Wall vents are the bane of my existence. I’m being a little dramatic, but not much. They can be SO HARD to work with! You have a gorgeous, unbroken wall, just waiting for the right paint, or wallcovering, or piece of art, and then…THE VENT rears its ugly head.
One of my favorite ways of hiding a wall vent is to cover it in wallpaper. This only works, however, when you’re using wallpaper :)
When you’re NOT using wallpaper, I urge you to consider building a gallery wall around the vent. In other words, hide it in plain sight.
This was the first time I incorporated a wall vent into a gallery wall, and my client and I were pleased with the effect. They key was installing a pretty grate in the right metallic finish. (I think I actually painted this one myself. God bless Modern Masters paint.)
I’m stymied by Kelly Wearstler’s decision to ignore this wall vent in her own home. She’s a superstar designer, and this was her best solution? She was doing an art wall anyway! Hmm.
In these two examples, the homeowners beat the wall vents into submission by choking them with art. I think it works.
I especially love that last one, although I would have at least painted the wall vent a camel-y beige-y color if they didn’t want to go to the trouble of wrapping the vent in wallcovering. But the grasscloth provides great visual texture, which, with the art, further distracts you from the unsightly vent.
Wall vents, be warned: YOU WILL NOT CONTROL US. We will be victorious in creating beauty despite your best efforts to stand in our way!
Bossy color: Annie Elliott interior design is a full-service design firm in Washington, D.C. We create outrageously beautiful homes for fascinating people.