How can I hide this ugly meter?
Related Discussions
How can I hide this ugly gas meter?
This gas meter couldn't be any more obvious - I would love to do find a way to hide it!
How do I hide my ugly chimney that is now part of my deck?
My husband and I have been renovating an older home for the last 13 years. We now have a new deck / Back Porch. The problem is this hideous chimney that we cannot tak... See more
How do I build a rustic trellis that will hide this ugly shed?
My lot backs onto the line where this unsightly, cinder-block shed sits. I need an idea to hide it. I have saved a lot of fallen walnut & maple tree branches that I'd... See more
Howdy Donna!
Boy ... you poor thing! That is perdy discouraging! But never fear ... there is always an answer to "ugly" :) If it were in my yard ... I would probably build a open top "closet" around it ... I am guessing you will have be able to access it for maintenance ... so your closet will need a door ... maybe just inside your "closet" you could attach a 9 ft umbrella high enough so that the crank is just above the top for access. Put some chairs and planters around your "closet" kinda make it the focal point ... whala ... perfect yard! Good Luck!
Another idea is to make a garden around it... with stepping stones to get to your chair. Use the taller plants around the ugly meter (poor planning on the part of the builder, right?!). Tall orange daylily would be fun. With the right planning, the garden would be the focus of attention and the meter would just get lost!
I would definitely go with some sort of Garden around it. You can use a trellis around the box to have plants grow up and take away from your eyes going straight to the box.
You must talk with the company that "owns" the meter first. Obviously, someone "reads" it periodically and needs easy access. Since it stands alone, and has that glass that covers the meter, perhaps paint it; to look like Kevin, the one-eyed minion?
Tall bushes, that blossom would help, tho next to the house (perhaps in the back, away from vision sight) I would have a variety of colors, and make this very pretty. This will help you, and cure the problem as well. Best wishes, Judy.
put some potted plants around it .the meter reader can still read it and you have a nice view. added plus for it, they can be easily moved around or changed with the seasons. ENJOY
Planting something around it is the best idea. Some type of bush that you could trim a hole through it to see the meter. Or, one on each side with the meter viseable through the split. Check your local nursery for ideas...
See if the company can relocate it in a less conspicuous spot.
That is an electric meter. It needs to be seen by the reader at least once every month or every other month. To relocate, the electric company does not do that. You have to get a certified electrian to do it and it will cost you an arm and a leg. That is where all the electrical to your property starts so it is not a trivial item.
Looks like gas and electric meters. You could use a couple of shepherd hooks, short and tall, and some sort of stair step plant stand for the lower part of the meters. Just make sure the meters are not completely blocked and hanging plants won't swing into the glass covers. It would help to check with your gas and electric companies to see how much coverage you can do. Some places still have meter readers, but a lot are now electronically read and the meters can be covered. Good luck.
I have one that's just a shade more 'attractive' just off my driveway! What an eyesore, especially since we did a LOT of work on new stone steps, plantings, etc. Our idea was similar to some of those above...create a 'bed' around it with nice mulch, a shrub which won't grow out of control and can be trimmed for the meter reader, and some blooming annuals at the base for colour all Spring/Summer. I can still see it, but it's not quite so jarring now and blends into the background. I really like some of the photos above so might now do more. :) My only question is why it's in your backyard and not the front...to make it easier access for the meter reader? One thought: If you had a dog who must be fenced up (like mine), it might give the company a 'reason' to move the meter at their cost? ;) ;)
Lattice with solar light on top . Be able to open maybe piano hinges. Plant vines that smell Fregrant
Either you can get some tall shrubs to surround it or you could put four 2'x4's in the ground around it and then adding pieces to connect the tops and drape curtains around it and or put a bird house on top too.