New light switch and outlet covers on the cheap

The other day I was walking through my kitchen when the switch cover caught my eye. I gave it a second glance and asked myself, "why in the world did I ever think that was attractive?" We were already in the process of installing a tumbled marble backsplash so I figured new switch and outlet covers were needed as well. I priced them in our local home building supply store. Oh my gosh, I didn't want the whole factory!!! I just need a few covers. I went on the internet thinking I could surely find some switch covers for a better price than $10 or more each. Well those folks are partial to their switch and outlet covers also. They want to make sure they go to wealthy homes.

Well ours is not a wealthy home. But I figured with a little paint I can either make them look better or screw them up and toss them at the worst. I got my ever ready can of black paint and brushed paint on the ugly switch covers (again thinking "really?what was I thinking?) and then with a plastic bag just wiped some of it off to accent the design. I was happy with the result and went to work on the other 10 switch covers throughout the house. As my husband was bringing out new outlet covers to go over the new backsplash I thought I could probly do something to make them coordinate with the switch covers formerly known as ugly. I had some hammered black spray paint and went to work. Outside I layed the outlet covers on wax paper, so they hopefully wouldn't stick. Then I gave them a couple of coats of paint with the screws still in them so the screws were painted as well. Another way to paint the screws is to stick them in some styrofoam so you dont have to hold them. After they dried I put them over the outlets and patted myself on the back. They coordinate awesomely with the swtich covers formerly known as ugly. All of this for free really because all of my paint was left from other projects but even if you have to buy paint the cost of a can of spray paint is less than $10. Happy painting.