diy projects

Hiding Cords for Wall Sconces & Picture Lights

Posted on March 1, 2023

After sharing our guest bedroom, specifically my sconce makeover & installation, I’ve received many questions about how exactly we hid the sconce cords. It’s no mystery and an easy fix! It has also been quite awhile since I’ve shared on this particular topic, so I wanted to break down what we use to create a tailored (cord-free) clean look. If we’re installing wall sconces or picture lights, we will always hide the cord with a cover. Click through for a quick tutorial- this makes all the difference and it takes less than five minutes! Remember friends, design is in the details…

Emmett & I have been using this tried & true method since we began renovating over a decade ago. You’ve probably heard of products called: cord conduit, wire chase, cord concealer, cord housing, cord casing, cord management, etc. They all do the same thing… hide and organize cords!

Hiding Cords for Wall Sconces & Picture Lights - roomfortuesday.com

Here are a couple before images in our guest room. The sconces in here are very budget friendly and not being higher-end, the inexpensive cord definitely cheapens the look. Believe it or not- some cords are actually nice… wrapped in cord, cotton, or are woven. These, on the other hand, are basic. Cords also tend to annoy me (visually).

This is the cord cover kit we prefer. You can grab it from Amazon or your local hardware store. This is nice because it only requires basic scissors to cut & install- plus, it’s paintable. I like to paint it the same color as the wall.

This kit also comes with elbows and joints, so you can turn the cord at a 90 degree angle… which is exactly what we did in our guest room for ultimate cord concealing. Keep scrolling and I’ll show you!

You can definitely eyeball the install, but we always use our handy laser level. Our color blocked walls would make a crooked cord cover look very obvious, so a level was extra necessary in this room.

Measure and mark the cord cover to your desired length, then use scissors to cut it. I just used scissors from my desk, but kitchen scissors or craft scissors will work. No need for heavy duty ones or wire cutters! Then you’ll peel the backing off (it’s lined with adhesive on the backside), and stick it to your wall.

Once you’ve got it stuck, you can use the elbows & joints to add more pieces if necessary. Then you’ll push the cord into the cover until it’s totally concealed. The last step is painting the cord cover. Again- I prefer to paint it the same color as the wall, but if you like a little contrast- it’s totally fine to leave it as is (white). Here’s a peek at how it looks from a distance…

It definitely provides a clean and tailored look… almost like a tiny piece of trim or millwork. Cords can feel chaotic and messy, so this is best case scenario for plug-in light fixtures.

If you’re looking for examples outside of bedrooms, I’ll drop a couple images of our previous home below. I was serious when I said anytime we install a plug-in sconce or picture light, we always conceal the cord.

If you’re installing multiple works of art, I like to cut small pieces of cord cover to sandwich in between the frames. In our previous laundry room, our picture light had a tiny switch (that’s the little button below the bottom frame), so securing it to the wall with cord conduit actually made it more functional… as opposed to fishing for it. We also used it in our living room for a large drum sconce behind our sofa…

If you’re not hardwiring fixtures and have exposed cords- this is definitely the way to go. It’s so quick and easy. This also works for table & floor lamps! I’m going to link one other helpful blog post when it comes to cords… definitely check out my tips & advantages of implementing floor outlets for cord management. Those work great for floor lamps, desks (desktop computers), and other “floating” fixtures & tech that require being plugged in. Let me know if you have questions in the comment section! I hope this was helpful.

Sarah

Founder & Creative Director

Peggi

March 1, 2023 at 5:21 am

Good morning! Shazam! You practically made them disappear like magic. Painting it the wall color is perfect. I love it. I really appreciate an easy, affordable option for disguising a cord as I’m currently unlikely to splurge on a hardwired wall fixture. Dangly, twisted ugly brown cords are such a buzz kill. Since they’re photoshopped out of most interior images we consume, I find cords particularly pernicious in my home. I actually kind of take it personally. Thanks for sharing your preferred product too; a trusted recommendation helps this indecisive human immensely. Well, we made it through February! We have snow in the forecast, but I’m going to bake a chocolate cake and pretend I didn’t hear that. 🤣🥶 Happy March! Have an amazing Wednesday, Sarah!💜

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Sarah
March 1, 2023 at 8:22 pm
Shazam! Goodbye ugly cords. Hah! That’s such a good point and observation- cords, switch plates, outlets, etc are always edited out for editorial purposes. I’m indifferent about that, but they really are eyesores. I’m all about organizing the chaos of cord jungles for a more streamlined look. We do love the Legrand kit- we’ve been buying those for years and haven’t had one fall off yet! Whew, February seemed long for being a short month. We also had snow today and I can only dream of eating (and baking) a chocolate cake right now. I wish you lived closer, I’d run over for an evening snack. Hope you had a great cozy day in the kitchen! xox

Lauren

March 1, 2023 at 7:18 am

Good morning! Chords…the bain of my existence. Nothing frustrates me more than a bunch of dangling chords. I love that products like this exist for the folks like me who want the function and the beauty. I have used similar products with “meh” results- yours looks incredible, so I’ll now be switching to your recommended product. I wish Jeff were on board with hiding and covering chords. Somehow when he plugs in electronics of any kind you’ll inevitably have a large tangled mess as the final result. This simple solution is so functional, and the end result is beautifully tailored. I love that the kit comes with additional pieces to assist with directing chords to outlets. Thanks for sharing this Sarah! I hope you’re all staying safe and warm. We have had non-stop rain since 5pm last night, and this morning the rain has an agenda- pour down as hard as possible. I’m not complaining because we need it, but man, I haven’t seen it rain like this in ages. We didn’t end up with anymore snow, but the day is young. Lol. Stay dry friends!

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Sarah
March 1, 2023 at 8:20 pm
Right? I hate cords. The Legrand version is definitely our favorite- we’ve been using that brand and kit for years. I’m lucky Emmett is just as picky as I am when it comes to taming cord jungles, haha! I was so glad to hear you and the kids enjoyed a cozy snow day today- how fun and random for March 1st! xox

Colleen

March 1, 2023 at 12:04 pm

Oh yes Sarah we have used this kit and it’s great 👍 I highly recommend it. Great for TVs, under cabinet lighting and of course sconces. To keep unsightly cords hidden it makes such an incredible difference as illustrated by your post. It’s a little thing with tremendous impact.
Hope you are having a wonderful day!

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Sarah
March 1, 2023 at 8:17 pm
I love hearing that, Colleen! It’s so handy for all the cord situations. You’re right- a small thing that makes a big impact. I hope you had a great Wednesday! xox

Lia

March 1, 2023 at 2:05 pm

I used this same cord cover to hide the surround sound speaker wires in our TV room. The one that was installed on an interior wall is doing great but the one was installed on an exterior wall is peeling away – the adhesive backing does not seem strong enough to handle the slight temperature fluctuations that can happen on an exterior wall. I have been planning to but some stronger adhesive and reattach it with that. But aside from that, they work well and I appreciate the paintability.

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Sarah
March 1, 2023 at 8:16 pm
Good to know, Lia! I’d definitely only recommend this product for interiors. I believe there are some metal cord conduit options that can be permanently affixed to exterior walls. I’d look into those options for a potential replacement. Hope that helps!

Monica

March 2, 2023 at 7:26 pm

I love how this turned out! Can you share your measurements for the scone placement? Your room is beautiful!

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Sarah
March 5, 2023 at 2:24 pm
Thank you, Monica! The sconces are 55″ (on center) from the floor. Hope that helps!

Sheila K.

March 7, 2023 at 12:44 pm

Amazing piece of content, Thanks for putting everything under one roof!

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Sarah
March 7, 2023 at 1:15 pm
Happy to share, Sheila!