We’re heading toward a world where cords and cables are obsolete, even for powering our homes, but we’re not quite there yet. No matter how hard you try, there are probably a few pesky cables cluttering the neat, minimalist perfection of your interior design (or hiding the mass of dust bunnies and lost Doritos under your desk). Even if you’re all about the wireless keyboard and headset lifestyle, there’s probably a cable of some sort bringing the internet into your home, and power cords remain a necessity, even to power your wireless charging devices. If you’re a gamer, you probably avoid wireless peripherals and the internet like the latency-inducing plague that they are.
GENIUS Ways to Hide Wires and Cords 💡
In theory, clearing up the clutter of cables and cords seems like a surefire way to significantly enhance the aesthetic beauty of your media rooms and reach peak maturity. In reality, it’s a lot of work and a bit of a mysterious process when you’re working with finished walls. Here are a few approaches to the problem, as well as a few things you should absolutely never do.
Before you start drilling into your walls and fishing for wires, invest in a stud finder that also detects electrical conduits and pipes. Never assume that the previous homeowner (or the builder or remodeling contractor) followed code or did things right away (like installing studs the conventional way or putting nail plates over electrical wiring, for example). Instead, take some time to map out what’s behind the walls where you plan to run wires. This can be a time-consuming and tedious task, but it will save you heartache in the long run.
The best time to run wires through your walls is before there are any walls, during the construction or renovation phase when the walls are open. At this stage, it’s a relatively easy process because you can see everything. If you didn’t anticipate that you’d want to hide your wires someday (or you weren’t involved in the construction or renovation of your current space), those nicely finished walls pose a challenge. Here are a few ways to run wires behind them:
