Switch Plates and Outlet Covers, Beautified!

If plain switch plates and outlet covers make you glum, then grab your favourite colouring book and make those switches funky.

By: Colleen

Requirements

• colouring book (or comic book, or kids’ art, maps, or magazine clippings…)
• glue
• scissors
• paint brush
• Varathane (optional)

Step One: Grab your favourite colouring book

Step Two: Colour a page, then tear it out of the book!

Step Three: Cut pieces slightly larger than the plates, ensuring that there is enough paper to wrap around the sides.

Step Four: Put plenty of glue on the front side of the plate.

Step Five: Put the plate face down on the back of the coloured paper. Add some glue to the back side of the plate.

Step Six: Smooth out the glue with a small paint brush. Wrap the paper around, as smoothly as possible, and ensure that it is well stuck! Cut out the outlet holes, or switch rectangle and glue around them so that there is no loose paper. Let the glue dry (about a day).

Step Seven: Brush Varathane over the front and sides of the switch plate. If you do not want to use or do not have Varathane, you can use white glue mixed with a bit of water. If you are using Varathane, you should put three coats on, letting the plates dry completely in-between coats.

Step Eight: Put the switch plates and outlet covers back on your walls to enjoy!

We have put the colouring book plates in our bedroom, the comic book plates are in my son’s bedroom, and the other plates are my kids’ art, which I have put in our hallway (where I intend someday, to put a gallery of their art up).