If you live in a climate with hot summers, then air conditioning units are certainly something you are familiar with. While of course many homes and offices have central air conditioning, this is not always the budget friendly or practical solution for cooling a space, nor possible if the space is a rental. So hello to individual AC units, whether they be wall mounted or are placed in a window come the hot summer months. Many people choose air conditioning from Design Air or other reputable brands to both cool and heat their homes, and air conditioners available in today's market are a better than ever for residential and commercial purposes. Therefore, the only choice we have in many cases is to figure out how to make that wall mounted unit stick out just a bit less!
If you are like me, and love to put a lot of effort into designing and decorating your home, these AC units are huge eyesores, and you can't help but think about what the options might be, or dream about getting rid of them altogether! The reality is, we do need, and are grateful for, the AC, but isn't there a way to minimize that sore thumb feeling and help them stick out just a bit less?
The answer is yes! Let me help you with a few simple tips, so keep on reading!
Before I get started with some budget friendly tips and well as more expensive options do keep in mind two important rules:
- Never block air flow around the equipment. You’ll only impede its operation (so it won’t cool your space as well) and it can overheat.
- Make sure that there is easy access to the unit and it electrical source, especially
Above: Mount your AC unit over a shelf for a cute combo
Tip #1: Mount Your AC Unit over a cabinet or shelf
Because the AC unit literally sticks out, pairing it with something else that also sticks out as well helps the unit blend in. A shelf, or even a few shelves styled with really great items will draw the eye to that, and take the focus away from the AC unit, which is the goal.
Tip #2: Hang Art Under Your AC Unit
To detract your attention from the AC unit, or even make it seem like it belongs to a set, visually, hang attractive art under the AC unit that is the exact width of the unit. A pair of pictures actually works really well because then there is a set of three, which very often looks much better than a pair, when the items are not the same.
Tip #3: Create A Niche For Your AC Unit
If you are in luck, maybe your home already has a niche to house your AC unit, as in the photo above, but if not, it might be something worth considering if you are re-configuring a space and will be doing some interior construction in any case. As you can see this space is not decorated, and surely there will be a cabinet under that AC unit, helping it blend in even more. Why does a niche make a difference? Because whenever you can minimize the fact that the unit sticks out, you are minimizing its eye sore tendencies!
Tip #4: Build A Custom Cabinet To Hide Your AC
Ahhh, hiding that unit altogether is a dream! And one can hide it in an upper cabinet as pictured above as long as the cabinet can either be easily disassembled or allows access from both the top and the front. Make sure that the unit can be opened easily to remove the filters for cleaning, something that does need to be done relatively often. So sorry, this is not an easy thing to figure out, but it is certainly done, and can be designed to suit your specific unit. There are two ways to think about a cabinet to conceal your AC unit:
- Design a cabinet with doors that slide open, or life up, when the AC unit is in use (great for people that live in moderate climates and only really use the unit a few months a year at most)
- Design a cabinet that has front panels that hid the AC unit without blocking the air flow, namely by using a louvered door, or laser cut panel.
Above: The AC unit is not only installed in an awkward spot, but may have been more successful in a different color to match the cabinets or at least look like it is related visually to the kitchen.
Tip #5: Consider Color Options For AC Units
Not all AC units are white, and in fact I bought some square black units for my kid's bedrooms a few years back that i just love as they look modern and great. So do consider your options regarding model color. Some folks do paint their AC to match the wall color, which can be a great idea if done properly with paint that is made for plastic only. Anything to help that unit blend in is a great idea, just make sure it will still look good a few good years down the road, and it you paint it, that is easily cleanable with a cloth.
Above: this is an example of an AC unit as an afterthought
Tip #6: Consider the AC While Designing The Space, Not As An Afterthought
If you are fortunate enough to be in a position to be designing a space from scratch, think about the AC unit from the very start, please! In the photo above, it is clearly an afterthought, which certainly is sad given the great monetary investment that went into the furniture. Quite a bit of design effort went into this space as well, including inset sections for lighting in the ceiling and yet no one considered the AC unit? Hmmmm, you can do much much better!
I hope these tips have been helpful, and do keep in mind, that at the end of the day the most important thing is filling your home with love and good intentions, so don't stress out too much it that AC unit is somewhat of an eyesore, that should be your worst problem, right? Stay cool and remember to breathe!
