement piece. In the above living room, for example, Havenly designer Brady Burke cleverly built his own stunning museum-inspired pedestal with a hollow back to house his wifi router and electrical cords. While it looks impressive and like something you might find at CB2, he shares, “it was really a simple project to undertake on a weekend day.” Here’s how:
@thehavenly The most genius DIY hack we’ve ever seen. #diy #hidewires #diyproject #diywithblock #interiordesign #interiordesignproject #interiordesignhack #designerhack #designerdiy #diyhomedecor #homedecordiy #homehack #homedecorhack #wifirouter
4. Run them along your baseboards
One great trick to concealing cords is making them blend in with your baseboards. Start by using small clips or staples to flatten and secure them along the top of your baseboard (a step you’ve likely heard before). But here’s where you up the ante and get the full-on designer trade secret: once secured, paint them the exact same color as your baseboards. In this gorgeous example above, our VP Design & Creative pinned her floor lamp cord accordingly and painted it her signature Benjamin Moore Simply White.
5. Swap for battery-powered options
Sometimes, prevention is the best method. When it comes to your light fixtures and other household electronics, look for options that are battery-powered or rechargeable, to avoid having to deal with cords in the first place. Specifically for wall-hanging lights, you can always consider one of the newest DIY hacks on the block: cutting the cord altogether and using battery-powered puck lights. Brady himself took on this project in his own home to avoid hardwiring sconces through brick (or hiring an expensive electrician). See his genius hack below, and get a step-by-step tutorial here:
@thehavenly A real lightbulb moment. #sconce #sconcehack #sconces #diy #diyhack #decorhack #interiordesigner #interiordesign #interiordesignhack #homedecorhack #homedecor #decortiktok
6. Hang & paint cord covers
Cord covers are best for TVs and monitors—consider grouping all of the cords behind one thin cord cover and then paint it to match your walls so that it blends in as much as possible. For lighting above nightstands, like in the above bedroom, consider a thin brass cord cover to complement the finish and spice up a plug-in wall sconce. With a streamlined look and feel, it lends a modern twist to the otherwise vintage nightstand scene.
7. Use strategically-placed decor
If you have a few outlets in your space, you likely have a bunch of cords and maybe even a power strip, all located in one spot. So, use decor—like a large potted plant—to tuck it all out of sight. If you have a bunch of wires below a TV or computer set up, you can also take the back off of a drawer (of a desk or console) and house all of your electrical or charging cables inside. The same can be done for a nightstand! In a pinch, you can create a small hole on the back of your furniture piece for this purpose.
If you’re looking around your space and realize that unsightly cables are the least of your problems, it might be time to consider a design refresh. Start with our style quiz to collaborate one-on-one with your personal interior designer!