Switch Plates

April 13, 2012

Let’s talk about switch plates because I’m still not done with the bookcases in my daughter’s room and because they’ve been on my mind a lot lately. One of the reasons I started this blog is so I would have an outlet for my crazy, random design thoughts because I was tired of seeing my hubs eyes glaze over. Our marriage is better for it too because now instead of talking to him until he’s blue in the face I can talk to you all. 😉 So here’s a little dose of my crazy for you on this beautiful Friday morning.

This is me standing in my family room looking in to the entry foyer. There are still many things I plan to do in this room but for now this is what it is looks like. This was taken yesterday after school, and no, I didn’t even clean up for you hence the boxes piled up by the front door. This is what life is like when you’re married to a medical device sales representative. There are boxes and boxes EVERYWHERE! But this isn’t about the boxes it’s about the light switch plates. When we moved in the plates and the switches were a manila color. We’ve changed most of them, but I’m not sure I like the black metal plates in the entry foyer against the dark red wall.

Still need to change the dimmer switch to white. FYI – putting your exterior lights on a dimmer switch
makes for pretty exterior lighting, and it’s cheap and easy to do.

The plates in the upstairs hallway are painted the wall color so you don’t notice them at all.

Should I paint the plates in the entry the same color as the wall? Or should I get white wooden plates like the ones I used in the kitchen?

Or should I get plates that match the very dark, but not shiny ones that are in the family room?

Note to self : need to touch up paint around the top right corner of this plate – add to the mile long to-do list –
should be done in oh, say about 3 years

I like the ones in the family room. I think the plate blends in well with the gallery wall.

So what do you think? What kind of switch plates should I use in the entry foyer? Do you like decorative plates that stand out or plates that are painted to match the wall color? Just for the record, I warned you this post was going to crazy town. It’s where I live most of the time. I just try to pretend for your sake that I’m normal, but sometimes you just gotta let the crazy out- ya know?

Have a great weekend! I promise those bookcases will be done next week! If you help me figure out this switch plate dilemma, I’ll be able to get them done faster. 😉

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Switch plates are something I also spend way too much time thinking about. We bought our first house about 8 months ago, and we have the hideous off white/yellowish plates everywhere. We've switched out our master bedroom/bath, but I'm stumped for every other room.
I personally really love the ones in your family room…I'm thinking something like that would look good in my living room/dining area. So that gets my vote! It's so pretty it's like it's own little decoration 🙂

I love the one in the familyroom because you have so many dark frames next to it on the wall, it does almost become part of the collage. However, in other areas where you aren't joining in with a collage, I like the painted so it just blends in with the wall. Can't wait to see what you decide. Hugs, Marty

Wow this is a hard question… in fact so hard its one we are struggling with right now. (he doesn't like the color difference between switch plate and switches, same thing goes for outlet plates and outlets.) However the plate in your family room is gorgeous! (i know what you mean about craziness… i haven't told my husband that I think i want to change the colors of the dining room, family room, and living room….the color was been too fleshy every since we painted it 2 years ago but it made him happy.)

Good luck! And for the record you house looks splendidly clean!!

It's crazy what a difference switchplates can make!

Champagne Lifestyle on a Beer Budget

Not sure which switch plates you should choose, I was distracted by the awesome houses on the stair wall. Are those all your previous homes? It's so creative, love it.

Jessica
stayathomeista.com

I like the dark but not shiny. I like the way the black looks in the foyer, but I do think it would look better matte.

I like the dark but not shiny ones too.

Voting for ones like the family room!

I like the dark ones in your family room that are not shiny.

Side Note – Are the framed pictures along the stairs all of the houses you have lived in? I couldn't tell what was also in the frame – love the look of that!!

Defiantly not the shiny ones and I wasn't so sure about the dark ones until you showed them in your family room, just my opinion.

Thank goodness I am not the only person who obsesses about switch plates and outlet covers 🙂

In our old home we had wood ones to match all the woodwork, which I loved as they were easy to clean and blended in. When we moved into this home 9 yrs ago I decided to paint all the white plastic ones-I hated it. They got so dirty looking and chipped up-walls clean up but not the switch plates. Just switched all mine to wood that match the woodwork.

Hi Carmel ~
I love the look of the dark (but not shiny) switchplates. They look terrific with the gallery wall in your family room and would blend well as it looks like the foyer is right around the corner from that particular wall. I've been reading your blog for awhile and thought I should finally comment! Love your home, especially the kitchen:) Thanks for sharing!

Not important at all. So much more to worry about.

I like the family room switch plate. It's distinctive, high end looking, certainly not something you see everywhere and you have already established the black on red artwork in that room. Go for it! I'm guessing it's a plate that is used often so black will also hide fingerprints and dirt. A white plate will also stand out on that deep red wall. Black is much more dramaticc.

What about a mirrored switch plate to echo your mirror and add a little glam?

I don't like the red ones at all but both the black and white ones look great. You could have both black and white and then switch them out when you get bored! You know you'll get bored. 🙂

… and all this time I thought I was the only one obsessed about wrong hue´d switchplate covers (ours are white against creme walls * GRRRRRRRR * )
As a rule of thumb… " paint everything to match the walls – like radiators, switch plates etc.- unless you want to accentuate the features ".
If you want to make them disappear, paint them with the wall cover. If not, I´m having hard palpitations of the fam room black, framed switch cover plates. Absolutely swoon- worthy switch plate covers!

Thanks so much! Yes, those are all of our previous homes. Here's the link to the post – http://www.ourfifthhouse.com/2011/09/piano-keys-and-telling-our-story.html

Thanks for all your opinions!

I thought I was alone in obsessing over switch plate covers 😉
I definitely like the dark ones from the family room for the red wall. The white kitchen ones are gorgeous, but the black would blend with the frames better for sure.

Can I ask – where do you find such pretty switch plate covers? Just at the hardware store? We're moving to a house next month that has wacky covers – like Snoopy, clowns and American Eagles (I'm not even kidding).

What color red is your paint? Thanks so much!

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