In any big outdoor project, there are lots of landscape details. And when there’s a lot of hardscape, there are even more details. Some of those details make our lives so much easier and prettier, but they themselves are less than pretty. They can be downright distracting.

When you are closing in on the end of the project and exhaustion is setting in, the temptation is to let some of the little landscape details slide. But the details can really make it — or in today’s case, keep it from distracting from all the beauty you’ve worked so hard to create.

It’s a power box, right where we need. But not where we want to see it!

So the answer is to camouflage it!

With paint of course! Oh, the power of paint, and such a little amount of paint.

You’ll need:

• Primer
• Sample of outdoor paint
• Foam brushes
• Painters tape
• Scrap paper
• Two 3-prong converters

On the side: Did you know Dutch Boy makes exterior paint in samples? I may be slow to the knowledge caravan, but this was new to me!

Now this is where the two converters come in.

They prop the door open while the paint and primer dry.

As in all painting, it is best to remove painters tape while the paint is still wet.

Leave the converters in for several days to let both your primer and your paint totally cure to prevent the door from sticking and tearing off the paint.

Easy and quick, and downright cheap (I had the primer and tape on hand)! It’s the trifecta of landscaping details.

Whether you’re hiding a box or just wires if they are against a solid color surface, use that color. If you are against a stone wall as my example, choose darker, rather than lighter. Dark colors recede and they will also hide in the shadows. Our eyes are immediately drawn to bright colors and anything shiny, so you want to keep it dark and dull.

Go for matte finish. Once again, our vision is drawn to anything shiny.

And don’t forget the details. They are so rewarding for such little effort.