Transform and Organize with Chalkboard Paint

Does your home office need some reorganization? Would you like to liven up your child's bedroom? Maybe you're in need of a central message location for your family? Apply magnetic or chalkboard paint to transform a room from ordinary to extraordinary. Many varieties of magnetic and chalkboard paint* are available online, in paint stores, or at your local home improvement center.

Problem: Walls Walking on the Tacky Side
Solution: Magnetic Paint
You taped and tacked your way to a wall covered entirely in paperwork, and now your home office could use a little reorganization. Try magnetic paint. Cover a portion of your office wall with magnetic paint, let dry, and follow up with your desired color. Then simply hang up your calendar, pictures, or important documents with magnetic sheets available at your local craft store.

Problem: Single Plain Bedroom Needs Attractive Makeover
Solution: Magnetic Paint
Magnetic paint also works wonders in a child's bedroom. Not only does it serve a decorative purpose, but it's fun for your child as well! Does your little girl love animals? Add a custom touch to her room by applying magnetic paint on one wall, or a portion of a wall. Cut a few of your child's favorite things out of magnetic paper, and stick the objects to the wall to complete the room's look. Or, cut images out of magazines, glue to magnetic sheets, cut out, and adorn the walls. Let your child's imagination go wild whenever the mood strikes her.

Problem: Marker Art Has Legs, Likes to Travel to Walls
Solution: Chalkboard Paint**
Does your child love to draw on the walls? Encourage it with chalkboard paint. Chalkboard paint makes an ordinary wall into a blank canvas by allowing you to write or draw on it with chalk. Paint a portion of a wall in your child's room (make sure it's within your child's reach), let dry, give him some chalk, and let him go to town! You can even frame it by painting a colorful border around the chalkboard area.

Problem: Inexperienced Painter Fears Long-Term Commitment
Solution: Chalkboard Paint on Desk
If you'd rather leave the walls alone, paint the surface of a child's desk or table to make it interactive. Paint the desk or table first with an appropriate primer, then apply chalkboard paint.

Problem: Central Message Area in Need of Quick Makeover
Solution: Chalkboard Paint
Chalkboard paint can also help in the area of organization. Does your current central message area look resemble a cluttered mess? Do phone messages float under the fridge, or important notes get buried under other announcements? Chalkboard paint to the rescue again! All you need is a piece of wood, a picture frame, and some paint, and you have a convenient message board the whole family can use. Cut wood to fit the picture frame, prime the wood, paint the wood with chalkboard paint, and pop it into the frame. Or try painting an already magnetic surface, such as a piece of metal, with chalkboard paint—just prime, paint, and frame. Then you'll have a message center where you can affix notices and write messages. Hang your new message board on the wall in your kitchen, den, or wherever. Have handy some chalk for writing and an eraser or damp cloth for cleaning.

Tip: Consider wood pieces that already exist in your space, like the door to your kitchen pantry. Painting the inside with chalkboard paint makes for a perfect message center that can be easily concealed.

For flat-sided doors and chalkboard paint, visit your local Lowe’s store.

* Take the proper precautions and follow the manufacturer's instructions when working with magnetic or chalkboard paint.

** Note: Over time, your chalkboard might not come clean with just an eraser. When this happens, simply wipe with a damp cloth and touch up areas with fresh chalkboard paint.