I have a desk area in my kitchen that was lonely. I pitied it, pondered it, and then...AH HAH! I can go green, saving money on post-it notes, and paint it with chalkboard paint!
Yes, chalkboard paint. You can buy it almost everywhere now, but I got mine from Target for about $12 a pint. More than what I needed for such a tiny, lonely, positively alienated little nook.
How To:
1. Apply chalkboard paint with either roller or brush. I didn't want the strokes in the texture of the chalkboard, so I went for a roller.
2. Wait a full 24 - 48 hours for paint to cure (meaning, it may dry to the touch quickly, but you can still dent and budge it for another day or two, so have patience).
3. "Tone it", meaning take the long, flat side of your chalk and cover the whole board. Then erase and enjoy.
This has not only made quick notes and added reminders a cinch, it's the best way to distract Hazel while I'm on the computer. She sits on the desk next to me while I blog and surf. She feels like she's getting away with murder, getting to draw on the actual wall with Mommy not only watching but encouraging and applauding! Piglet in slop.
From a design perspective, this gives purpose to the space and also acts as an accent wall, breaking from the "green tea green" of the rest of the kitchen with a grounding slate color.
You can also get magnetic paint, and chalkboard/magnetic paint combo. I've done magnetic in the play room. That is another blog in the making...
So there you have it! For $12 worth of paint and $2 worth of chalk you can find in the Crayola aisle at your local grocery store, you can have a wall the chalks up a fun distraction for the kids and organization for me. Nooks of the world...finally getting the attention they deserve. Aww.
I've wanted a chalkboard wall, but my husband hates the possible dust. *Does* the area get a lot of chalk dust?
ReplyDeleteThis sounds fun! I second Bobbie's question.
ReplyDeleteYup, chalk dust. I wipe down the counter below it along with the rest of the counters in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteAn idea to avoid dust on the counters: Wood trim surrounding the chalkboard. You'll still get dust on the trim, but not so much on the counter where your things are.
Another idea: upholstered message board with pins.
How to:
1/8" or 1/4" plywood cut to fit
quilting badding (sheets of cotton for the non-sewers)
fabulous fabric (not silk or satin - holes show too much)
staple gun (like a stapler but super-charged - about $15)
1. Cut badding to fit plywood with an extra 1/4" inch around the edge. This will soften the edges once fabric is on.
2. Lay fabric over badding and ply, and on the reverse side, staple fabric to ply. Start with the center of opposite sides and staple your way out to the corners.
3. Using headless nails, nail message board directly to wall. Then, pull the fabric until the nail disappears behind the fabric.
Opt: Before stapling the fabric to the board, sew pockets onto the bottom of the fabric. You can store your chalk/eraser, and other goodies in them. And they may catch the extra chalk dust, too!