Welcome to a little corner of our lives, where domestic bliss often involves a playful game we affectionately call “Hide the Remote from the Baby.” If you’re a parent, you know the drill – give a child a thousand vibrant, noisy toys, and what do they gravitate towards? The most mundane, yet utterly fascinating, household items: car keys, an empty cardboard box, or, in our specific situation, the television remote control. It’s a universal truth that some of the best “toys” are the ones never intended to be toys at all!
The constant battle to keep the remote out of tiny, curious hands sparked an idea: why not create a designated, stylish, and easily accessible spot for it? A place where it’s not only out of sight and out of mind for our little one but also a beautiful addition to our living room decor, and simple for us grown-ups to locate. We were tired of the “where’s the remote?” scavenger hunt, and it was time for an elegant, practical solution.
My go-to solution for many home decor dilemmas is often found through thrifting. I frequently stumble upon charming cigar boxes and jewelry boxes during my excursions, and it struck me that one of these could be transformed into the perfect decorative remote control holder for our coffee table. These boxes are typically sturdy, have a hinged lid, and are just the right size to conceal several remotes neatly.
Fortunately, I had some gorgeous marble contact paper lingering from a previous coffee table makeover. This meant the entire project would be incredibly budget-friendly, costing me just a few dollars for the cigar box itself. Repurposing is not only kind to your wallet but also to the environment, giving new life to forgotten treasures.
Related: 30 Essential Home Decor Items to Hunt for at Thrift Stores
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Supplies You’ll Need for Your DIY Remote Holder
Gathering your materials before you begin ensures a smooth and enjoyable crafting experience. Most of these items are readily available at craft stores or online, and you might even have some around your house already!
- Cigar Box: Look for one with a hinged lid for easy access. Thrift stores are excellent sources for these, offering a variety of sizes and styles. Ensure it’s clean and structurally sound.
- Decorative Contact Paper: I chose marble contact paper for a chic, modern look. However, feel free to get creative! Wood grain (burl wood contact paper would look fantastic), linen texture, or even a bold geometric pattern can truly personalize your remote holder. Choose a design that complements your existing home decor.
- Pencil: Essential for marking and tracing precise measurements on the contact paper.
- Ruler or Straight Edge: For accurate lines and ensuring your cuts are perfectly straight. This is key to a professional finish.
- Scissors: Sharp scissors will make cutting the contact paper much easier and cleaner, especially for larger sections.
- X-Acto Knife (or Craft Knife): This tool is invaluable for detailed cuts, especially around hinges and latches, giving your project a very polished look. Always use with caution and on a cutting mat.
- White Craft Paint: To paint the inside of the box, creating a clean, bright contrast with the contact paper exterior. Acrylic craft paint works perfectly.
- Medium Craft Paint Brush: A brush suitable for smooth, even application of craft paint.
Related: 8 Reasons Why a Pedestal Bowl is a Must-Have in Your Home Decor Collection
Step 1: Strategically Position Your Box on the Contact Paper
Begin by unrolling your contact paper, ensuring the decorative side faces down. Lay it flat on a clean, stable surface. Take your cigar box and carefully position it in the center of the contact paper. It’s crucial to leave ample excess paper around all sides of the box. This extra margin will allow for wrapping the paper up the sides and over the edges of the box, covering its full height and providing enough overlap for a neat finish. Think of it like wrapping a present – you need enough paper to fold around all sides.
Step 2: Accurately Mark the Box’s Corners
Once the box is perfectly positioned, use your pencil to mark the exact corners of the cigar box onto the non-decorative backing of the contact paper. After marking the corners, carefully trace all the edges of the box. This will create a precise outline of the box’s footprint on your paper, which will serve as your primary guide for the subsequent cuts.
Step 3: Define Your Wrapping Flaps with Strategic Lines
This step is crucial for achieving clean, crisp corners. At each of the four traced corners of your box’s outline, draw a diagonal line extending outwards from the corner point. Following this, draw a vertical line from the corner of the traced box, and then a horizontal line that meets up precisely with the end of your diagonal line. Referencing the image above will clarify this pattern. These lines define the “flaps” that will wrap around the corners of your box, ensuring a smooth, wrinkle-free finish.
Step 4: Carefully Cut the Defined Flaps
Using either your sharp scissors or your X-acto knife, carefully cut along the lines you just drew in Step 3. The goal is to create distinct flaps at each corner of the contact paper. These flaps are essential for wrapping the box neatly, allowing the paper to fold cleanly around the edges without creating bulk or wrinkles. Precision here makes a big difference in the final look of your remote control holder. If using an X-acto knife, always use a cutting mat underneath to protect your work surface.
Step 5: Duplicate Flap Cuts on All Corners
Consistency is key for a uniform finish. Repeat the flap-cutting process (Steps 3 and 4) for all four corners of the contact paper. By the end of this step, your contact paper should have a central rectangle (the size of your cigar box base) with four distinct, neatly cut flaps extending outwards from each corner, ready for wrapping.
Step 6: Begin Applying Contact Paper – Peel and Align
Now for the exciting part! Slowly and carefully peel off about one-third of the backing paper from one side of your contact paper. Position the cigar box precisely onto the exposed adhesive, making sure it aligns perfectly with the traced lines and cut flaps at each corner. This initial placement is critical for ensuring the entire box is covered without skewing the design. Take your time to get it right.
Step 7: Smooth Out and Secure the Contact Paper
Once your initial section is aligned and lightly pressed, continue to slowly peel away the remaining backing paper while simultaneously pressing the contact paper down onto the box. Work from the center outwards, using your straight edge (a ruler, credit card, or squeegee works well) to smooth out any air bubbles as you go. This continuous peeling and smoothing motion will prevent wrinkles and ensure a flawless, bubble-free finish. Don’t rush this step; patience pays off for a professional look.
Step 8: Expertly Wrap the Sides and Corners of the Box
With the main surface covered, it’s time to tackle the sides and corners. Open the cigar box lid to make it easier to work with. Smooth the contact paper up the sides of the box, pressing firmly to ensure good adhesion. Then, carefully wrap the pre-cut flaps around the corners. Fold them in neatly, overlapping where necessary, to fully wrap the bottom section of the box. The goal is to achieve crisp, clean edges that mimic a perfectly wrapped gift. Repeat this entire process – peeling, positioning, smoothing, and wrapping the flaps – for the top lid of the cigar box. Treat the lid as a separate, smaller box to ensure precision.
Step 9: Trim Excess Paper Around Hardware
After the box is fully wrapped, you’ll likely find that some contact paper covers the latch and hinges. Using your X-acto knife, carefully and precisely trim away any paper covering these functional components. This step ensures that the lid opens and closes smoothly and that the hardware remains fully operational. Take care to cut cleanly along the edges of the metal for a neat finish.
Step 10: Add the Finishing Touch with Paint
The final step brings a touch of elegance to the interior. Using your white craft paint and medium craft brush, paint the entire inside of the cigar box. This includes the inner surfaces of both the box and the lid. You can also carefully paint the latch and hinges to match, creating a cohesive and polished look. The white paint provides a clean, bright contrast to the decorative contact paper, making your remote control holder look truly bespoke and professional. Allow ample drying time before use.
Isn’t the transformation truly remarkable? What started as a simple, unassuming cigar box has been elevated into a chic and functional piece of home decor. While it might not be perfect under a magnifying glass, in person, at a glance, it genuinely resembles a luxurious marble accessory. The illusion is incredibly convincing, adding a touch of sophistication to our living space without the hefty price tag of real marble.
This project proves that with a little creativity and some affordable materials, you can solve everyday household problems while enhancing your home’s aesthetic. Our new DIY remote control holder not only keeps our coffee table tidy and organized but also serves as a stylish statement piece.
Related: Easy Coffee Table Decor Ideas and How to Style Them
Now, the real question remains: how long do you think it will be before little Regan, our resident remote control enthusiast, discovers this beautifully disguised box and its precious contents? I’m giving it a day, maybe even less! I’m almost certain that by the end of the week, this clever hiding spot will need to migrate to a much higher, more inaccessible shelf than our coffee table. But for now, it’s a perfectly handy and aesthetically pleasing solution to our remote control woes.
This little project is more than just a remote holder; it’s a testament to the power of creative problem-solving and the joy of DIY. It’s functional, beautiful, and brings a smile to my face every time I see it – especially when the remotes are neatly tucked away!
Related: A Comprehensive Guide on How to Start Decorating a Living Room
If you found this DIY inspiring and want to revisit it later, feel free to pin it for future reference!
Discover More Thrifty and Creative Craft Ideas
If you love the idea of repurposing and creating beautiful home decor on a budget, you’re in the right place! Here are a few more thrifty craft projects that might spark your next DIY adventure. Dive into these tutorials to transform everyday items into stunning pieces for your home:
- How to Craft Easy No-Sew Cafe Curtains Using Kitchen Towels
- Transform a Thrifted Vase into a Chic Cordless DIY Mini Lamp
- Create a Beautiful DIY Candle from a Repurposed Brass Canister
