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Visual Serenity: The Concealing Frenzy Continues

by | Jul 9, 2008 | Decorating Inspiration, Details

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Visual Serenity: The Concealing Frenzy Continues

Do you ever take a good look around your room and ask yourself what is cluttering up your space? I don’t know about you, but I can easily get used to seeing things that are out all the time. It isn’t until I am having a party (sadly) that I finally take care of what needs to be put away or concealed. Not because I want to impress, but because I finally start looking around at the mess I’ve created! Why wait until you are having a party to conceal? You deserve a restful and pretty home every day, free of ugly distractions and excess visual clutter weighing you down.

Here are some more creative concealment ideas and inspiration (if you missed last week’s concealments, be sure and check out the links or add your own! Click here):

Subtle & Sheer Concealment (above): A sheer curtain can be a concealer when you want to subtly divide a room or soften the view without entirely closing off a space. Sheer concealment still lets the light shine through and lets you know there is more space beyond the curtain.

Visual Serenity: The Concealing Frenzy Continues

Computer Cozy Concealment: Don’t want to see your computer staring at you all the time? This is a smart idea, especially if you need to give a room a double purpose, such as having your office in a bedroom or guest space.

Visual Serenity: The Concealing Frenzy Continues

Shelf Concealments: Add a rod to a cabinet and use curtain valances to not only add a soft and pretty touch, but to conceal with easy access to the contents.

Glass Concealments: Sheer fabric or paper can be added to glass as a storage concealer or a view concealer (also great for windows that look directly at the neighbors, giving you more privacy!).

Visual Serenity: The Concealing Frenzy Continues

Window Shades as Concealers: Shades can hide more than just views in or out of windows! Attach to shelving or storage units that don’t have doors!

Visual Serenity: The Concealing Frenzy Continues

Clothes pins and fabric concealers: An inexpensive and no-sew option for hiding those handy but utilitarian shelving units! Clothes pins and fabric, I like it!

Do you have more ideas for us? Be sure to link up your post here, it is not too late to share your ideas. I will share more of my favorite ideas from your posts on my blog next week! I’d love to share one of YOUR creative concealments! I’ve been out of town so I am looking forward to seeing what you’ve all been up to while I’ve been gone!

All photos: Martha Stewart

42 Comments

  1. rosieswhimsy

    I know the best thing for me to do is eliminate my clutter but I’d rather have a huge room filled with those shelves all decked out with covers and attractive bins ….. labeled so i knew where everything was located ……. sigh …..think Martha would come over and help me? HA!

    Reply
  2. Jill

    Just got one of the silver utility carts for storage in my office at work. Love the fabric/clothespin idea.

    Reply
  3. courtney

    great ideas Melissa! I wish mine were that gorgeous. Ah well…baby steps! :-)

    Reply
  4. MaryBeth

    I too find that when I know somebody is coming over to my house I take a quick look around and start picking up stuff. Not messy or dirt, just stuff. Why do I accept living with clutter everyday but think my friends can’t walk into my house if it is left out? Thanks for the thought provoking post. You can charge me the hourly therapist fee.

    Reply
  5. Jan

    I love the cupboard with the sweet curtains. So quaint and cute.

    Reply
  6. the Farmer's Wife

    I really need that bin storage system. When I feel the house is getting out of control I watch 4 hours of “Clean House” and I’m so motivated that everything gets organized pronto.

    – Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife

    Reply
  7. mrs darling

    Hmm I dont think I like everything covered up and concelaed like that. We have a TV that disappears into the big armoir at a touch of a button. It’s a hgue thing and is mounted on a hydraulic jack so it can be concealed. I never lower it. <aybe Im weird that way.

    Reply
  8. Brenda Kula

    I wish our computers were in a space where I could close them off. For one thing, the screens would be protected. But that’s not in the cards right now. I’m one of those people who hate huge flat-screen tvs staring at me too. So I leave that to my husband’s living area. I’d love to seal that off too, believe me! Keep up the good concealment ideas, please! We all end up living with too much we’d like to hide and don’t get around to figuring out a way!
    Brenda

    Reply
  9. Rhoda

    All are great & smart looking concealments, Melissa.

    Happy Wednesday!
    Rhoda

    Reply
  10. this is glamorous

    Hello Melissa! Hope your week is going well. How fantastic is that top image? Love your creative concealment series, especially since I’ve been having one of those months–things still in suitcases, shoes and handbags everywhere, only water and chocolate in the refridgerator! Is there anything that can conceal a crazy busy lifestyle? :)

    Reply
  11. this is glamorous

    And oops — refrigerator — need to invent a spellcheck for comments :)

    Reply
  12. please sir

    These are great – loving the ways they conceal!

    Reply
  13. Pieter

    Happy 1st Birthday Melissa! Thanks for sharing on your amazing blog !

    Reply
  14. Brandee

    Great ideas Melissa! I’m still in the middle of a couple concealment projects. I’ll let you know when I’m done.

    Brandee :-)

    Reply
  15. katiedid

    Heaven knows I could use a little help in this area! Great ideas and advise as usual!

    Reply
  16. A-M

    HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY Melissa! Your blog is a daily visual and spiritual indulgence for me. I have an ‘Inspired Room’ file that I will be drawing on when I eventually have a house…. so many inspiring ideas… they will change the face of my home. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and talents with us. A-M xx

    Reply
  17. Melissa Lewis - Off The Wall

    LOVE that computer cozy! What a great idea. I, however, know that I would never take the time to put it back on after I used it… but I love it!!!!!!

    BTW… HAPPY FIRST BLOG BIRTHDAY!!! My, you have done A LOT in one year!

    Reply
  18. Muralimanohar

    Happy, happy Birthday!! May your blog live long and prosper! :p

    I love the idea of the creative concealments…I just can’t think of any in my house, lol. I don’t actually conceal anything. :p

    Reply
  19. Laura Ingalls Gunn

    A bright and beautiful bird whispered in my ear that it is your birthday. It really looks good on you. Congratulations!

    Reply
  20. Barbara

    Love these pictures, especially the Computer Cozy, what a cute idea, I never would have thought of something like that!

    Congratulations on a year of blogging!!

    Reply
  21. Beverly

    Happy First Blogging Birthday, Melissa. Isn’t Felicity the greatest to let us know?

    The blogging world wouldn’t be the same without you. I value you sharing your beautiful spirit as well as your eye for all things beautiful.

    Reply
  22. Loretta

    I’ve been staring at my TV armoire in my bedroom, hating the shelves filled with books, magazines, and DVD’s. Now I’m going out to get some curtain rods -brilliant ideas!

    I’ve nominated you for a Brilliant Blogger award over at my blog. The only requirement is that you pass it on to your fave blogs.

    Reply
  23. Dana

    My first visit to your blog and I am loving it all! Thanks for sharing, I will stop back by soon. Many Blessings, dana

    Reply
  24. Christine

    Yay!! Happy Blog birthday!
    Ya’ know..I think I might need to enlist your help for my master bedroom..
    u rock.
    Xo

    Reply
  25. Tara

    Great ideas, Melissa…I cannot take clutter around me but want everything readily accessible, so I try to conceal lots of things nearby–the trick is to rememeber where it is! Love the computer cover!

    Reply
  26. Trina

    Happy blogging birthday to you!!! to you!!!!!
    Trina xoxoxo

    Reply
  27. Christi from Charm & Grace

    Love that last one with the rolling storage … fabric and clothes pins. Terrific! (And easy to change if you get bored with the look of the fabric.)

    First blogging birthday?? I thought you’d been doing this forever. You’re a pro, that’s for sure.

    :-) Christi

    Reply
  28. Porchlight Interiors

    Hi Melissa, very interesting insight into a problem I have long suffered from – ignoring the clutter until someone is coming over. It really does make you look at your home in a new light when you know guests are coming. Great to see some stylish solutions. Tracey

    Reply
  29. Fifi Flowers

    Happy Anniversary!
    Will you be sharing some of that lovely cake?
    It looked positively delicious!

    Reply
  30. Fifi Flowers

    One more thing… in honour of your anniversary… why don’t you send a link to your FAVORITE photo and I will paint it… just a thought… I can’t bake you a virtual cake… but I could paint you something virtually… Happy Anniversary again… that’s a lot of posting!

    Reply
  31. Joni Webb

    Congrats on your one year! I’m older than you by two months! hahah!!!! love YOU!!!!!! you are the best!!!!!!!!!!

    from the exclamation lover
    Joni

    Reply
  32. Catherine

    Thanks Melissa! Once again these ideas are great! I love the computer monitor cover.
    Hugs,
    Cathie

    Reply
  33. hilltopper

    great ideas, im always looking for ways to hide junk!

    Reply
  34. Françoise

    Well done, Melissa!
    Look up my site tomorrow for picture of the “new” living room you inspired, as well as a case of “de-concealment”.

    I am not sure about computer screen covers. I’d rather go for an attractive screen image. They rather remind me of the time when good housewives had to conceal their toasters and other appliances under frilly covers. Too twee for my taste.
    A cover for my perpetually untidy desk would be more to the point ;-)

    Reply
  35. Fanfan

    Your blog is really inspiring!
    Thank you very much,

    Reply
  36. KJ

    These are fabulous ideas. Our storage space is so limited, I have to conceal many things….. KJ

    Reply
  37. Jenny

    I hate clutter, loved those ideas!

    Reply
  38. Connie

    GREAT idea………

    Reply
  39. M&Co

    Beautiful post, and fabulous images! So light, and uncluttered! :-)

    Reply

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