No matter the house, plugs, sockets and switches are bound to be in every room. Flipped on, dimmed and pulled at, these design details are put to use each day but they're something we tend to stop seeing after a while and far too many houses are still filled with the bog standard white plastic option. But, given their ubiquity – why not zhuzh up your plug sockets and switches?
A considered light switch or plug socket is a great way to add another level of detail and consideration to a space. While there are endless ways to prettify them, we've chosen the best from the House & Garden archive (and given you a round-up of our favourite shoppable pieces that are sure to light up the room).
White porcelain
For some, white switches may be standard (or have come with the flat). To elevate your white switches, swap out the plastic for porcelain. Pretty, smooth and subtle, porcelain switches are an elegant choice, as shown in Alix Reynis' house in Paris (above), where an early 20th-century style white ceramic light switch, of her own design, coordinates with with light fittings, which Alix also designed. Keeping a running thread between your lights and light switches adds an elegant touch. Most importantly though, the added detail of porcelain switches and the way they feel when you touch them elevate them far above the everyday.
Metallics
Warm metallics add texture to humdrum plugs and sockets. In Eva Chen's comfortable country house, a gold switch panel and socket flank the mirror. The gold coverings match the room's other hardware, threading details together and creating a cohesive design. They are elegant and work well in both period and modern properties, depending on whether you go for a matte or shiny finish. One thing worth noting is that fingerprints are very detectable on gold or bronze switches, so they may need more regular cleaning that a white plastic switch – but they're worth the effort.
The colour of these works so well against a wide range of paint colours, particularly bold blues, soft pinks and creamy neutrals, where they stand out in all the right ways.
Chrome, nickel or silver finishes add polish to any room in the same way as gold and bronze do, but with cool undertones that work in modern houses or rooms with dark colours. They are just as smart and the only differentiation in choice is what feeling you want to convey in a space, what works best with your paint or wallpaper and simply, which one your prefer.
Blend in
Though switches are an inevitable addition to any room, those seeking to hide them away can do so with clear acrylic plating or by covering them up with the room's wallpaper or paint colour. The light switch – a push-in dimmer – in the bedroom of the London flat above blends in seamlessly with the wallpaper and is held in place by an acrylic square. It's a style that has been getting more and more traction as people decide not to break up a well-chosen wallpaper pattern with a big square of metal. These are harder to ind in plug sockets, but for light switches, there is ample choice and they look very smart in person.
Again, you can choose between your metal finish for the actual switch part of the mechanism, so that it chimes well with whatever it sits over.
Stark contrast
Add drama to your room by creating contrast. Consider painting your switches, plugs and sockets an opposing colour to a room's scheme. The upstairs hall in a riverside house by Nicola Harding is a colour story of light pinks, greens and white, starkly contrasted by the midnight-black finishes on the spaces' smaller decorative details: the radiator, sconce, rail, knobs and even the light switches. These are good for modern spaces but be warned, if you don't want your plug sockets and light switches to be a main feature, this is not the choice for you.
Antique
It is no secret that antiques add instant personality to any room, so go old-school with antique switches or plug covers. Opting for unique, classic switch styles is an easy, more affordable way to decorate without re-doing the entire room and opens up a world of patinated options, including some old school wood-mounted switches, perfect for a cottage or farmhouse. Of course, you'll need them to be safety tested and you'll want an electrician to check them out before installing them to make sure they're good to use, but for something different and full of character, antiques are the way to go.
- For porcelain or colourful switches: Katy Paty
- For well-made, traditional switches: Broughtons of Leicster Lighting & Ironmongery
- For smart switches: Jim Lawrence
- For clear-plated switches: Cortson Architectural Detail
- For affordable switches: Pooky
- For switches with unique design: Buster + Punch
- For switches with a vintage flair: your local antiques market or fair!)
