Did you see Dian57's msg center at the end of an island? Blackboard, I think she framed it with trim matching the island.

I think yours is in a good spot as you want it to be reasonably prominent and seen by family members.

Separately, even though I hate the mess and desperately want to put away my dishes, I'm making myself wait until the knobs & pulls are installed -- that's the last dust-creating event, and I don't want wood dust going on to my dishes after I wash and put them away.

Have you looked at Pottery Barn? They have a variety of message boards, chalk and white boards. Even if you don't buy from them, you can get some ideas.

I have several of their daily system wall pieces, but due to issues with our remodel, I've never been able to put them up. Since we are looking at tearing everything out and starting over, I might not end up using them.

Here is a link that might be useful: pottery barn

After spending about 30 minutes in homegoods looking at picture frames and deciding if i could get plywood and paint it with chalkboard paint to make a wall message center/calendar...i turned around, and there was a great off white framed chalkboard right behind me! i can't wait to get our walls painted and put it up!

I didnt mean to sound so snotty in that last post...but if you are looking for things similar to pottery barn, check out homegoods (thats what i meant to say in my last post!)
haha!

oh, TB, I didn't take it that you were being snotty! Not at all! My sister has a homegoods near her but it's three hours away. I really like that store! Next time I'm out that way I'll be sure to look for a message board. I'd like to find one that will hold keys and mail, too, and not be cluttered looking. Maybe I'll find one there!

Stepanie, thanks for the pottery barn link. I didn't think of going there either but now I will.

Bluekit, I know what you mean about the mess from the knobs but our installer won't be back until a replacement cabinet comes in another week or so. We were shipped one wrong cabinet! ARGG!

Old1880, what's in that wall? Right on a traffic area sounds like a great spot for a message center, but if you could use a framed message board as a door over a 3" recess framed into the wall, you'd have a nice tidy place for hanging keys, extra markers, chalk, etc, without it sticking out more than an inch or two from the wall total.

thanks Rosie, I didn't think to recess a message center. What a great idea! Originally we thought we'd have a drop down ironing center and the electrician left a wire in the wall for us to have one some day. That's really given me something to think about!

We put in a 12" deep base cabinet on our high traffic wall. Above is a wine rack and a "message center" and 15" cab. For the backsplash we'll be doing corkboard.

In the 12' base cab. each child has their own bin as does each parent. School papers, homework and "lost and found" items will go in there for the kids (aka small toys they leave laying around). For dh and I we store our keys, receipts that we need, computer wires, cell phones and chargers...etc.

So far it has worked well and the kids like having their own space in the new kitchen.

You could do something similar with a small console table and some pretty bins underneath for family members. Above it do a cork or chalk board framed (or half cork/half chalk) and maybe a letter box to the side.

Do you have a pic, chrissiemw? I'd love to see it!