Discuss I found the coolest solution for ugly outlets Page 2 on IKEAFANS.com. We're Personalizing the IKEA Experience. I found the coolest solution for ugly outlets - Sinks, Faucets, Knobs and Pulls - also coordinating kitchen elements. See also: Kitchen Appliances and Backsplash |Splashback.
Very cool - unless your backsplash is tiled of course!
And regarding combined plugmold and lights - YES! I WISH!
We love our Xenon lights and don't find them to be hot at all - in fact that was one of the reasons we went with them. I think they say they're 1/3 as hot as halogen? The main benefit to LEDs isn't the heat reduction, it's the long lasting bulbs and reduction in energy consumption. They are cooler since they're significantly smaller but the light isn't a true white and they're spendy
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Neato stuff, all around. I'd love to have the sprockets - maybe by the time we get to our kitchen, all the issues with code and so forth will be worked out.
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I'm not doing any upper cabinets, so the plugmold along the bottom is not an option for me- but I think it's great.
We're planning on using the "active backsplash concept" that Valcucine uses- essentially a 6" channel at the back of the counter (so ifyour average counter depth is 24", this would be 30") covered with soft touch pop up aluminum panels and steam table tray lids. Inside you can have outlets, storage for staples, small appliances.
While building out the cabinets 6" is kind of a lot for getting rid of ugly outlets, you get a lot of storage where you'll use it, and there's no risk of not being approved by the inspector.
Stacy, where did you get the stainless plugmold? I picked up an ugly beige PM at Lowes to show my electrician but thankfully he hasn't installed it yet!
Would love details on yours so I could order one. Thanks!
Taymac makes another option - if your outlets aren't GFCI... Unfortunately ours are, AND home depot has been out of these covers for a while, but basically they look like this and are, of course, paintable - they blend in very well:
The pop up outlet takes up counter space. With my luck I would put one in a spot that I later needed to use for a toaster, or canister, or someother piece of counter clutter. I'd rather have my counter free to use as I please and have my outlets in the wall.
I designed a ladies vanity (no sink) with a pop-up outlet similar to the one shown here. After about 3 years I get a call from the lady that the flange that held it up when in the up position had broken. Luckily the company was very nice and sent her a replacement part at no charge. Makes me wonder however about the durability of the unit.
Stacy, where did you get the stainless plugmold? I picked up an ugly beige PM at Lowes to show my electrician but thankfully he hasn't installed it yet!
Would love details on yours so I could order one. Thanks!
Our electrician ordered it and I'm not sure from where but I can ask him - DH is his computer guy and he's going on Monday to fix...
I know that here they sell in Nickel, White, Charcoal and Brown if one of those would work.
__________________ Never discourage anyone... who continually makes progress, no matter how slow. ~ Plato Craig and Stacy - Slowly making progress since 2005 Need help posting photos to Ikeafans? Check out the Gallery Tutorial
i wanted one of these in the center area of my large island (for a large addition to the house we never did)... i love these things (still talking about the mocket)
All of these are great options. I cannot remember what the Valcucine backsplash is like. BTW, did you get a price for Valcucine cabinets? I'm wondering how they compare to Ikea's.
Snow in Bellevue. I remember 1998 when there was a huge snowstorm and 1 or 2 snowplows. I don't care. I do love everything about that city. I'm going to build, so please save me some property.
Animes2k, I have those Taymac "full coverage" plates in 2 rooms and plan to put them on the outlets in the rest of the house. I LOVE them. The paint doesn't chip, BTW, and I "miss" the outlet holes with the plugs on a very frequent basis! I painted a regular switchplate because I couldn't get the Taymac in the right configuration, did everything "right", it's chipping after 3 months' use.
stacylu, hmmm, maybe the ones at the lighting store I was at were defective, but the xenon strip light I was looking at was quite warm to the touch. We're not going to be able to have a huge amount of distance between counter and bottom of upper cabinet because I'm short and I'd kind of like to use those upper cabs (I know, I am just SO demanding ) and I don't want anything I'd risk ouching a wrist or hand on whilst pulling out the blender or mixer. Yes, it was cooler than the halogens, but with the lights I saw that's kind of like saying it's better to get kicked by a Shetland pony instead of a Clydesdale. LOL I hate fluorescent light with great passion, I'd almost rather go without undercabinet lighting entirely! We'll only have a total of about 12 feet to light, so the LEDs wouldn't be that horrific in cost; I've seen them for about $35 for a 2-foot strip. (I'm typing by LED light right now, cute little jobbie that plugs into my laptop's USB port. )
Susan, phooey on plugmold installation issues, that's what electricians are for!
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) and I don't want anything I'd risk ouching a wrist or hand on whilst pulling out the blender or mixer. Yes, it was cooler than the halogens, but with the lights I saw that's kind of like saying it's better to get kicked by a Shetland pony instead of a Clydesdale. LOL I hate fluorescent light with great passion, I'd almost rather go without undercabinet lighting entirely! We'll only have a total of about 12 feet to light, so the LEDs wouldn't be that horrific in cost; I've seen them for about $35 for a 2-foot strip. (I'm typing by LED light right now, cute little jobbie that plugs into my laptop's USB port.
