I'm repainting my kids' room in our new house and have come across two unsightly junction boxes near the baseboards. They used to have metal faceplates, but my wife thinks they're really unattractive, and we would prefer to cover them with white plastic faceplates. However, I'm facing a few issues: the junction boxes and their metal faceplates seem to be different sizes, the plastic faceplates I bought from Home Depot don't fit (they seem to be designed for light switches), and any faceplate I attach will interfere with the baseboards. I'm looking for some creative solutions to manage this situation! Here's a link to a picture of the junction boxes: https://imgur.com/a/cvCI2KX
2 Answers
You might not find a decorative cover for that metal box on the right, but the box on the left looks like a standard 2-gang box, so any 2-gang faceplate should fit right. For the metal one, check out these nicer covers I found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1QZCJS8. If you want to make it match, consider spray painting them white after you get them.
Have you thought about using 'oversize' white plastic faceplates? You could attach them to the metal ones using magnets. Just cut off the existing screws with a multi-tool, hot glue the magnets on the back, and stick them to the metal plates. Another idea is to disguise them as heat vents with a vent grille that fits over them. Just back it with black construction paper so no one can see the electrical stuff. Make sure to let the next person know, though, since they might need access!
Be careful though! Attaching anything magnetically to a junction box with live wires, especially in a kids' room, could be risky.