Surprise! I really wanted to paint a room with chalkboard paint in our home. I mean, it’s practically a tradition because I’ve painted at least one chalkboard wall in every home I’ve ever been allowed to paint in (exhibit a, exhibit b). In our current home my husband was like, “eh- let’s stick with the white” and I was like, “but, pleaseeeeeee?!!” and so we landed on this. A white chalkboard wall! I love it because it’s fresh, clean and different. It almost doesn’t even look like a chalkboard wall (proof) until you write on it. Voilà! We’re both happy, yet again.
Plus- look! Now I can write our menu for dinner parties (and maybe write “I love you” and draw little hearts as much as I please!)
I’m so happy with our wall. The white throughout our home is Valspar’s Thistle Seed. The chalkboard paint (which is under on the bottom part of the wall around this room) is Benjamin Moore’s chalkboard paint in Woodmont Cream. It matches perfectly, right? Crazy. We were originally planning to have the color matched in chalk paint, but it just worked out that Benjamin Moore already had the perfect color. Niceeee.
One last thing I would recommend to anyone considering a white (or light colored chalkboard wall) is to buy the brightest chalk possible. I found this bright Crayola brand sidewalk chalks at Michael’s and they worked a million times better than the regular colored chalks I tried at first, which appeared faded and sad. Plus the sidewalk chalk comes in cool colors like black, brown and red.
One last little tip! Don’t forget to slate your chalkboard wall before writing on it. This means rubbing it with the side of a piece of chalk and then erasing it. This primes your new wall for writing, so you can erase more easily. If you skip this step you may find your wall too difficult to erase.
I’m so excited about our new wall. It’s the perfect mix of traditional (for him) and quirky (for her) that we needed. I love that it’s possible to buy chalkboard paint in any color these days. xoxo. Elsie
130 Comments
super cute & i love that it is totally kid friendly 🙂
❤️, brittney @ true vintage love
http://www.truevintagelove.com
Oh my word, when I have my very own walls to paint this will definitely be a feature! It looks wonderful, Elsie! Thanks for sharing!!
xx
Thank you so much for sharing this! I always use benjamin moire paints and I’m really happy to know I can find chalkboard paint in different colors including white! I’m planning on painting my apartment next spring and this will be useful information! 🙂
Awesome, I love it! I had no idea they made white chalk board paint. Thanks!
Just a friendly note from a francophile to let you know it’s “Voilà!” instead of “Wallah!” 🙂
Terrific! Amazingly terrific
tsiou, from https://www.inwhirlofinspiration.com
S-U-P-E-R! It’s just perfect and love your menu-idea!
http://www.sweet-marylou.blogspot.com
Too cute! I didn’t know they made white chalk board paint.
S-U-P-E-R! It’s perfect and i love the menu-idea!
http://www.sweet-marylou.blogspot.come
lovely pictures! x
http://lifeinlipstick.blogspot.co.uk/
Super adorable. I like the white chalkboard – nice change of pace and can be “plain” if needed!
I love it!!!!
such a great idea! you ladies are the best.
(also, i think you mean “voila!” ;D )
OH. MY. GOSH! My husband and I wanted to paint out hallway white and I kept thinking I want it to be a little different than traditional white because all our others wall are bold colors like red and yellow/gold. Just showed him this over coffee and he said go for it! Yay! Thanks for the inspiration =)
<3 Annejelina xoxo
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrownofCreationShop
I hadn’t seen someone do white before, loving the unexpected twist on the now common chalk wall.
Really nice! I like but my husband….I don’t think so..but you are righ, white colour is cleaner than black and look so smart! Congratulations Elsie.
hehe- thanks! 😀 elsie
Wow I love this! I never thought about doing white chalkboard paint, but that is probably because I never knew such a thing existed!
It looks great (and your light fixture & table are to die for). Always so inspiring, Elsie! 🙂
Wow this is so cool, I love it! When I have my own place I will definitely be doing this in the kitchen, I didn’t even know you could get white chalkboard paint!
x
What a fabulous idea Elsie! Love it – so unique and it really is a fab finishing touch to the dining room.
I love chalkboard EVERYTHING! White looks very clean elegant and I would love to do this to a wall in my home. Nice job!
On My Gosh! This is such an awesome idea. I am in love with this DYI project.
If you’re looking to make it really pop with colour try Chalk Ink. Great idea!
I really adore it x
Muilo Burbulai
Love this idea, good reminder to prime the wall with chalk first so it’s easier to erase- I wouldn’t have remembered to do that!
This looks so cool! xo
I love this! I wonder if I can paint my apartment wall with this paint. Will they notice?
This is AMAZING!! I am so ridiculous jealous of your wall! Must try… whenever we get our own house that is 😀
Oh I love this so much!!
Lulu xx
http://luluslittlewonderland.blogspot.com
Never thought of having a chalkboard wall. It looks so nice and fun!! (especially if kids are around) This will be on my list when I finally have my own place. x
Wow, this is amazing! I love it, such a great idea! x
holljc.blogspot.co.uk
I’m so needing to do this! I think my kids and my lover would adore this! Yay!!! This is the happiest I’ve been since 2 hours ago! 🙂
Cuuuuute! I would love to do this, but the “noise” or “feeling” or something of using chalk on a chalkboard really makes me cringe. I love the look of it and love the idea, but I just can’t 🙁
I’d do it with the whiteboard paint for sure, though!!
http://cuddlyasacactus.wordpress.com/
This is actually awesome!
I LOVE THAT IT’S WHITE CHALKBOARD! So you can hide it when you don’t want to write on it, The menu is super cute! Great idea x
illuminatedteapot.com
Did you find that those chalks erased well? What do you erase it with? My daughter has the same chalk set and it’s almost impossible to rub it off the sidewalk/her chalkboard. We need to use the power washer to remove it from the concrete and baby wipes/Magic Eraser to get it off the chalkboard.
This is amazing! Reckon I could get away with replacing our white matt walls with white chalkboard walls? We rent but maybe no one would notice? 😉
Esther
http://Www.dearfriendlondon.com
So cool! Never knew it’s possible to have a white chalkboard wall! xx
http://www.kaisaphoto.com
Absolutely love it! I’ve always wanted to try a chalkboard wall, but our house is already so dark that I didn’t dare. White chalkboard paint may be the answer!
That is so cool!!
OMG I love this idea! I am so going to do it 🙂 Thanks 🙂
Ha, love that you can write a menu on your own kitchen wall! My other half would just never ever go for that… he’s a clean cut neat freak 😉
Love this! Thank you so much for the awesome tips 🙂 I definitely want some of a wall to be chalk once I purchase a home.
Big Apple, Little Bites
It sounds like you found the perfect compromise, it looks great.
You just made my dreams come true with this! I want a chalkboard wall so bad, but the rooms in our house are so small to begin with that it makes it hard to imagine going with a dark color, even just on one wall. Now I can have the wall without darkening and shrinking the look of the house! THANK YOU!!!!
TheGrowingUpDiaries.blogspot.com
your husband says yes to a lot, wow!
I like the look of a white chalkboard wall so much more than black. The colors just pop more and it looks more open and refreshing.
I love chalkwalls! The white I think, looks great actually. Like you say, you can’t see that it isn’t a regular wall and that is the fun!
I think painting your walls above the railing trim yellow to match your chairs would be really cool. Just remember to caulk your trim too. It really finishes off the room.
Wow, this looks great! I think I’ll keep this post in hand as for when I decide to start a family.
That looks great! Can you just use a regular chalkboard eraser?
So much cuter than black! Love it! xx
http://www.creativityandchocolate.com
SO fun! Such a great idea to list the menu items! Love it!
This would probably distract me from doing some actual cooking… 😉
http://sometimesgracefully.com
WOW! This is so neat!! Thanks for that tip, we are going to paint a wall in the littles’ playroom with chalkboard paint and will definitely be “priming” it now. 🙂
–Jess
beingbarlow.com
This is going to be perfect in our apartment! I’ve wanted a chalkboard wall for a while, but because we have a small NYC apartment, thought that black would make the room look even smaller. New mission: Find white chalkboard paint!!
<3 dani
http://www.shopdisowned.com
http://blog.shopdisowned.com
Um, Can I come over for dinner? Yum!
OMG I want this so badly!!! Just sent this link to my husband 🙂 Pinning this for future HOME improvements!
Thank you !
I LOVE this!! I always loved the idea of a chalk board wall, but hated the black. This is amazing.. definitely trying it 🙂
Erica
sweet-endeavors.com
I was thinking about doing a light chalkboard wall in our new apartment but worried that. it wouldnt turn out good. Now I’m sure I wanna do it 🙂 Thanks!
Such a great idea, I might have to try this out – thanks for sharing!
http://www.beblacknblue.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.beblacknblue.blogspot.co.uk
I’m sold! I didn’t even know this was possible!!! Now I’m even more excited to buy a house!
How cute… and fun!!
Love it! Good job, guys. 🙂
We love original walls, so if we can write on them, it’s fantastic! Children love it too!
http://inatrendytown.blogspot.com
I actually like the punniness of “Wallah!”. 🙂
I’ve never thought about a white chalkboard before… Every time I think of “chalkboard” I think of the black ones from school, but you’ve changed my way of thinking. It’s such a fun and quirky way to make a room very DIY. Such a lovely idea!
I’m totally giggling. You found a solution to getting your chalk board wall. So funny.
vintagehoneybee.blogspot.com
Love it!!
xx
How cool!
We are in awe!!
Love and good night from Germany,
Bambi and Birdy
http://lasagnolove.blogspot.de/
Thanks so much Kristen!!
elsie
Haha- good point!! 😀 elsie
Hey Mandy- yes- they come off well with Windex. 🙂
elsie
Hey Meg! I haven’t tried that. I’ve been using Windex and it works really well. I guess it just depends on if you want it completely cleaned or that “chalky” messy look. 😀
elsie
haha! Yes!
elsie
This is so cute! I had no idea that there was even such a thing as white chalkboard paint! This is actually perfect for my rental house!
This is too awesome! I want a chalkboard wall in my home!! 🙂
<3
http://downtownhautefashion.blogspot.com
uooooo it´s like having a giant canvas in your living room, so cool!!! 🙂
so so neat! love how clean it looks!
I didn’t know they had white! I use regular colored chalk, but dip the tip in water to get brighter colors. I learned that from a tutorial I found. Love the menu.
I think with the spray chalkboard paint I used on my little framed homemade chalkboard, it said not to use sidewalk chalk, so I’m glad to see that works fine with your paint. I’m jealous because I have a huge collection of pretty sidewalk chalk that I wish I could use on mine!
-Jen
yourstrulyjen.com
Oh this such a lovely idea! And I love that it’s white. Looks lovely.
http://erstwhilefelicity.blogspot.co.uk/
This is an amazing idea! I saw this with pink months ago…but never white! It’s was beautiful. 🙂
What a fun idea! If we even eventually buy a home, I’d love to try this, especially in a kid’s room.
That’s so cool! i never realized you could buy chalkboard paint in other colors. Yet another awesome post 🙂 x
How fun! I didn’t know they made white chalkboard paint!
xo Jennifer
http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com
Love this! So cool 🙂
Nicky
zeeblikesit.blogspot.com
xx
woah! I didn’t know white chalk board paint existed! What a fabulous idea!
xx
Every time I read your blog I get more and more obsessed with chalkboard walls. I definitely need one once I have my own house!
xx
youngmildandfree.com
I, like many others it would appear, did not know white chalkboard paint existed … but now that I do …
xx Abby | htt://www.ageektragedy.net
I love love LOVE this! Might just have to do this immediately!
Oh wow! I love the menu idea. Considering white chalk walls for my future home! 🙂
xo Heather
http://ahopelessnotebook.blogspot.com/
this is so fun what an awesome extra touch to add to the kitchen 🙂
I love chalkboard paint! If I could do everything in my house I would, but that would get a little overwhelming.
My boyfriend recently found whiteboard paint? I am very curious to see how that turns out. I am typically more drawn to chalkboards myself.
Leah Faye
a clover and a bee
Super cute! Always fun to have a little unexpected twist. I’ve thought about doing a chalkboard wall but I get really paranoid about dust. I’m terrible at cleaning as it is! And my husband is a neat freak.
This is one of the coolest ideas I’ve seen in a long time! I love this so much!!! Thanks for blowing my mind 🙂
Again, you girls are amazing. So very inspiring. I love the white chalkboard paint. I think it is genius. I love when something surprises me. Thank you for that today!
Jenni
ahhh, I haven’t seen white chalkboard paint yet — just green and black! i’ll have to see what else is out there, too. it looks amazing in your home!
xo, Lily on Fillmore
This is amazing! I have always wanted to try some chalkboard paint at home but was scared to go with such a dark color. I didn’t even know it came in white!!
Have have never seen anyone do white! Usually black, and SOMETIMES a funky yellow or something like that. But white is so sweet with those assorted pastel-ish colors. I’m in love!
Linked to this on my own site. 🙂 Thanks!
Hi there, very nice post. I wonder how does your ceiling light works ? I want the same, where do I get it, how do I make it :)?
Thank you,
I have a question about the priming with the piece of chalk and then erasing it: does this piece of chalk have to be in the same color as the wall?
Great idea! as much for adults as for kids!
This is fantastic!! I love the bright white look with the pop of color!
🙂
http://www.findbeautyandsmile.weebly.com
what a perfect compromise! it seems like the two of you are pretty good at the whole marriage thing! 😉
xxoo,
nikki
http://www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
This is so cool! I LOVE chalkboard paint. I totally want to use this in my house when I finally get a place of my own. 🙂
FINALLY!! I love chalkboard walls, but the black can be off-putting.
Wow. I wouldn’ve never ever thought of this. I LOVE it. My husband also would not be a fan of a traditional chalkboard painted wall. This, i can talk him into 🙂
xo Jac
thesunshinedistrict.blogspot.com
have you ever talked about those cool lights you have hanging in the center of the room? Seriously…those are really neat looking! 🙂 Any more details to come on those? 🙂
This is so unique and different! I love it!
Ffion x
thepoorgirlsguideto.blogspot.com
You are just overflowing with creative ideas! Love it 🙂
Bailey
http://akabailey.blogspot.com
Hi Elsie. This is just one more amazing addition to your beautiful home. I know you said you’ve been wiping down with windex. Just wondering if it takes a lot of scrubbing with the windex or if it’s fairly easy to wipe down. I’m hoping to do cupboards and one wall in the kitchen… think it could work?
Did not know you could get white chalkboard paint – what a great idea!
Love your pendant lights hanging above the table! They suit the space perfectly.
http://wellingtonchic.co.nz
Thanks for this timely article! We recently re-painted our room green, and got some chalkboard paint. I’ve never used it before, but your blog has great tips. I’m going to stencils to create tiny chalkboards in the silhouettes of forest creatures, my first will be a squirrel! I only have a little bit so the rest will be for crafts…
I love this, it’s such a cool idea. You have really cute handwriting too!
this is an awesome idea! ive never seen a white chalkboard wall before. well done!!
That’s amazing! I didn’t even know white chalkboard paint existed and I never wanted to paint a wall with chalkboard paint, because I find it too dark. So this is the perfect solution, thanks for sharing!:)
oh my god, this is amazing ! That looks so cool !
Such a cool idea! I love how you can have the chalkboard wall, but keep things light and bright!
AHHHH! This is perfect! Love, love, love!
Cx http://mixedmediumstheatre.blogspot.co.uk/
What a sweet idea. I had no idea chalkboard paint came in colours other than black! 😀
-Rebecca
http://mn2nz.wordpress.com
LOVE this! moving into a new house and need to pick my paint colors, but do the walls get smudgy at all like how chalkboards can get?
I seriously do not have time to look through all your posts at the moment… but I will be finding the time. These are all such great ideas! Thank you. Its almost the end of the gardening season and so I’ve been thinking of projects and things to do with the spare time Im going to have. I love the idea of a chalkboard wall but didn’t want a “black” wall.. if they have white… do they have other colours? I had never thought to check!
That looks amazing! I want that in my house.
I realize I’m a few yrs late to the party since this post, but im painting one of the walls in my daughters room white chalkboard. Can you please explain the priming with chalk first? The whole wall had to be primed? With what color chalk? Planning on doing this tomorrow. Thanks!
Hi Cheryl!
After you paint the wall and it has completely dried, use white chalk to cover the entire wall and then wipe it off. The purpose of the priming is that sometimes the first thing on the wall is doesn’t erase as well, so after it is completely covered in white the colored chalks will be easier to erase. 🙂 Hope you have fun!
Can you use this on an outside table?
Hi! Does the chalk erase easily? or Does it leave much residue? I mean, when you erase does the wall become perfectly white again?
Thankyou!
Susanna
Can you please let me know how do you erase your white chalkboard wall? I just painted my room with it and 2 weeks after I am trying to get it out because wanted to paint somethibg else and I cannot get the chalk off the wall non with the water and vinegar neither the coca cola. I did not aplird the primming had no idea and now my wall is a mess csn you please help me.
Can you please share with me how the white chalkboard wall is working out? Specifically, how it washes? Does it leave smudges? We have a black board wall and it leaves smudges but still looks cute anyway – wondering if the white would look the same or appear dirty?
Thanks!
Meghan