Minute Makeover: Switch Out Your Switch Plates

Minute Makeover is a new series I’m starting to help give you ideas about how to add a fresh look to your home, without having to remodel or spend lots of time or money. I often try to take on big projects and then never get around to them because I just never make the time. I’ve found it’s helpful to instead focus on doing just a quick room update that can be done in a few minute’s time. If I do that once a week or even once a month, it can make a big difference over time. So, keep an eye out for “Minute Makeover” ideas and you'll have a fresh look in no time.

Here’s the thing: if you’re looking for a way to spice up the look of your home—or even just one room—without spending loads of money, then do a few minute makeovers and you’ll be set. Slowly, but surely, you’ll see your home go from drab to fab!

Today’s idea is to switch out your switch plates. Often called wall plates or light switch panels, switch plates are the plastic, metal, or ceramic plates that covers the small piece of the wall where your light switch or outlets are.

If you’re anything like me, then you love to find a good deal—and there are plenty to be found at rokhardware.com.  As with most products sold by ROK, the switch plates are on a tiered price system, meaning the price goes slightly down the more you buy! All switch plates include the mounting screws, so all you need at home is a screwdriver, which you probably already have, but if you don’t, then you can add one to your cart here.

As far as light switches go, ROK offers switch plates mostly for push button switches, but there is one option for toggle switches as well. There are also lots of options for switch plates of outlets in colors matching the light switch plates.

Click the photos below to see more of ROK’s color and style options. (They are categorized below by size, but click on the photo to see even more colors and styles). As always, if you can’t find what you need on the website, give us a call at 1-800-763-8390 because we may be able to offer even more!

1 Gang Switch Plates

2 Gang Switch Plates

3 Gang Switch Plates

4 Gang Switch Plates

3 Toggle Switch Plate

Double Receptacle Outlet Switch Plate

Quadruple Receptacle Outlet Switch Plate

Now, as I said, this is a "minute makeover.” It will honestly probably take you longer to pick out your switch plates than it will to actually install them. Replacing your old ones with new ones is extremely easy. All you need is a screwdriver.

Step 1: Remove the screws from the currently-installed switch plate and then remove the actual switch plate (it will probably fall away once the screws are removed).

Step 2: Line up the new switch plate so that the switch plate’s holes are directly over the holes in the wall.

Step 3: Use your screwdriver to install the included screws into the holes.

That’s it!