It happens that after a successful renovation and a well-furnished apartment, the issue of hiding some elements of the room remains unresolved. For an attractive design of the room, it is required to hide details such as pipes, wiring. In the corridor, such an element is the electrical panel, which is so necessary in every apartment, and the design of the room that spoils its appearance so much.
Decoration methods
By law, an electrical panel must be located in every apartment. It evenly redistributes electrical energy, does not allow overload, which ensures the safety of the inhabitants of the house. The device can be located in the common corridor, but most often it is installed in the hallway next to the exit from the apartment.
There are two types of switchboard:
- External, that is, which protrudes above the surface of the wall. Found in most apartments.
- Internal, that is, built into the wall. It is the easiest to decorate.
Since the dismantling of the device is strictly prohibited, you should think in advance how to hide the shield. Below are several options for how to decorate the external and internal apparatus from prying eyes.
The choice of the optimal method will depend on the overall style of the interior, the preferences of the owner of the apartment and the cash costs.
Mirror
When leaving the apartment, a person always looks in the mirror. The mirror is an integral part of the hallway of the room, so in the question: "how to hide the shield in the hallway" - the idea of decorating it under the mirror is the best option.
You can take a canvas of the required size and frame it in a beautiful frame suitable for the interior. The mirror can be of any size and decor. Or install the mirror directly in the counter door, making it part of the device box. This decoration option is also able to increase the space of the room, albeit slightly.
Photo frame or picture
Additional decoration of the corridor and adding variety is also achieved by a photograph enclosed in a beautiful frame, or a picture for the interior. A group photo of the family will fit perfectly here. The frame, matched to the style of the room, simply attaches to the counter's hinged door. You can also purchase a ready-made box with a mount for the picture. You can install it yourself.
Furniture
One of the most convenient ways to disguise the electrical panel in the hallway is to install furniture. In this case, no decoration is required. If a closet is provided in the corridor, then during installation, you can immediately cut a hole on the back wall of the cabinet to close the counter in the hallway.
The device in its unsightly form will be located inside the cabinet. This method is very convenient in that it assumes easy access to the shield.To get to the counter, it will be enough just to open the cabinet door.
You can put a small cabinet that will harmoniously fit into the interior. In addition to decorating the device, the cabinet will also perform its main function - storing various small items. Access to the counter will also not be difficult.
You can also hide the device behind the rack. The rack has many shelves, which is perfect for the hallway of the room for storing various accessories: bags, hats, umbrellas. The switchboard will be located behind the shelf, where you can additionally put books or other decorative elements that match the style of the corridor for masking.
The cabinet and shelving option is the most common way to hide an electric meter. However, this method is not suitable for all hallways due to lack of space.
Housekeeper
The electrical panel in the corridor can be quite successfully hidden behind the key holder. A wide range of key holders of various sizes with a very original design is now on sale. In addition, it is not at all necessary to purchase it - it is quite possible to make it yourself.
Also, the key holder will add functionality in the hallway: you can store up to 5 sets of keys, money, change, checks and other small accessories in it.
Door trim
If you want to add more personality to the interior, you can think about such a decorative element as a new counter door. This way of decorating the shield is a little more expensive, but much more attractive. If glass stained-glass doors are already installed in the apartment, the pattern from the glass can be repeated on the counter doors themselves.
The door can be picked up in the store or made to order. You just need to decide on the required dimensions of the door and go to the store for manufacturing with a photo of the stained glass doors.
Counter in the wall
If the device is already recessed into the wall, it will not be difficult to hide it or decorate it. A win-win way to decorate a switchboard is to disguise it with improvised materials and tools. So that it does not stand out in the interior, you can paste over it with the same wallpaper that was used to repair the walls. Usually, after gluing the walls, part of the wallpaper always remains.
If the wallpaper has a certain pattern, this decoration option will not be striking.
If the walls were painted with paint, you can also paint the shield door. The main thing here is to finish the door to match the walls, disguise it so that the counter continues the surface of the wall. Thus, it will be possible to successfully fit the device to the style of the interior, and without any additional costs.
Errors when masking the electrical panel
Whatever method of decoration is chosen, do not forget about security measures. The switchboard door is opened several times a year for periodic testing, so access to it must always be free and not blocked by anything.
You should think in advance how to close the shield in the hallway, and how access will be provided. Since in the event of an unforeseen situation, it will be impossible to quickly configure the counter.
