It’s been about three months now since Jonathan and I renovated Tessa’s playroom. It went from a drab, half-finished country looking back room to a pretty princess pink playroom in the one month that we tinkered away at it. (Click here to see the full post!)
While I blogged pretty extensively on the major upgrades and special touches we did, I kind of glossed over the cute, simple and easy Pinterest projects. Which, let’s face it, are generally the more interesting aspects. 😉
I wanted to blog specifically about one easy Pinterest project that cost less than $15 and took less than an hour (drying time excluded). Yep, we fell prey to the Pinterest sensation of painting closet doors with chalk paint!
The quart of paint (enough for two standard size closet doors, and then some) cost roughly $12, and we already had a garage chock full of painting supplies. So this project was ridiculously, and laughably simple.
We unhinged the doors, took off the hardware, and painted the outer sides with two even coats of this thick, novelty paint. After they had ample time to dry, we reattached the hardware and rehung the doors.
Seriously. IT’S THAT EASY!
Tessa is still a wee bit on the young side, and the doors don’t capture her attention for any great length of time. And the chalk ends up in her mouth and in the cats water bowl more than it ends up doodling on the doors. But whenever she has friends come to visit (especially our friend’s older kids, aged 3-8) the door gets COVERED in all kinds of chalk art from the little ones!
I had been warned before, during and after this project that Tessa will take to writing on the walls and that these doors are ultimately a bad idea. Weeeeell, it’s been roughly three months since the doors were doodle-friendly, and I can say we have only had ONE writing on the wall fiasco – and it was with chalk in the living room! Not exactly the end of the world.
Now, if she ends up taking a marker to the walls, or an ink pen, I may be a little less enthusiastic about these doors.. but for the time being, they look cute, they add personality to the room, they take a previously dead space and make it an outlet for creativity, and they provide temporary artwork to enjoy whenever the muse hits the kids.
i love chalkboard paint!! i’ve only worked with it once but it’s so cool. trying to convince my husband to let me put chalkboard paint on the pantry door so i can write my grocery list on there 😀
The previous owners of our house did that!! Its actually crazy convenient, and it doesn’t change the kitchen decor when done on the INSIDE of the cupboard! You should do it!!
chalkboard paint and kids, I’m clueless… haha I think I need kids first then I can comment on this better 🙂 but good post, Gingi! Keep it up!
This is such an awesome idea! I really love this and have seen it online before and I think it is such a great idea to do! Your daughter is so cute and hopefully she will enjoy it more as she gets a bit older!
Denise
http://www.fashionloveletters.com
Yeah, she likes it more and more with each passing week.. so I think she’ll grow into it!! <3
super super cute ^_^
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That’s so fun and cute. My oldest has a chalkboard in his bedroom and he uses it constantly!
I love chalkboard accent walls and doors! Her playroom is adorable. Alex and her boyfriend painted a chalkboard accent wall in their apartment and it’s so cool. She also painted the inside of a closet door so that they could remind each other of their schedules and grocery needs. And I can’t leave without saying how darn cute Tessa is. I swear she’s the spitting image of Alex when she was that age. 🙂
Well then, Alex must be a real looker!! Hehehe! Her playroom is much more full, cluttered and mussy now (apparently kids do that to thing?!) but it’s still adorable! Anyhoo, I’m seriously thinking of chalking up the inside of all my kitchen cabinets!
Great idea! And yes, yes she is. 🙂
When both boys were little we made a nook at the bottom of our stairs that we loved to sit and read before nap time. I painted the wall with chalkboard paint and the boys spent hours drawing on it!!! Love your playroom door – you will always enjoy it!
Yeah, I really can’t wait for Tessa to get old enough to be caught up in this activity for longer than just a few minutes… at the moment we have to hide the chalk from her, since she has a tendency to, well, eat it. lol!
Such a great idea! Love the photos
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I love this idea, what a great touch for a kids room! I bet she’s going to love it more and more as she gets older!
Gingi, I have not worked with chalk paint yet… but I am moving this summer and I had already decided to get a can to do a cabinet or smaller wall in my kitchen where I can write down a list of items needed from the store… and I want to do something similar in Valentina’s room so she can work out her math problems or just be creative… I think it is a great idea xox
You should do it! It not only looks classy (in my opinion!) but it’s really quite functional!! <3
I love those doors! Talk about a great creative outlet for princess Tessa!
Your little Tessa is so adorable! I have been wanting do a project like this for ages in our new home and it is probably time to just do it. I want one in my kitchen for when I am cooking and need the toddler to be entertained. P.S. Kids will color on the wall no matter what,your just encouraging a fun space to do it! we once had a child color the walls with what was left over in their diaper. Not so fun I tell you 🙂
I have always wanted to make a chalkboard what a great idea
xo
http://www.laurajaneatelier.com
You should make yourself one! They’re soooo cheap! <3
Such a cute idea! I’ve actually never heard of it before, so I’ve never worked with chalk paint, but I think that it’s a great idea. If you can teach your kids that the black doors are the only appropriate place to draw, I think that it’s fine! Then again, I don’t have any kids of my own yet, so maybe I’m not the most qualified person to be giving an opinion 😛
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wonderful post! have a great day! 😀
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It looks lovely! I would just be nervous she my kid gets in the habit of writing on the door and end up with markers in the rest of the house 🙂 I love your wooden/bamboo flooring!
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That’s my biggest fear, haha..
Amazing DIY stuff.
And your kiddo looks like having fun too.
XO
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This is the first time I heard of chalkboard paint and I think it is a great idea to let children have their own chalkboard doors to draw on! It look really cool!
Prudence
http://www.prudencepetitestyle.com
Lucky kids! I used to have a blackboard in my room, now I want it again! Haha
STYLE VANITY
You should do it!! It’s so easy!
Such a lovely princess you have! My little Sofia will turn 3 in July that’s why I understand you so well…
Great idea dear Gingi!
Thank you so much for this great post.
Areta
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Not just for playrooms! We used to have one on our kitchen wall in our old place, and we haven’t got round to doing it here, but it’s certainly fun at parties.
This is so cute! I wish I had a chalkboard wall in my room when I was little.
Me too! My hubby and I are pretty much just building / buying things for Tessa we always wished we had! haha!
So cute and such a fun way to encourage creativity!
Fabulous idea!
Kisses from Miami,
Borka
http://www.chicfashionworld.com
That is such a fantastic idea! I am thinking about making chalkboard paint flower pots!
Ohhh, if you do, post LOTS of pictures!! <3
I’ve used it before and I think it can be great in the right space. It does create a bit of “dust” when kids use it a lot, so something to think about (e.g. what carpet may be underneath) I also suggest putting some easy to use container on the wall to hold the chalk, such as an upside-down cup shaped drawer pull. Fun!
I am planning on adding something like that, once she’s old enough to be trusted with the chalk on her own! Right now she mostly tries to eat it! hehe..
Ohhhh, this is such a cool idea!
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
She is a cutie!!! Love the pictures! The project sounds fun!
So cute! Nice photos 🙂
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Thanks!
I once saw a guy in LA carrying a baby food jar with chalkboard paint on the lid. He started talking to me so I asked him with was up with the jar. He said he uses the lid to write what strain of marajuana he put in the jar. I wonder if he found that idea on Pinterest too? :-p
Classy….
Forget the kids room, I’d happy my room paint in chalk paint haha. Hours of fun.
Corinne x
My little sweetie granddaughter, Tessa Connie-Sue!! She is loving those doors!! Good job Gingi.
Thanks mother-in-love! <3
What a great idea! When I was a kid, my mother put up huge paper on the walls, so that my brother and I could paint directly on them… I don’t remember it causing any problems anywhere else and it was a lot of fun.
What a cute idea to do the door!
Jill
Doused In Pink
What a great idea! I love Tessas playroom – how awesome to have or room like that. And I thought chalkboards were so much fun when I was a kid. To be allowed to paint on the door must be amazing 😉
You should do something similar for your little one!!! <3
Nice post!! 🙂
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That’s really another lovely idea you had!! It’s incredible how much energy you have – while I make one blogpost, you make five…..and maybe in s spare hour give birth……. Now it should only be just days away, and I wish you all the best!!!!
With love
Rosa
Styleyourselfinstyle.blogspot.com
LOL, it’s only because I’m shirking all my other duties.. and I have the month off from work! I didn’t book any photography gigs for the “birth month”, heheh!! <3
I always thought these chalkboards are a great idea for kids and so easy to make. Thanks for sharing!!! 😉 xo
cute and fun idea and even cuter pictures!
This is so cute! I love chalkboard walls!
Melanie @ meandmr.com
Me too! Thanks for stopping by Melanie!
Very cool! I’ve always loved the idea of chalk paint.
kids love to have a creative space like that. and it’s something that will always get used.
Wow Gingi, I must say that this is such a genius idea. Chalboard doors are the best thing for children, they can draw there whenever they want. I am wondering though, wouldn’t it be a good idea to make the whole rooms out of chalk board? That would be worry free for parents!
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Hahaha, I mentioned painting a whole wall to my husband (like in the hallway), but he doesn’t like the idea, lol!
I’ve seen these before, but yours is incredible. So big! And clearly your daughter loves it. Scarlet would be so happy with one.
Oh gosh!!! I’d love to have a chalkboard door or even a wall. I’m not sure which paint to use but for sure when we get to renovate our house, I’d consider that idea. We have what we call a freedom wall in our bedroom – but it’s really our own wall and my husband wrote numbers and shapes on it using spray paint! Geez. You have a lovely home!
Thank you Rea! I really do like our new home! It’s become my passion!
I think this is a great idea! We rent so we can’t get away with this, but I am definitely going to try this when we buy our house! I don’t think this will lead to impromptu wall drawing, I know with my kid he understands where the designated drawing areas are, though he’s three so maybe that’s the key.
Nice concept of chalkboard door in the playroom 🙂