Here’s to my first food related but not directly food related post. Pinterest has gotten me again, and this time for home DIY projects. When my husband and I did a full overhaul on our kitchen years ago, we had the luxury of planning everything. How much and what type of storage, gas range, cabinets, backsplash, the whole works. We also picked this gorgeous stainless steel Jenn-Air French door fridge which I absolutely love, except it had one tiny downside. The doors would not hold a magnet.
I’m a planner. From vacations, to work, to grocery lists, I like to see things written down. I frowned upon the thought of sticky notes overtaking my beautifully polished fridge, and without magnetic capabilities, the outside of my fridge sits naked. I do however, have a somewhat bare wall just off to the side of my kitchen which will made for a cute little chalkboard.
Chalkboard paint can be purchased at any home hardware or paint store. The little can will cost you about $22 and it is extremely easy to apply. Just paint. No priming (unless you’re painting metal or wood). Wipe your calls clean, let it dry, and slap it on. On the first coat you will notice the paint is a bit unforgiving. If your walls are light-colored, which mine are, the old paint will definitely peek through the black. Roller lines are slightly visible and at first glance it does not look sleek at all. Wait 4 hours, and by the time you put the second coat on, all imperfections will be masked. After your final coat you will have to wait an agonizing 3 full days before you can prime the chalkboard. To prime, simply take a long side of a pice of chalk, the bigger the better, and coat the entire surface. Wipe with a dry cloth or paper towel and you are ready to doodle! Don’t like that film of chalk residue? Neither do I. So after another 7 days, you can take a wet cloth and wipe the wall down. Then it will look beautifully black and polished, as a chalkboard should. The instructions say that after you wipe clean you should prime it again but don’t bother. After the initial prime, any remaining chalk writing will come off with no issues. I use it for meal planning, which has prevented a lot of last minute fast-food meals, and for jotting down what I’m craving so I can bake it on the weekend. Whatever you use your chalkboard for, it’s not only practical but adds a personal touch to your home space!
