Some contractors might treat wallplates as an afterthought to simply cover up the space around an outlet or switch—but the right wallplate can set the tone of a room and make a difference in the overall aesthetic of your space. Leviton has been making wall plates for years, and they continue to adjust the design to meet the trends of today, as well as compliment their high-tech switches, outlets, and dimmers.
Traditionally wallplates are installed around the switch or outlet and are held in place by two small screws that go through the plate. This way of installing wallplates has been around for a long time, and continues to be the most popular method, but many homeowners looking for a more streamlined and modern look, are opting for seamless wallplates that don’t show any holes and simply click into place over the outlet. A seamless look is exactly what we are trying to achieve at the Dahl House—and we have a bunch of painted, mismatched, and dirty wallplates that we need to replace.
We’re happy to see that we could stay with Leviton for our wallplate needs, after installing their smart dimmers and outlets. Their Decora Plus screwless wallplates add sleek and subtle style to any home. They simply snap-on, so there are no visible mounting or subplate screws. They are available in a wide range of colors and sizes, to match your paint or wall coverings. We chose white which matches the paint throughout the house, except for our den which has black painted wainscoting we needed to blend with.
Once the easy to install subplate is screwed onto the Decora product, you just “hook n’ snap” it on. Removing the wallplates is also a cinch as they release with just a little pressure applied with a screwdriver between the two connecting parts at the bottom. Not only are the Decora Plus wallplates chic, they are also made of polycarbonate, so they’ll survive years of pawing. Of course, Leviton offers standard wallplates in a ton of colors, so you can upgrade your homes wallplates without having to change out the switches, dimmers, or outlets.
If germs are a big concern in your household, Leviton has developed antimicrobial treated switches and wallplates that are designed to keep the surfaces of your wiring devices cleaner. This is one of the coolest products we’ve seen and we can’t believe they aren’t more widespread. Leviton has accomplished this by incorporating an antimicrobial additive into the product material that works to reduce the growth of bacteria on frequently touched wallplates in between normal cleanings. Leviton articulates that regular cleaning of devices should still be performed, but this product is a great supplement to maintain a cleaner environment. We definitely see these being popular for homes with lots of kids, and we would go as far to say they should almost be mandatory in schools, hospitals, and public spaces.
We’re extremely pleased with the look and performance of all of our Leviton products, and feel they are a subtle and stylish improvement to our home. We can’t think of a better bang-for-your-buck makeover than upgrading old outlets and switches with Leviton’s Decora switches, outlets, dimmers and screwless wallplates.
