Chalkboard Paint Home Helpers

Introduction

Thanks to paint that dries into a chalkboard finish, your board can be whatever size you desire and placed wherever you like. Store-bought formulas come in traditional green and black. But you can also follow our recipe to mix your own batch in any shade. Cleverly applied chalkboard paint means new places to track appointments, keep lists, and leave messages. Or simply use the surface to draw or doodle, which will appeal to kids and the kid in everyone. Choose from the following ideas or come up with your own homemade chalkboard location.

Tip: Start with flat-finish latex paint in any shade. For small areas, such as a door panel, mix 1 cup at a time.

Wall Calendar

A home office is the ideal spot for a family planner. Six weeks' worth of squares in a variety of shades can accommodate several schedules. The entire wall is also coated with chalkboard paint for more memos. Start with a base coat of store-bought black chalkboard paint, and then mix in varying amounts of white chalkboard paint for lighter squares. Get the complete how-to here.

Mudroom Mural

The bottom half of a mudroom wall is just the right height for pint-size Picassos -- when coated with store-bought green chalkboard paint. When inspiration strikes again, the canvas can be wiped clean with a damp sponge. Corkboard, available at home centers, covers the wall above the chair rail, providing an area for art displays. The cork was colored with latex paint to match the room.

Message Center

Write-on paint needn't be applied only to walls. We coated three framed panels and leaned them on an entryway shelf, where they function as miniature chalkboards. To create a similar effect, measure and cut pieces of sanded plywood, and slip them into picture frames. Cover each panel, frame and all, with primer and chalkboard paint; our topcoat coordinates with the aqua-blue walls.

Party and Entertaining Ideas

A simple coat of chalkboard paint can turn a bulletin board into a party menu, a plain old nook into an organized office hub, and a dinner party into an unforgettable soirée. Plus, a chalkboard in the home offers a layer of functional charm with a hint of school-days nostalgia.

Herb Chalkboard Pots

Admit it, sometimes, some of the herbs look kind of a like -- um, is that basil or lemon balm. A smart way to prevent a culinary disaster? Labeling your planters with chalkboard paint!

Chalkboard Paint Dresser

You've lived in your house for how many years? Yet you still have to open every drawer of the dresser in order to find the knives. The solution? Chalkboard paint!

Pantry Reminder

Covered with chalkboard paint, a pantry door serves as the perfect place to keep a running shopping list. In this case, only the inside panels were coated, but we custom-colored the paint so that it blends seamlessly with the rest of the door. This concept also works on children's closet doors. Always tape off those areas that you don't want to paint, such as knobs and hardware.