Technology Takeover: How to Fight Back

In the past thirty years, I feel like technology has just begun to invade every part of our lives. Granted I’m the first to admit that technology is a great thing, but sometimes it is overwhelming. Every room in the house has a television, including a big screen television in the living room, plus computers in several rooms along with phones and stereo systems scattered throughout the house. There are times when I just want to throw progress out the window and take a break. When I get into those moods, I try to think of options for masking technology in my house. After using some of these ideas, I have found that my home seems more relaxing and less like the Jetson’s home and more like my home.

Tackling the televisions is the first line of defense. Televisions, especially the big-screen televisions take up so much space and quickly become the center of attention in any room. My personal favorite option is simply using a classy armoire in order to cover up the television. However, these pieces are bulky and expensive. There are several ways to handle this situation. If you can move the TV to another room if it is better suited in another place and not in this room. For instance if you have a recreation room the larger TV might be more appropriate in that room than in the living room. Then you can have a smaller TV in a smaller cabinet for catching the news or a quick show. Another option is to embrace the larger TV in the room it is in. Change the function of the room to the TV room and make the large screen TV the focal point of the room. No one will doubt the function of the room and you can decorate a comfortable TV watching space.

Although small, telephones are situated in every room of most houses. Many people find it helpful to have phones in each room, but they are generally somewhat unattractive and many times only a few phones in a house are actually used. When buying phones, your best bet is to buy one or two cordless phones along with one phone with a cord (just in case the power goes out) so that you do not have to have a phone station in every room. You can also find phones that will match your decorations. Using black or grey phones is usually best as they do not attract a lot of dirt and dust.

Yet another alternative, if like me you have several phones on each level of your home, is to inadvertantly hide them behind frames or plants or other decorative accessories. You should have access to easily get to the phone but you don't have to look at it all the time.

Like televisions, stereo systems take up a lot of room and are generally ugly. Covering these sets up is often a little more difficult than covering televisions. Your teens may want to reach the stereo easily and you may store it on a shelf with books or other items. Buying an official stereo cabinet or small armoire can offer covering for the stereo but may be rather expensive. You can also purchase a small screen or make a small screen out of picture frames to place in front of the stereo. The solution is attractive, and you may even be able to show off your family rather than the front of a stereo.

Technology has improved our lives in many ways, but allowing it to take over our homes can be depressing and unattractive. Using a little ingenuity will allow you to hide the unsightly items and show off the parts of your home that you love.
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Rhonda Morin, owner of http://myinteriordecorator.com and author of The Decorating Bible, enjoys writing and teaching others how to decorate the homes of their dreams.
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Copyright (R) Rhonda Morin, MyInteriorDecorator.com. Article may not be reprinted without permission and may not be reprinted without author byline including the active links.

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