The Decorative Solution To Visible Game Consoles Is A Simple DIY Away

A gaming console can be a thrilling addition to your living room, creating fun for the whole family. But tangles of cords and blinking lights can put a damper on your home's decor. Gaming consoles can be distracting, even when not in use, but one viral DIY trend demonstrates an innovative way to seamlessly incorporate them into your interior design. 

The solution is crafting a sleek cover for your console using affordable materials you might already have around the house. The cover's lightweight and accessible design allows you to easily remove it when it's time to play games and keep the console discreetly concealed when not in use. You can finish the cover with contact paper in your choice of patterns to achieve your desired look. This is perfect for households that want to keep the console in common living areas without taking away from the room's ambiance. 

From PlayStations to Xboxes, game consoles of all types are compatible with this versatile DIY, which can be tailored to fit both your console and your style preferences. You can use recycled materials like cardboard to give this DIY a sustainable spin, or assemble a sturdier version out of wood. If you'd rather make a store run instead of getting crafty, you can also find budget-friendly boxes at popular retailers and repurpose them into a cover for your console. Here is how to create the perfect gaming console cover for your home that's both convenient and aesthetically pleasing. 

One popular method uses wood glue and fiberboard to construct a sturdy box with an open bottom. Measure your console, and buy fiberboard that's a few inches longer for ample space. You'll need a large, flat piece for the top and four shorter pieces for the sides. An essential component to a functional console cover is holes in the back for cables. You can either cut the planks and cable notches yourself or have them cut for you at a hardware store before assembling. Once you assemble the frame and the glue dries, clean the surface of the fiberboard, apply contact paper of your choice, and smooth it evenly so there are no air bubbles. Next, remove any excess contact paper, and use a heat gun or blow dryer to seal it. 

You can also repurpose cardboard boxes for a similar effect. Once again, measure your console and use scissor to cut panels out of the cardboard, allowing for extra space. Use a strong glue, like hot glue or super glue to assemble the pieces together, leaving the bottom open to accommodate the console. Once the glue dries, you can apply contact paper using the same method. While the cardboard DIY option may be simpler and more cost-effective, it won't be as sturdy. 

Finally, you can find boxes at popular stores that work well in this DIY. You can use paper or cardboard boxes like the TJENA storage box from IKEA that comes in a range of sizes. Simply remove the lid, cut holes for cables, and flip the box over to conceal the console.

Tailoring this DIY console cover to fit your personal taste is simple since the versatile design uses contact paper. Contact paper can liven up your space and is available in an abundance of colors and patterns. For a clean, elegant design, you can choose marbled patterns, like the Dimoon white granite contact paper. For a more playful appearance, Amiya's checkerboard contact paper adds an element of fun and is the perfect design idea for your home game room. 

If you decide to purchase a box from the store, you can choose one that gives your room personality. One option is to choose a container made from unique materials, like the GJÄTTA velvet storage box from IKEA. This can elevate your space by adding texture and depth to your display. You can also look for uniquely shaped boxes like a faux book storage container for a result that's sophisticated and charming. 

If you have a sturdier console cover, you can place a decorative vase or a small stack of books on top to complete the look. Just be sure not to place anything too heavy or messy on top, since you don't want to damage the console. For additional organization, you can even use Command hooks to hide your tangled mess of cables.  At first glance, the DIY console cover may appear to be just an upscale accent or table decor, but the design is as functional as it is stylish. And when it's time to relax and play games, your console is just one swift motion away.