When I painted my solid oak kitchen cabinets black and found that I really loved the look, I was looking for ways to keep that look clean and more modern while staying a bit country too. I wanted to display my old Hoosier Cabinet in its beautiful golden oak patina, knowing that a black wall would stand out perfectly, I started thinking about “practical” applications and thought of chalkboard paint.

The first thing I did, to see how well it would work with chalkboard paint, was paint the front of a cabinet door on our old kitchen island. I painted the inside panel of the cabinet door with the chalkboard paint and let it “cure” before taking a piece of white chalk and using the chalk side to cover the entire painted surface; then I cleaned it with a microfiber cloth. This process allows writing on the surface without leaving permanent marks.

Chalkboard paint can be washed off with a damp cloth and dried. I now have a cabinet door with a chalkboard center that I can lean against a chair or wall and use as a menu board; It’s a fun way to add some interest to a party or special dinner.

Once I was satisfied with the look and function of the chalkboard paint, I painted the top two-thirds of my wall, which has a chair rail and a paint color that matches my dining room decor. I applied several coats of chalkboard paint to ensure even coverage, using a short nap roller to get as smooth a finish as possible.

Once I was satisfied with the look and function of the chalkboard paint, I painted the top two-thirds of the wall, which has a chair rail, and added a paint color to match my dining room decor. I applied several coats of chalkboard paint to ensure even coverage, using a short nap roller to get as smooth a finish as possible.

Once the wall was finished, my husband added additional molding to “frame” the new chalkboard, and we put the Hoosier Cabinet back in place; it looks perfect against the black wall. I will mention that I have a lot of light in this room, so the idea of ​​a black wall didn’t bother me.

I have long wanted to put a transfer on my dining room wall that would be special to our family and found a company that will prepare any font and phrase in a variety of colors. Now, with my chalkboard wall, it seemed like the right time to go ahead and have something unique and colorful at the same time. Choosing the right colors to highlight the cabinet color and a second color for an accent turned out to be the finishing touch for our update to our previously dated dining room.

This experiment is a good example: it is possible to be a bit modern and a bit of a county at the same time. When my daughter’s artist friends come over, they always draw something fun and interesting; young and old children never seem to get tired of drawing on a blackboard.