I abhor painted switchplates!  Unless they are painted correctly (and they never are) including at least 1 coat of primer, the paint scratches off easily and they end up looking horrible.  If you are looking to give the home an upgraded look buy brass or metal switchplates.  You can also find 'designer' switchplates for a couple bucks each.  Whenever I buy a house one of the first 'improvements' I make is to upgrade the switchplates.  It is a subtle change but IMO gives the home an upgraded feel for less than 100 bucks.  

As for the grill covers, leave them alone.  I mean who really cares that much about them.  They are a necessity and white gives them about as crisp and clean a look as you are going to get.

Besides, it looks like the trim around the doors and windows is white.  Matches fine! 

Juliet, the problem with painting cover plates----and I see it done lots----- is that you can't paint the receptacles themselves.  Some paints are "conductive" and painting the receptacle it self can lead to shorting across the prongs of the plub resulting in arcing/overheating---bad juju:)  When these get painted I have to call for them to be replaced.

Juliet ~ I haven't seen painted switchplates in years - and most often they were painted while still on the wall out of sheer laziness!  I agree about the grill, and the switchplates are easily changeable for a small expense if the new homeowner decides to change them out.

It depends....I prefer the plates to blend in as much as possible...and unless the trim is dove white, I am not in favor of the white ones.  It all depends.  The painted plates are usually dirty-looking and sloppy in appearance.  If painted well, I love them!  Some homes have way too many switches etc...and it simply clutters up the walls and is a distraction.  I did one home where each wall had several separate switches as well as the Nutone speaker-style system.  It simply looked messy.  ART should stand out on a wall, not the light switches.

Regardless of taste, updating to new cover plates is a good idea.  It is as easy as updating hardware on cabinetry and adds a certain 'Je nai sais quoi' which speaks more of 'freshness' and 'cleanliness' if anything.  The metal plates tend to rust easily here in Florida so I do not recommend them.  Other places which are less humid and not so near the larger bodies of water (Gulf, Oceans, lakes) might survive less 'rustic' trauma! : )   Regards-Kathleen G

What about this "trend" I saw in one house that I did a consultation for:  THEMED plates - different ones in each room!  There were Pooh, baseball, roses, fishing, fruits & vegetables...even a "laundry" one! 

Here's one for Elaine ;)  Julie

I think it depends on the home and how many switch plates they have. If there are many on a single wall, especially a darker painted wall like this home with the green it could wind up being a distaction from the nicer elements.

In older homes, many of the outlets are that beige color that just looks outdated. I don't believe in themed switchplates, it's too crafty/cottagy looking and does not look clean. I think either fresh white new plates OR paint over in certain rooms where it's necessary. If they are all painted over though, the realtor may never be able to find the switches to turn the lights on!

I think every case is different and no, I don't believe this is a trend. LOL

Hey Fernando...I too have used the Stainless steel coverplates...particularly in laundry rooms...they do look HOT! (OK...an exception to my no metal plates in FL rule...)  : )

Juliet,

I agree with you, I think the white covers are crisp looking.  When I see a painted switch cover, I always think the person who last painted didn't know how to remove them before painting.

Hi Juliet,  For staging, I think all the switchplate covers should be either white or almond, depending on the paint color on the walls.  I would never recommend painting the covers themselves, especially because the people who purchase the house may want to paint the walls a different color and then they are stuck replacing the switchplate cover (that has been painted) as well.  Love the paint color on these walls, btw!

Hey, Charles, that's great information.  And I love the phrase "bad juju".  I shall work that into a sentence as often as possible for the rest of the day.  It totally explains what it likely terribly complicated!

Stainless, huh?  That's a fun contemporary look, Fernando.  It wouldn't work here, maybe in the City, it's a fun idea.

I love the short cut of putting new switchplates to give a wall a renovated look.  Tony, you have given us another item for the Caveat Emptor List!!

Julia - Oh my!  Now THAT's running with a theme, eh?

Karla, thanks for helping me feel not too badly out of the loop!

Tammy and Kathy - that's amusing... maybe folks think they need an electrician to remove the plate?  ;-0

Diana - I agree.  The whole house is pretty bold, colorwise, and I just resonated with this soft green.  Ve-ry soothing without being institutional!

Kathleen - I'm starting a support group for you at once, with live telethon, for Rustic Trauma - I can't bear that you have to suffer so!!  Teasing aside, you make a great point - and we did have the NuTone knob as well here, too!!!  Good to hear from you.

A big NO to painted light switches.  I would rather see a crisp white switch than a painted one that implies, "I was too lazy to unscrew the plate before I painted."  

Kristina - with you, babe!  But it wasn't just any old realtor that asked me, it was the Broker!!!  <sigh> I get so intimidated by titles.

Yikes, it looks like I'm in the minority again.  When I refer painters, depending on the paint color (as in the photo), I may ask them to remove the electrical plates, prime and paint them the color of the walls to blend in.  I do not recommend painting grill covers. 

I would never recommend plates be painted while still on the wall though.

Jackie

Juliet- I agree! Leave your switch plates alone, people!!!! I spent almost an hour one day in a house that had the clear plastic ones with wall paper in them. I had to gently pull out the paper, and turn it around to the white side!

A ROOSTER switch plate cover??? When will the madness stop.......

Hello Juliet....Yes, good idea....some sort of telethon is in order...though I am sure to come up with more exciting and exotic ailments other than Rustic Trauma!!  (Actually, that is a good start for the premiere opening hour!! C'mon folks, the operators are waiting for your calls!) 

We could dig up all kinds of traumatizing rusty artifacts....old pitted brass lamps from days gone by, rusted and spotted funky artdeco-70s giant limbed lamps with lamp shades which look like salon hair-dryer bubbles...don't get me started!!Hahaha!!  Happy Val-Day!  Regards-Kathleen G

I have to agree leave the switch plates alone...where can you buy the rooster ones ? I was thinking of sending several to Elaine for her next staging.   Elaine, it will never stop...

I like them painted - taken off then painted and then re-installed.  Personally, I hate the look of white switch plates on dark walls.  I had no idea there was such an aversion to it!

No, not a fan of a painted switchplate...looks cheap.  Leave them be...

I recommended to a re-design client, since she was painting the walls a luminescent chocolate brown, to purchase bronze switchplates and update the cabinet drawer pulls to bronze to coordinate.  It looked awesome when it was all done as the bright white covers no longer jumped out from the dark walls.

Switch plate are not a design element and with so many in newer homes I think that they are distracting.

That being said they should be properly painted. New white or ivory would be my second choice. I absolutely hate brass, chrome or theme switch plates. 

You know, Abby, it sounds great, and I'm really impressed with the concept, especially with chocolate.  However, I'd be really reluctant to risk any metallic switchplates.  I would worry that they would deteriorate, becoming either dirty, marked, oxidized, icky somehow.

I like the switchplates white, sometimes they look sloppy when they are painted over.

Doug

That seems to be the general sentiment.  Thanks for stopping by, Doug.

I know I am a little late, but I like them unpainted too. I did not realize this was a "trend" either until I was staging a high-end condo last summer and the homeowner/builder (who is just a few years older than me & very trendy in his personal style), had them all painted, and I asked if this was on purpose? I thought it was his painters being lazy! As far as this being an actual "trend" I have never seen this in any other home since then - new construction or old!

I enjoyed reading everyone else's response though!

Elaine & Mary Lou:  I found the switchplates at www.homedepot.com.  They have a lot of other themes too!  LOL  Julie

I like them painted only when a) done correctly and b) against a dark color wall.  I don't care for the "themed" plates as they're a little corny.

Kathy

I have painted the plates only when they are in very noticeable places. A pet peeve of mine is the switch for the gas fireplaces. Why do the builders insist on putting them at eye level beside the fireplace? I have dark chocolate walls and I have bought dark brown receptacles. I have also painted switch plates when I have needed to in order to make them disappear from very obvious places. I hate them, bright white and plastic looking. That is just my opinion. I don't know if its a trend. If it is I don't do it just to follow them, I do it purely for esthetic appeal. I think Charles makes a very good point. Do not paint the plug receptacle as it is a fire hazard. Thanks for the tip Charles.