Chalkboard paint can be used in so many different ways all around your home! Here are 15 genius chalkboard paint ideas to get you started.
Chalkboard Paint is one of the most versatile craft supplies out there. Check out these genius ways to put it to use around your home.
Creative uses for chalkboard paint
A chalkboard is something every family can make use of in their home. We have a huge one in our playroom, and my kids use it all the time! Now that chalkboard paint is so readily available, it’s so easy to make a chalkboard yourself, and it will have such an impact on your life. Whether you use it to keep your home organized, or just for fun, you’ll soon wonder how you lived without it.
But, chalkboard paint isn’t just for making boards. There are so many other things you can paint with it, too! Once you’ve got your hands on a can of chalkboard paint, you’ll want to paint everything in sight.
Chalkboard paint ideas
Here, I’ve collected together heaps of genius chalkboard paint ideas that will bring so much to your life. Some of these projects are for organization, some are for decoration, and some are just for fun – but they’re all really clever uses for chalkboard paint. There’s sure to be something here to inspire you!
1. Paint a chalkboard straight onto your wall (in any color!)
This one’s my own big chalkboard project. We had a huge blank wall in my kids’ playroom, so I decided to do something I’ve been wanting to do for ages. I painted a huge chalkboard right onto the wall using chalkboard paint! With a simple white trim, it looks really polished. My kids absolutely love it!
The best part is that you can make this kind of chalkboard in any color you like! Yep – really, any color at all. The chalkboard paint I used is clear, so you can paint it over the top of any regular paint color. I chose a beautiful navy blue to match the rest of my home’s decor.
2. Make a Custom Magnetic Chalkboard
I made this DIY magnetic chalkboard for my kids a few years back. I used the same technique as the giant chalkboard wall, only I did it on a giant metal pan – check the automotive section at WalMart.
The kids loved having a board that they could draw on with chalk and play with magnets. Plus.. the custom coral color made this kids play space so bright and cheery.
3. Make a chalkboard globe
This chalkboard globe is my own DIY version of a Christmas decoration I saw at Pottery Barn. It cost so much less than buying the ridicuously expensive one in the store, and it was fun to make too!
Just buy a cheap kids’ globe, cover it in chalkboard paint, and it’s ready to decorate. I used a white pencil to add my text, as opposed to chalk, so that it doesn’t smudge in storage. If you’d prefer to change up the design every year, use a piece of chalk instead, and you can wipe it clean whenever you feel like a change!
4. Paint your Crock-Pot!
This is such a creative chalkboard paint project – painting your Crock-Pot with chalkboard paint! This chalkboard slow cooker from Bright Green Door is so fun, and I love the thought of being able to doodle on the cooker while your food is making itself.
Best of all, it would be so practical for potluck dinners. Just label the slow cooker with whatever’s inside, so your guests know exactly what’s on offer. You can also add any dietary information they might need. Genius!
5. Get your home organized with a chalkboard calendar
This idea is truly genius – a chalkboard calendar painted straight on the wall! This project, from It All Started With Paint, is the perfect way to keep your home organized month after month.
You can write anything you like in each day’s spot on the calendar – your meal plan, daily schedule, things you need to remember, etc. When you move onto the next month, just wipe the calendar clean, and start again.
And it looks beautiful too!
6. Give your fridge a chalkboard makeover
Kitchen appliances can be so expensive, especially if you want something extra stylish. But there’s a solution! Giving your old appliances a makeover with chalkboard paint can be an easy way to give your kitchen a new look without breaking the bank.
This incredible chalkboard fridge from Frugal Family Times looks so stunning, and gives the entire kitchen a totally different vibe!
Plus, you can use the chalkboard surface to write your meal plan, shopping list, etc., right where you need to see it.
7. If you’re short of space, use a door!
Even if you don’t have an empty wall to create your chalkboard organizer, you can still make one. Just use a door! Add the chalkboard paint straight onto the door – easy as pie.
This chalkboard door from The Decor Fix is a great example. It could be used to draw a calendar, things to remember, shopping list, or anything else that you need to keep your family organized.
8. Make a chalkboard coffee table
If your kids have a habit of drawing on your furniture, why not embrace it with a chalkboard coffee table, like this one from Paddington Way. It looks stylish, but it’s so much fun too. And with somewhere appropriate to do their doodling, they will hopefully be less likely to scribble elsewhere.
Even if you don’t have kids, this chalkboard coffee table would be so useful. My mind is always racing when I finally sit down for the evening, and it would be handy to have somewhere to write everything down!
9. Fill an old frame with chalkboard
If you have an old frame that you don’t know how to use, I have the perfect solution! This framed chalkboard from Craftberry Bush would be a really stunning addition to any home, and it’s a great alternative to framed pictures or mirrors.
You can use the framed chalkboard as an organizer, as above, or even just for decoration. Draw the design of your choice, and you can easily switch it up when you want something new!
10. Decorate a mug with chalkboard paint
If your brain is full of chalkboard paint ideas, but you’d like to start with something small, this chalkboard mug from Wit & Whistle is ideal. They’re simple to make, and the end result is super cute.
I love the idea of making your partner or kids a drink every morning, with a special message you’ve written for them. They’d also make great birthday or Christmas gifts!
11. Create a super organized spice shelf
We all dream of having an immaculately organized kitchen, and these chalkboard spice jars from Dwellings By DeVore will get you one step closer!
Transfer all your dried herbs and spices into matching glass jars, and paint the top of each with a small area of chalkboard paint. Then, you can easily label each jar with its contents. Even if you can only see the top of each jar, you can easily see what’s inside.
Best of all, if you need to change the jars around for whatever reason, you can easily erase the labels, and write something new!
12. Draw a fire in your fireplace!
It can be hard to know what to do with an old mantelpiece if you no longer have a working fire inside it. Here’s a fun idea – draw your own chalkboard fire inside a faux fireplace!
This project, from Sophia’s Decor, probably won’t fit with everyone’s home decor. But if you like things a bit fun and quirky, it’s such a creative chalkboard paint idea! It will definitely make a fun talking point for anyone who visits your home.
13. Decorate empty wine bottles for all sorts of uses
If you’re a wine lover, you probably end up with a fair few empty wine bottles in your recycling bin each month, and it can seem like a shame to get rid of them. Here’s a great way to upcycle your old wine bottles – using chalkboard paint, of course!
These chalkboard wine bottles from Bell’Alimento can be used for all sorts of purposes. You can, of course, fill them with more wine (use chalk to write the details on the bottle!) – they’d look so fun on the table at a dinner party. Or, use them as vases, candle holders, or whatever else you like.
14. Make a chalkboard table runner
Chalkboard paint isn’t only good for using on hard surfaces – did you know it can be used on fabric too?! This chalkboard table runner from Hey Look is such a creative idea, and I can think of so many uses for it.
Use it to write your guests’ names for place settings at a dinner party. Write little messages to your kids. Add table numbers for a wedding. There are so many options!
15. Paint over an old mirror
If you have an old mirror lying around (or find a cheap one at a thrift store), you’ve got the perfect base for a new project. You can paint directly over the mirror itself to create a new framed chalkboard!
This mirror chalkboard from Chatfield Court shows just how effective it can look to have a chalkboard within an ornate mirror frame. It looks so beautiful!
Don’t forget to PIN these chalkboard paint ideas for later:
