How to Camouflage Washing Machines

Install a floor-to-ceiling curtain in front of your washing machine. Just screw heavy-duty hooks into the walls beside the washer with a screwdriver. Insert a clothesline or sturdy narrow rope through the curtain where a curtain rod normally goes. Attach the line to the hooks by forming a loop at either end of the rope. Push the curtain aside when it is time to do laundry.

Record the height of the washing machine, using a measuring tape. Record the sum of the length of both sides and the front of the washer -- that's the width plus two times the depth -- and cut the fabric to that length. If your washer is 3.5 feet high, 3 feet across and 3 feet per side, you'll cut a piece of fabric that's 9 feet long and 3.5 feet wide. Use a piece of fabric that coordinates with the room colors. Attach self-adhesive hook-and-loop tape to the edges of the fabric that will be the top, and attach the corresponding hook-and-loop tape on the upper edge of the sides and front of the washer. With the fabric hanging from the appliance, place a decorative cutting board or even a large platter on the top of the washing machine, and set a silk arrangement on it to hide the control panel and top.

Browse thrift stores, garage sales and department stores for an attractive and colorful room divider. Position it in front of the washing machine and just fold it out of the way when it is laundry time.

Cover the body of your washing machine with self-adhesive wallpaper that matches the color of your walls or the wallpaper. This makes the appliance seem to recede into the wall area. Covering it with solid self-adhesive wallpaper is an option if you can't find a pattern that matches your kitchen wallpaper. You could even cover the appliance with self-adhesive shelf liner.

Visit an appliance repair store and ask about repainting or refurbishing the washing machine exterior if rust and scratches are the reason you want to disguise the appliance. This is less costly than buying a new machine, particularly if yours still operates efficiently.