How to hide lamp cords: A 3-step hack that costs $12

Conceal unsightly lamp cords with an easy 3-step hack that costs $12 and requires just two materials. Plus, 4 more simple ways to hide lamp cords DIY.

Black wall sconce with hidden lamp cords
(Image credit: Dori Turner)

In our high-tech world, cords are a necessity. But when they get in the way of design, they’re just annoying, so knowing how to hide lamp cords is a must for anyone who wants to keep the integrity of their beautifully styled spaces. 

When we gave our son’s room a makeover we installed wall lamps on either side of his bed. They looked great – that is, except for the cords. We brainstormed and came up with a way to hide the unsightly cords and incorporate them into the design with a simple budget-friendly DIY project.

  • Budget: $12
  • Level of difficulty: Easy as pie
  • Time: 1 hour

Before:

Black wall sconce with hidden cords on paneled wall

(Image credit: Dori Turner)

How to hide lamp cords step-by-step

It only requires two products that can easily be found at your local hardware store: plastic adhesive cord covers and spray paint!

Cord cover: White straight channel cord cover from Lowe's.

Spray Paint: Rust-Oleum Painter's-Touch Black General Purpose Spray Paint from the Home Depot.

The best part? It only cost around $12 total! Follow the steps below to get rid of those ugly cords!

1. Measure and cut

Start by measuring the length of cord that needs to be covered. Then cut your cord cover accordingly. Lay your cord cover on a sheet or piece of cardboard to prepare for paint.

Cutting white cord to cover wires

(Image credit: Dori Turner)

2. Grab the paint

Spray paint works great for this project and we chose one that was a paint and primer in one for maximum adhesion. We went with the color black so it would blend in with the color of the lamps.

Cords to cover wires

(Image credit: Dori Turner)

The nice thing about this project is being able to customize the color you need! Spray the cord cover lightly back and forth, you don’t want to do too much or it will cause the paint to run. Continue in this way until it’s completely covered and allow it to dry.

Spray painting cord covers in black Rustoleum

(Image credit: Dori Turner)

3. Install the cover

Once your paint has completely dried, you’re ready to install the cord cover! Carefully insert your cord into the cover and push the cord in moving down the length of the cord cover. 

Cords to cover wires

(Image credit: Dori Turner)

When the cord is inside the cover make sure it’s positioned in the right place. Remove the adhesive backing and attach it to the wall making sure it’s straight.

DIY hiding lamp cords

(Image credit: Dori Turner)

The results:

Now, instead of an eyesore, your cord is a beautiful part of the design!

Black wall sconce with hidden lamp cords DIY

(Image credit: Dori Turner)

Other ways to strategically hide cords

We’ve lived in a lot of houses over the course of our marriage, all with different layouts and designs. We’ve had to be really creative in coming up with ways to hide our cords so they’re out of the way.

1. Run the cord along trim and baseboards

This trick can be used for many different situations. If you’re running wires from a speaker, you can tuck them under the baseboards. We used to have our TV over the fireplace so we tucked the cord in between the bricks on our fireplace, drilled a small hole in the side of our built-in shelves and ran the cord along the back corner of the bookshelf. You could do the same if you have shiplap over your fireplace.

2. Hide them under a rug

Our recliners are electric and sit in the middle of our living room. In order to hide the cords that ran across the floor we hid them under the edge of our large area rug.

Hiding lamp cords under carpet

(Image credit: Dori Turner)

3. Run them behind furniture

If you have a desk that backs up to a wall you can tape the cords from a monitor, printer, etc. along the backside of the legs of the desk so they can’t be seen. If you’re in the market for a new desk, accent table or night stand, many of them now come with built-in outlets and ports to conceal phone chargers and more!

4. Paint them to blend into the background

If none of the above works for your situation you could opt to paint the cords to blend into the background and make them as inconspicuous as possible!

Hiding lamp cords behind a unit

(Image credit: Dori Turner)
Dori Turner

Dori Turner writes blog posts and feature articles on affordable design and DIY from her home in the heart of Oklahoma. She has a passion for teaching others how they can transform their home on a budget.