Cutting the Electronic Cord with Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan (with Video)
As most of us have experienced or will experience during the holidays, new electronic gadgets, from flat screen televisions to Blu-ray players, and iPhones, are all wonderful to have, but they all have one drawback---each comes with cords, cables or other accessories that are eye sores to have in one's home.
Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, author of Apartment Therapy's Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces (Clarkson Potter, 2010) and founder of ApartmentTherapy.com, one of the country's most well-regarded and influential design blogs has offered Luxist several solutions for anyone who is facing such a dilemma. As the ultimate online destination for all things design, ApartmentTherapy.com's mission is to help people make their homes more beautiful, organized, and healthy. As technology has come to play a bigger role in the home, the term "techorating" is now being used to describe the use of technology in the home that is both beautiful and whenever necessary, invisible.
According to Gillingham-Ryan, it is possible to incorporate technology, even in small spaces, in ways that are both pleasing and beneficial without sacrificing quality. "It is possible to find great equipment that is mini in scale, but has high capabilities," he says. High quality speakers, for example, can be found in small sizes, he adds. (Be sure to check out the video below for more tips from Gillingham-Ryan.)
It is also possible to eliminate the cable clutter that comes with electronic devices such as TVs and speakers. "Cable boxes can be connected to the television wirelessly, enabling you to put your cable box where ever you want," says Gillingham-Ryan. Wiremold is a good solution when you need to run cables or wires, but want to hide them without drilling into the walls, he adds. The designer also suggests using a wireless charging pad for cell phones, such as one made by Duracell (as seen below), which can hold up to four cell phones.
