The question
I got an excellent end-of-season deal on an air conditioner and have installed it high up on the wall in my front entrance. But it sticks out like a sore thumb. Is there anything I can do to detract attention from it?
The answer
You chose wisely in your placement of the air conditioner, since hot air rises and the cool stuff drops. And while I have yet to see a pretty one, a long, linear indoor AC unit, typically white, can be sleek. If you paint the wall white, the unit will disappear, much like a pregnant woman in a white T-shirt. (In both cases, the bump, though obscured, remains and will require servicing in a few months.) If the look of the thing really bothers you, you can install a grilled valance in front of the unit to conceal it without restricting air flow.
Alternatively, you can hang a tapestry in front of it, far enough away that air still flows freely, giving rise to an interesting piece of eye candy.
Follow architect and interior designer Dee Dee Taylor Eustace on Twitter: @ddtaylordd . Have a design dilemma? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.