Every garden has those practical bits we’d rather not see—especially the gas meter lurking by the house. Over the years designing home landscapes, I’ve found creative ways to turn these eyesores into features you’ll want to show off.
Could a Painted Mural Turn Eyesore into Art?
One client, an artist, painted a whimsical mural directly on a wooden cover—flowers, birds, and a touch of humor—transforming the meter into a conversation piece. The neighbors still talk about it every summer party.
A few useful items:
- Outdoor Acrylic Paint Set: Brighten your meter cover with weather-resistant outdoor paints, perfect for vibrant floral and bird murals.
- Artist Paintbrush Set for Outdoor Projects: Enjoy painting detailed designs using a variety of brush sizes suitable for exterior mural projects.
- Clear Outdoor Polyurethane Sealer: Protect your painted mural from the elements with a durable, clear, outdoor-rated polyurethane finish.
Embrace a Classic: Build a Wooden Slat Enclosure
Years ago, I helped a client transform their side yard by installing a cedar slat box around their gas meter, allowing plenty of airflow while keeping the look clean and modern. The natural wood aged beautifully, blending right into their planting beds.
Items that might be helpful:
- Cedar or Pressure Treated Wood Fence Panels: Choose durable wood fence panels to easily build a stylish and weather-resistant slat enclosure for your meter.
- Outdoor Wood Stain and Sealer: Protect your wooden enclosure from the elements by applying an outdoor wood stain and sealer for longevity.
- Heavy Duty Galvanized Wood Screws: Secure your slat enclosure with galvanized screws for extra strength and resistance to outdoor moisture damage.
Why Not Try a Lattice Screen?
One early project taught me the power of a simple painted lattice panel—by attaching it at an angle, we hid the meter and let climbing jasmine fill the gaps with fragrance and greenery. Lattice offers ventilation and plenty of charm, especially once the vines take hold.
Possibly handy products:
- Outdoor vinyl lattice panel: Create an attractive and ventilated barrier for your gas meter with a weather-resistant outdoor lattice panel.
- Garden trellis for climbing plants: Encourage jasmine or other vines to flourish by installing a sturdy garden trellis alongside your lattice screen.
- Outdoor wood post set: Secure your lattice screen with durable outdoor wood posts, ensuring long-lasting stability and support for your cover.
Can a Planter Box Disguise Utility?
I once built a chunky planter box with a false back for a neighbor, tucking their gas meter out of sight and filling the rest with blooming annuals. The pop of color drew attention away from the meter and made the entryway feel inviting.
Some handy options:
- Outdoor Wooden Planter Box: Enhance your entryway while creatively hiding utility meters with a stylish, sturdy wooden planter box.
- Colorful Annual Flower Seeds Kit: Easily create a vibrant floral display that diverts attention from your gas meter area all season.
- False Back Panel for Planter Boxes: Add a removable false back to conceal unsightly meters while maintaining easy access when needed.
Transform with a Faux Garden Gate
During a backyard overhaul, I repurposed old fence boards and crib posts to craft a whimsical faux gate that swings open for easy meter access. The arching top and vintage hardware gave the space a storybook feel.
Suitable options for this:
- Wooden garden gate with arch and trellis: Add classic charm and meter coverage to your yard with a ready-to-assemble wooden arched garden gate.
- Rustic gate hardware kit: Enhance your faux gate’s functionality with durable, vintage-inspired hinges and latch hardware for easy access.
- Outdoor climbing plants or faux vines: Bring greenery and a whimsical touch to your gate by adding outdoor-ready climbing plants or decorative faux vines.
Hide in Plain Sight: Decorative Garden Fence Section
In my own yard, I installed a short section of picket fencing, matching the main fence, to subtly mask the gas meter without isolating it. The continuity made it disappear into the landscape, yet it’s always easy to access.
What you might need:
- White Vinyl Picket Fence Panels: Install classic white picket panels to seamlessly blend utility areas and elevate your garden’s visual appeal.
- Garden Fence Post Caps: Add decorative post caps to your fence for a polished look that complements any outdoor setting.
- Landscape Shrub Plants (Artificial or Live): Enhance the area around your fence with low-maintenance shrubs for natural beauty and added coverage.
Unleash Nature: Use Tall Ornamental Grasses
A lesson learned: I once tried evergreen shrubs, but nothing hid the meter better than wispy ornamental grasses swaying in the breeze. They provide year-round cover and a soft, wild edge.
Useful items to consider:
- Tall Artificial Ornamental Grass for Outdoors: Enhance privacy and beauty by adding realistic, maintenance-free ornamental grass to disguise your gas meter.
- Decorative Ornamental Grass Seed Mix: Grow lush, swaying grasses from seed and enjoy easy, natural cover for unsightly meter boxes year-round.
- Self-Watering Large Outdoor Planter: Give your ornamental grasses the perfect home with a durable planter designed for outdoor environments.
Bold Statement: Recycled Metal Screen Panels
For a modern twist, I once sourced recycled metal panels with laser-cut patterns for a loft-style home, using them as a sleek screen in front of the meter. The industrial edge brought unexpected style and plenty of airflow.
These may be of interest:
- Decorative Laser Cut Metal Privacy Screen Panel: Upgrade your outdoor area by placing a laser-cut metal privacy screen for stylish gas meter coverage.
- Freestanding Metal Outdoor Divider Panel: Conceal unsightly meters by adding a freestanding metal panel with intricate cut-out designs to your yard.
- Rustic Garden Metal Art Screen: Add personality and airflow to your garden by installing a rustic metal art screen in minutes.
Think Modular: Freestanding Privacy Screen
When renters ask me for non-permanent solutions, I always suggest a lightweight freestanding privacy screen that can be moved for maintenance. It’s quick, practical, and you can swap in new styles each season.
May just do the trick:
- Outdoor Wooden Privacy Screen Panel: Add a movable wooden privacy screen to hide utility areas while maintaining airflow and style in your space.
- Portable Lattice Fence for Outdoor Use: Use a lightweight lattice fence to shield eyesores and refresh your patio decor whenever you like.
- Adjustable Plant Trellis Screen: Create a green, natural screen with a freestanding trellis—perfect for renters seeking flexible coverage.
Unexpected Genius: Repurposed Shutter Covers
Here’s a trick I picked up after salvaging old shutters from a remodel—hinge two together and prop them in front of the meter for instant cottage charm. The slats keep air moving, and you can change the color with a quick coat of paint.
Items that may come in handy:
- Decorative Exterior Window Shutters: Add instant cottage charm by using these outdoor shutters as creative covers for your gas meter area.
- Outdoor Weatherproof Paint for Wood: Refresh salvaged shutters with a pop of color using weatherproof paint suited for exterior wood surfaces.
- Heavy Duty Exterior Door Hinges: Easily connect and prop your shutters with durable, weather-resistant outdoor hinges for a sturdy DIY project.
How About a Living Wall?
One of my boldest designs used a vertical garden panel with pockets of trailing herbs and succulents to mask a side-yard meter. Every time I visit, the scent of thyme and the sight of hummingbirds make me smile.
Helpful items for this idea:
- Vertical garden wall planter with fabric pockets: Easily create a lush, space-saving living wall to disguise your meter and green up your side yard.
- Outdoor self-watering wall planter system: Keep your living wall thriving with a self-watering system designed for easy, efficient plant care outdoors.
- Assorted herb and succulent live plants for wall planters: Jumpstart your living wall with a mix of herbs and succulents perfect for vertical pockets.
Keep it Simple: Painted Plywood Box
My first ever meter cover was a plain plywood box painted the same color as the house—a lesson in how matching tones can make utilities disappear. With a little weatherproof paint, even basic DIY goes a long way.
Explore these options:
- Exterior Weatherproof Paint: Protect your plywood box and match your home’s color with durable, weather-resistant exterior paint.
- Plywood Sheets for Outdoor Use: Choose sturdy, outdoor-grade plywood for a gas meter cover that stands up to the elements.
- Deck Screws for Exterior Projects: Secure your plywood panels easily and reliably with corrosion-resistant exterior deck screws.
Turn It Into a Mini Storage Bench
For a small patio, I once built a lidded storage bench that fit snugly over the meter, offering a place to stash garden tools and a seat to boot. It’s both practical and completely unexpected—guests never guess what’s beneath.
Products that may fit:
- Outdoor Wooden Storage Bench: Add hidden storage and extra seating with a weather-resistant wooden bench for your patio or garden space.
- Outdoor Deck Box or Patio Storage Box: Keep tools protected and organized in a deck box that easily fits over or beside your gas meter.
- Outdoor Bench Cushion: Increase comfort and style by adding a weather-resistant cushion to your storage bench seating area.
Client Spotlight: Stone Veneer Mini-Wall
A recent client wanted to echo their home’s stone façade, so we built a short stone veneer wall that completely camouflaged the gas meter. The texture and color made it look like it had always been part of the landscape.
Some relevant options:
- Stone veneer panels for outdoor walls: Transform your gas meter area with easy-to-install stone veneer panels that blend with your home’s exterior.
- Landscape edging stone kits: Define and enhance your garden beds with stone edging kits that match your decorative wall feature.
- Outdoor adhesive for stone veneer: Securely attach stone veneer to walls using heavy-duty outdoor adhesive designed for landscaping projects.
Could a Trellis Bridge the Gap?
I’ve used tall, narrow trellises covered in clematis to mask meters on narrow side yards—giving vertical interest and a burst of spring color. The flowers climb fast, and there’s still easy access behind the foliage.
The toolkit for this idea:
- Tall outdoor wooden garden trellis panel: Add instant vertical interest near utility meters with a sturdy wooden trellis—easy to install and maintain.
- Climbing clematis flower seeds: Grow vibrant clematis for a natural meter cover—simple seeds for a burst of springtime color.
- Eco-friendly landscape mulch: Finish the look around your trellis with eco-friendly mulch, helping retain soil moisture and minimize weeds.
Lesson Learned: Don’t Forget Airflow with Faux Rocks
Early in my career, I tried those molded faux rocks but learned the hard way that not all designs allow enough ventilation for safe meter operation. If you go this route, always check for gaps and removable panels.
Options that might work:
- Ventilated faux rock cover for outdoor utility meters: Choose a faux rock cover with built-in vents to help your gas meter operate safely and efficiently.
- Removable panel artificial rock enclosure: Opt for a faux rock with removable access panels for easy inspection and maintenance of your meter.
- Decorative rock landscape cover for outdoor equipment: Enhance curb appeal by hiding outdoor meters with a realistic decorative rock while still allowing airflow.
Make a Statement with a Sculptural Metal Frame
For a truly unique solution, I once welded a custom openwork metal frame in a botanical pattern—letting the meter peek through like hidden treasure. It’s not just a cover, but a garden sculpture in its own right.
You might like:
- Decorative metal garden trellis with botanical pattern: Enhance your outdoor space and disguise utility meters with this elegant botanical metal garden trellis.
- Outdoor freestanding privacy screen with leaf design: Add visual interest and partial cover for utility meters using a stylish leaf-designed privacy screen outdoors.
- Metal plant support trellis for garden décor: Support climbing plants while adding decorative protection for gas meters with a sturdy metal frame trellis.
Soft and Subtle: Evergreen Shrub Screen
A trio of compact evergreen shrubs, like boxwood or holly, creates a living screen that stays green all year. I always remind clients to plant a bit away from the meter for easy access and healthy growth.
Grab the essentials:
- Live evergreen shrubs for planting outdoors: Plant compact evergreen shrubs to create a beautiful, year-round privacy screen around your gas meter area.
- Mulch for landscaping and shrub beds: Use quality mulch to help retain moisture and maintain a neat, healthy look for your shrub bed.
- Metal or plastic garden edging: Install edging to keep your shrub line tidy and separate from grass, making garden care easier.
What If You Create a Mini Zen Gravel Garden?
For a peaceful touch, I designed a small raked gravel area with sculpted stones and a bamboo screen to hide the meter—the calm simplicity drew the eye away from anything mechanical. It felt like a secret retreat right outside the kitchen window.
Get the gear:
- Zen garden gravel and decorative pebbles: Transform your meter area with soothing gravel and pebbles for a calm and peaceful Zen look.
- Bamboo privacy screen or fence panels: Create a tranquil screen to hide your gas meter discreetly with elegant bamboo panels or fencing.
- Japanese-style landscape rocks and boulders: Enhance your garden’s natural look by placing decorative landscape rocks around your mini Zen garden retreat.
Unexpected Magic: Create a Mirror-Backed Box
For a truly surprising twist, I built a shallow box with a mirrored back panel to reflect surrounding plants and light, making the meter visually disappear. It’s a little garden magic that never fails to delight visitors.
Something that could work:
- Outdoor Acrylic Garden Mirror Panel: Enhance your outdoor space with a weather-resistant mirror, creating surprising depth and natural reflections.
- Wooden Raised Planter Box for Outdoor Use: Install a sturdy wooden planter box to bring greenery and disguise any unsightly utility features in your yard.
- Decorative Exterior Corner Brackets: Add decorative metal brackets for stability and a stylish accent to your custom garden mirror frame.
