Hide The Eyesore Of A Litter Box With An Artsy DIY That Looks So Unique

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We love our cats when they purr on our laps and entertain us with their gravity-defying antics. But when our furry friends refuse do their potty business in out-of-the-way locations, we feline caretakers may begrudgingly add a litter tray that doesn't mesh with our decor goals. While there are other ways to keep an unsightly litter box hidden from view, using a room divider or partition can allow you to cater to your feline's needs without sacrificing style. Some pet parents get creative and start with a lightweight, metal fireplace screen with mesh panels, and upgrade this with window film to give it a unique and personalized design. For instance, TikToker @lindsaykaywheeler DIYed a castle-themed cat box screen with a stained glass design. Rather than an unappealing eyesore, the room now has an artsy focal point.

This type of partition hides the offensive area without making kitties feel confined, as some of our felines do with enclosed cat litter cabinets. Since this type of screen is lightweight, it's easy to move when the time comes to scoop those boxes. This is a satisfying project since everybody gets their needs met — the fur babies get convenience, while the humans get a more aesthetically pleasing view. However, when a fit of the zoomies has kicked in, some kitties may knock this type of partition over, a problem that could be remedied by using a heavier model of fireplace screen. Whatever materials are used to beautify this DIY partition, it might hide the eyesore of a cat tray, but you'll still need another solution for the odors, such as switching to stainless steel litter boxes.

An easy way to make your own decorative partition is to start with a black, 4-panel fireplace screen. Before the item is assembled, cut sheets of window film to size with a box cutter. Superglue the edges of the film to the mesh panels, then attach the panels together with the included hardware. Voila, you're done. A new, four-panel, black, metal fireplace screen will cost around $40, but you may be able to find a bargain on a secondhand item. The vinyl, stained glass-patterned, latticed window film decals cost approximately $8 a sheet, depending on the size — and they are available in various dimensions, so it should be easy for those who want to try this project out to find the right measurements to fit their particular panels with some light trimming.

Some DIYers might fancy the artsy fireplace screen idea to hide kitty litter boxes, but object to using vinyl for this purpose. If that's your case, you could choose large sheets of decoratively patterned chiyogami wrapping paper as a substitute for the window film to avoid using plastic. This alternative could potentially give the project a higher-end feel as well, while tailoring it to your own unique decor. Or, you could also substitute pieces of patterned fabric, which you can coordinate with your color scheme — or glue pieces of grasscloth wallpaper to the panels for a more organic, nature-inspired feel.