How can we bring chalk into our homes?
There is something magical about chalk. When I open up a new box of chalk I can’t wait to pull out a piece and start writing. I’m not sure if it is because it reminds me of school as a child, seeing the teacher write and erase or better yet on the rare occassion when a teacher would ask you to come up to the board and write but for whatever reason there is just something cool about chalk.
As a child I used to write all over my driveway and to this day when I drive by a house and see chalk all over the driveway it makes me smile becasue I think, “Happy kids live there!”. Chalk is fun to use, easy to clean and inexpensive, a win-win all around.
As I’ve gotten older I have come to appreciate chalk again. It has a vintage charm to it.Yet, I rarely see people take advantage of it even as is gains popularity in the design world.
I am a list person. I keep a notepad by my bed. I have notebooks, pads,computers,and an iphone, all to keep me organized. With all that, I can say with complete honesty that one of the best things I ever purchased were 2 chalk board tablets from Pottery Barn (as seen below), that hang in my kitchen.They are the reason I remember to get dog food, lightbulbs, change a Doctor appointment, call my mother,etc. Without these two chalkboards, I’d forget just about everything. Without these chalkboards, I would have a house filled with lists and notes. Ugh.
There are a few ways of bringing chalk and chalkboards into your home. You can purchase chalkboards at say, a Pottery Barn like I did. They are easy to purchase with just a click of the button or a trip to the store. Most hang easily and require little time, just pick a spot in your home and hang it up. There are less expensive boards and those that can cost in excess of $300 dollars. Let your style dictate what is best for you. With that said I feel confident in saying you will get your money’s worth out of a simple chalkboard. I have had mine for 5 years and they cost around $50 for the two of them. Now if that isn’t getting my money’s worth, then I don’t know what is! Besdies, now-a-days when all we do is text or type, it is nice to keep my handwriting skills sharp by writing down my lists and thoughts on a chalkboard. I also keep it current or festive by endulging my inner artist each month by showing my appreciation in chalk. For example this month I wrote March on the top with a shamrock next to it. I love my chalkboards.
Another option are peel and stick chalkboard decals. These are uaually priced around the same as a small chalkboard but come in all shapes and designs. There are plenty of shaped animals, cupcakes, skateboarders and all kinds of objects to choose from. You can stick these in your child’s room. They will not only add a different element in the wall decor department but they serve a function as well. If your teen needs to be better organized in school these are a great option. Sears sells these.
They are great for a smaller child’s room as well. We all know their likes and dislikes change about as quickly as they do. One day it is Toy Story and the next it is Cars. These decals are relatively inexpensive and can be removed easily but best of all they provide an activity for your child. Sure you could go out an spend $30 on a picture of an elephant for their room, or better yet you could buy a chalkboard decal of an elephant and watch them color it in on a rainy saturday afternoon. Money much better spent, right?
Last but not least, for those of you with empty wall space or a child’s play room or better yet in need of something different, try chalkboard paint!
Chalkboard paint comes in a varity of colors, not just slate and green. You can tint chalkboard paint almost any color.
So why not use chalkboard paint instead of regular paint. I know people usually try and discourage their kids from writing on the walls but this way it will hopefully get all that curiosity out of their system and prevent them from using a black marker on your wall instead.
In a man cave you can draw the logos of your favorite sports teams or write the scores on the wall and best of all, you can erase it! So when you host a party and people get all silly with chalk (and they will because it will remind them of their childhood), the next day you can read it and then wipe it away like it never happened.
My finished basement needed a bit of something, so we painted one of the walls with slate chalkboard paint. It was so easy to do, it only required a few coats (the can says 3 coats, but here’s a tip, 4 or 5 hold up better) and has brought us hours of entertainment! I chalk it up to another great idea.
Bring chalk back into your home. Hang a chalkboard in your kitchen and keep a list of items you need, or put a decal in your kids room and it will be like bringing the driveway inside. Next time you can’t figure out what color to paint your basement, pick chalkboard paint, it will make everyone happy.
Until next time, Happy Desiging!