Use chalkboard paint to create personalised table settings. Courtesy Benjamin Moore
Use chalkboard paint to create personalised table settings. Courtesy Benjamin Moore

Write your own style around your space with chalkboard paint



An acrylic topcoat that can turn almost any surface into a canvas for self-expression, chalkboard paint has become all the rage in recent years. It’s great for children – hopefully eliminating any random scribbling on your lovely white walls – but can also make for an intriguing interior statement when employed by imaginative adults. It’s also super easy to apply. Here, Farooq Paracha, the regional head, Middle East and Africa, of the paint-and-coatings brand Benjamin Moore, shares five creative ideas that you can try with chalkboard paint.

Creative walls

Paint one of the walls in your children’s rooms in chalkboard paint or use it on a piece of furniture somewhere in the living room. The paint helps turn any space into a writing surface, making it more functional and fun to use. It’s safe, so even if your children have allergies, there’s no need to worry. If you’re bored with classic colours, with more than 3,300 hues in the ­Benjamin Moore system, you can create any design you want.

Table painting

If your children can’t sit still while they’re at the table, paint part of the surface with chalkboard paint. Now they can enjoy their meal and draw at the same time.

Organise your day

Do you have too many errands to run every day? Keep track of all the things you need to do by applying chalkboard paint to the inside of a kitchen-cabinet door. This way, your message space will be easily accessible to you, but not visible to your visitors.

Create a family calendar

Planning a holiday or don’t want to miss your child’s football match? Use chalkboard paint to create a family calendar on your kitchen wall or fridge that you can easily update every month. Use it to keep track of everyone’s schedules, from school events to meetings and games. Assign each family member a different colour.

Personalised drawers

No more fighting over drawers. With chalkboard paint, you can allocate drawers to every member of the family, labelling them with individual names. Or go further and add categories, such as shirts, jeans and dresses. Then everyone will know where to find their favourite socks.

Flowerpot labels

If you like growing herbs indoors, paint terracotta planters with chalkboard paint. Then label the pots with chalk to keep track of exactly what’s growing where.

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