Jeremiah Brent Just Revealed a Simple, Speedy Hack That Will Transform Your Ugly Switch Plate Covers - and Make Your Kitchen Look More Expensive

Top designers like Brent are using custom switch plates to give their space a more elevated feel, but we've found an easier solution that's budget-friendly

Marble kitchen by Dieter Vander Velpen
(Image credit: Dieter Vander Velpen. Photo credit: Patricia Goijens)

Getting the decorative details of your kitchen just right is a tedious yet imperative design task. The oft-overlooked minutiae is what pulls together a space and gives your kitchen a chic, cohesive finish. The biggest pest to a streamlined cooking space? The notorious electrical socket.

A marble countertop and matching backsplash are some of the most beautiful modern kitchen ideas, but finding a switch plate that does not stick out like a sore thumb in your gorgeous marble can be a painstaking process. So what is the best way to combat this eye-sore issue? Jeremiah Brent has once again inspired us with his custom, hand-painted switch plates that are a perfect color match to his marble backsplash, but it's easy to get the look for less.

The design detail is a brilliant way to make your kitchen look more expensive. Custom items or switch plates made of real stone can be hard to find, and not always the most budget-friendly of options. Luckily, there are a few ways to elevate and inspire your kitchen design without breaking the bank.

modern kitchen design, featuring marble and curtain skirts

Jeremiah's marble kitchen

(Image credit: Jeremiah Brent, Photography: Kelly Marshall)

There are a few creative ways to go about hiding your electrical sockets, but the main goal is to make what starts as a boring, technical fix, a beautiful new moment of thoughtful detail.

In an Instagram reel, Jeremiah showcased just how well a painted switch plate can blend into kitchen countertop ideas. "When we had this beautiful marble installed, one thing I realized was the outlets really stuck out," he says. Finding real stone covers can become expensive quickly, but luckily there are plenty of faux marble covers out there to get the look for less.

."Sockets and switches are often described as the jewelry of any interior, the finishing touch that doesn't go unnoticed," says Co-founder and Creative Director of The Soho Lighting Company, Lee Lovett. "Seamless switch covers enable the plates to easily disappear into the paintwork or wall material whilst allowing the hardware toggle or switch to shine, for a subtle and elegant look."

You could also opt for standard plates that you can decoratively paint is an innovative, wallet-friendly solution. Lee suggests finding a plain plate that is correctly primed before you begin your DIY project. "Standard switch plates are often not primed correctly, so it is likely to encounter paint flaking with the high traffic use of the switch," she says. Primed paintable plates, like these ones from Soho Lighting Co, are the way to go for a project like this.

Switch plates can even be used for a stand-out moment of detail on their own too. Jeremiah's partner and interior design guru, Nate Berkus, said in a recent Instagram reel about their marbling that "the stone in our kitchen has a tremendous amount of veining, a tremendous amount of contrast, and a tremendous amount of movement - and that makes a statement".

You can also choose to incorporate more marble kitchen ideas throughout your cooking space by adding a marble switch plate to other parts of your wall that may not be directly on a counter slab. Details like this will tie your kitchen together for a more harmonious design. And if your kitchen features more brass hardware, make that your choice of outlet cover instead.

Moments of detail in the kitchen and throughout the home make for a space that feels more put together and reflective of your personal style. Marble is a timeless and stylish outlet cover plate choice to make a chic statement in your kitchen and move away from builder-grade design elements. Whether you're looking for a decorative pop or something to blend into an already lavish spot, a decorative switch plate will give you a kitchen refresh that's both beautiful and budget-friendly.

Olivia Wolfe
News Writer

Olivia Wolfe is a News Writer at Livingetc. She recently graduated from University of the Arts London, London College of Communication with a Masters Degree in Arts and Lifestyle Journalism. In her previous experience, she has worked with multiple multimedia publications in both London and the United States covering a range of culture-related topics, with an expertise in art and design. At the weekends she can be found working on her oil paintings, reading, or antique shopping at one of London's many vintage markets.