How To Hide a Camera in Plain Sight in Your House

Here are 5 inventive methods to conceal your security cameras, ensuring they blend seamlessly into your home environment while providing the surveillance you need.

Bookshelf 

To do this, you’ll need a hardcover book that’s thick enough to fit your camera, a precision knife or box cutter, a pencil, a ruler, and some glue if you want to make the compartment permanent.

First, pick a book that doesn’t stand out on your bookshelf. Open it to the middle and use the pencil and ruler to outline a section large enough for your camera, ensuring you leave about a half-inch margin from the edges for the book’s structure.

With the precision knife, carefully cut along the outline, removing pages to create a space deep enough for your camera. This might take some time as you’ll want to keep checking the depth by placing your camera in the hole until it fits snugly and is hidden when the book is closed.

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If you decide to secure the pages to prevent them from opening, you can apply glue to the outer edges, press the book closed, and weigh it down to dry. This step is optional but helps keep the camera concealed. Once the compartment is ready, place your camera inside. If the camera lens needs to peek out, you can cut a small hole in the front cover for it to see through.

Flowers

Select a plant or faux tree that has enough density in its leaves and branches to hide a camera.

Consider the size and shape of the camera when choosing the plant to ensure it can be nestled within without altering the plant’s appearance significantly. For smaller cameras, even a lush bouquet or an arrangement of tall, leafy greens could provide sufficient cover.

Once you’ve chosen the appropriate plant, identify a spot within it where the camera can be placed so that its lens has a clear view of the area you wish to monitor. You may need to gently bend or reposition some leaves or branches to accommodate the camera while keeping it concealed. Be mindful to place the camera in a way that it blends with the plant’s natural form, avoiding any obvious gaps or unnatural angles that might draw attention.

Picture Frame

To start, choose a picture frame that’s thick enough to conceal your camera behind it. The frame should complement your interior decor to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.

First, you’ll need to create a space for the camera. If the frame has a thick backing, you can carve out a small compartment to fit the camera. Be careful to measure the dimensions of your camera accurately to ensure a snug fit. For cameras that are too thick to fit within the frame itself, consider attaching them to the back of the frame, ensuring the lens aligns with a small hole you’ll drill through the frame.

The placement of the hole is crucial. It should be discreet, perhaps hidden within the pattern of the frame or in a darker area of the displayed image, to keep the lens camouflaged. Choose an image for the frame that’s busy or textured enough to disguise any slight bulging or the lens peeking through.

When positioning the frame, make sure the camera’s field of view is considered. Place it at a vantage point where it can capture the desired area without obstruction. High-traffic areas or points of entry are usually good spots.

For power and storage, if your camera is wireless and has cloud storage capabilities, you’ll only need to worry about battery life. If not, you’ll need to think about how to discreetly run power and storage cables to the camera. Running them along the edges of walls or under carpets can help keep them out of sight.

Painting

First, choose a painting that naturally fits into the decor of the room where you plan to place it.

The painting should be large enough to conceal the camera without altering its appearance. A thicker frame is ideal because it provides more space to work with and helps keep the camera hidden.

Next, you’ll need to create a small opening for the camera lens. This is perhaps the most delicate part of the process. Find a spot on the painting where the lens can peek through without being too noticeable. This could be a dark area of the painting or a spot where the camera lens can blend in with the details of the artwork. Carefully cut a tiny hole just big enough for the lens to see through.

If your camera is particularly small, you might be able to place it directly behind the hole you’ve created in the canvas. For larger cameras, attach the camera to the back of the frame, ensuring the lens is aligned with the hole. It’s important to secure the camera well so it doesn’t shift and become visible or miss the intended viewing area.

Consider the camera’s power source. If it’s battery-operated, make sure you can easily access it for battery changes. For cameras that require a power cable, think about how you can discreetly run the cable to keep it hidden. Running it along the back of the frame and down the wall in a way that blends with the room can be effective.

Ventilation Grille Installation

Before you start, make sure you have a small, compact camera that fits comfortably behind the grille without obstructing airflow or being too visible from the outside.

Wireless cameras are perfect for this setup since they don’t require running cables.

Carefully remove the grille from the wall or ceiling. This is usually as simple as unscrewing a few screws. Once you have access, plan how you’ll position the camera. It should have a clear view through the grille’s openings. If necessary, you can slightly adjust the angle of some grille slats for a better view, but do so minimally to avoid drawing attention.

If your camera operates on battery, ensure it’s fully charged before installation. For cameras that need a power source, think creatively about how to route the power cable discreetly to the camera. Sometimes, running it along the edge of the wall or using adhesive cable clips can keep it out of sight.

Secure the camera in place. Depending on the camera and grille design, you might use double-sided tape or small cable ties. The goal is to keep the camera stable so it doesn’t shift and become visible through the grille or miss capturing important areas of the room.