I love chalkboard walls, especially in family rooms and offices. When helping developers choose paint colors for their new homes, we will often spec a chalkboard wall and then make it look cute during the staging. And yes, I use the chalkboard pens -- no dust, and you can add a lot more detail. In the first photo below we drew chalk "frames" around kid's artwork, mixed with real frames. People loved it!

Tablea

tableau noir et laissez libre cours à votre créativité familiale !!!!

We put a piece of sheet metal on one wall and hang notes, pictures, posters, etc. with magnet.

Can be a dramatic accent in a white kitchen

Very adventurous @VisualJillInteriorDecorating, I like it! I think my favorite part about your photos is how cozy the rooms feel, but with a modern flare. The sleek lines on the couch, the chic light fixtures you selected, it's fabulous. I think the only difference would be using Edison bulbs in the fixture to further compliment the design.

It looks best in kids rooms or any colorful room

In a new construction job the young teenage girl wanted chalkboard paint in her room so her girlfriends could autograph her wall. The room is not done yet, but here is a preview!

It might be fun for the kids, but it would probably end up looking more cluttered than a refrigerator covered in magnets.

Had a chalkboard cabinet door in my kitchen 30 years ago. Loved it! Ever hear of dustless chalk? It's out there and doesn't make a mess at all. Not too sure I would do a whole kitchen wall in it though.

Yuck

No discussion about chalk and respiratory problems? If your kids have asthma, do not use a chalkboard! The particles get inhaled no matter how much you clean it. I wouldn't want it in my house...

Perfect for play areas only really... I couldn't see it being used for non kid areas tbh

I've already painted my basement. Would it be hard to just taper off a rectangular box and apply the paint myself? I thought it would be a good score board.

@northernchic ... That could work fine. Just ensure you check the paint for any prep work you might have to do.

No, no, no, not for me... whatever is written/drawn on it looks scruffy and then the cleaning up mess...! My friend installed one for her children in their playroom and guess what - they also drew on the non-chalkboard walls - another NO reason for me! Paint or paper please.

Fun, fun, fun. Let's all the artists at home as well as guests be creative. The best part is, it is always changing and a great outlet. Fun way to tell the kids to write on the wall.

Messy. Don't want to be cleaning/breathing in chalk dust. Phew!

We just put one is our summer home. I ordered the chalk markers from Amazon, but then were told they would not erase. Maybe I should order them again to see if I can remove the marks. The board is a little messy, I think a white board is more fun and easier to clean, but that being said, everyone thinks our looks great. Who has the liquid chalk and it works?

oops, here is the photo of ours.

That sounds wicked...........

No one is ever as artsy as those shown in photos...you have big scribbled messy wall most of the time with poorly drawn shapes. You can't tell if my hubby writes by hand or by foot, its a guessing game as to what it says...certainly don't want his lists all over a wall. (Overall I think they are mostly for folks who "color in the lines", not for those who don't "stay within the lines"....they probably have perfectly colored coloring books too.)

I have a wall of translucent laminated glass that brings light into my dark, windowless kitchen. We soon realised that we could draw on it with dry erase markers. I write "inspirational " quotes, work out concepts and write notes to the kids. Guests will draw on it, too. Yes, most of the time it looks messy, despite the fact that we both have fine arts degrees, but that's reality: no magazine shoots at our house! at least it's semi-contained on one wall.

Teresa Sj-What type of sheet metal did you get for your wall? (If I go in Lowe's what section will it be in?)

I just got stainless appliances so no more putting important papers & sports schedules on the fridge. I had thought about using metal inserts in the panels of my pantry door for magnets but I'm not sure exactly what to buy.

Magnets will stick to stainless steel, just not to some of the thin stainless alloys used in some appliances...next time bring a magnet while shopping for your appliances.

I don't like them either, reason being is healthwise it is not a good thing to be around daily on an environmental level. I think that is the reason most school changed to white boards.

I had one in a playroom and the kids liked it but I didn't because of the mess and they don't clean that well. They prefer a whiteboard now but I did paint the top of the table they had with chalkboard paint and they enjoy it and it's not as messy. Don't use the liquid chalk tho' because it really doesn't erase well at all.

I like the IDEA if a chalkboard more than the reality. It usually just looks messy.

A few years ago a co-worker decided to paint a wall in our conference room with the white board paint. A few days later we all wrote on it with dry erase markers & talked about how cool it was. Then we went to erase it & it just made smeared blobs of color. We tried windex & alcohol, but nothing took it out. Now we have this shiny white wall in our conference room with orange, blue & green spots. No one ever writes on it, but we use it for the projector wall now. Hopefully the quality has improved some, but maybe test it on a scrap board first if you want to use the white board paint.

I had one in my kitchen and love it. Have moved and am in the middle of buying a new house and have already worked out where to put the new chalk wall. Family and friends draw and leave inspirational or fun messages on it. My little grandson draws pictures very time he visits and his uncles and aunty draw pictures beside his to complement them. I remind myself of things I need to buy. Everybody who visits loves it. The best way to get a really clean chalk wall without that chalk residue is to wipe over with a cloth dipped in Cola.

A friend uses the coloured chalk pens that shops use to write on her glass splash back. Looks amazing, no dust. That idea could be extended to a glass or Perspex wall instead of a dusty chalk wall. In fact, now that you have brought it up I might try it myself!

When we moved into my inlaws to save for a house, we had to deal with a big, ugly as sin filing cabinet in our room. I was thrilled to be allowed to paint it w chalkboard paint, and we ironed on some cheesy wood trim to make it look like a loved piece of furniture. It has been our personal message board for a couple years. A project well worth the effort. I can recreate it for every season, teach with it...and happily say good bye to it someday. I wouldn't paint an entire wall, but in the right place at the right time, chalk board paint is definitely my friend.

They're perfect for a schoolhouse...I'll pass!

I like them, and will have one in our playroom soon. I wouldn't have one in a main living room though.
Also for people's info, coke cleans blackboards really well.

http://www.pinterest.com/deb9creations/chalkboard-crazy/

I just ordered peel (and easy unreel) chalkboard stick ons from Blik.com only $12 each.

Oh...I forgot..a couple of years ago I purchased a "stick on" the wall white board with a faux frame for above my granddaughters desk in her bedroom. I think it was $20 from Bed, Bath and Beyond. It uses dry erase pens and her friends write little notes on it when they have a sleep over.

No thanks, can't stand the smell of chalk or the feel of it....blame the nuns..lol

If we're talking decorating - messy- looking! The colored walls with light chalk looks much better than the black walls with white chalk.

It does seem to be a huge trend at the paint store I am asked for it frequently. I never did it myself since I don't want the dust... dry erase would be easier to deal with. Personally I have lots of art supplies and we use paper or canvas at my house for our drawings.

Robin, thanks for the tip about magnetic primer! Contractors are currently painting pantry door and DD's bedroom door with chalkboard paint at my request, having been inspired by Houzz. No way is it 'tacky' and can easily be painted over if you get bored of it. Will also be sourcing erasable liquid pens thanks to ASV for a slick look.

I painted a chalkboard on a bare kitchen wall that couldn't have cupboards on it. I framed it in rough hemlock from our property and stained it to match my chestnut cupboards. My grandchildren love it. I post the menu when we have family gatherings and guests leave messages on it. I have a big box of multicolored chalk made by Crayola. I love my chalkboard and so does everyone that comes in the house.

I have a magnetic chalkboard pantry door and absolutely love it! My grandchildren use it all the time. I wiped it with cola once when it was fairly new. The cola wipe has kept it looking new and really cuts down on the dust, and I haven't yet needed to do another treatment. I have respirative issues and the chalkboard has never been a problem. I'm thinking about doing a chalkboard wall in my basement.

Love my chalk board wall. So do my grandchildren.

I love the idea if a chalk board wall like I love the idea of having a dog. Sounds fun but somewhat unpractical. If you use real chalk the dust makes for a huge mess on the floor

I have a chalk board sliding door. It's the door to my pantry. Everyone who walks in to my house for the first time says they love it. I love it too. I put phone numbers on it, appointments, grocery lists, and other reminders. I''ve had it for about 17 years. My grandson gave me the idea when he was two and started using some sidewalk chalk on the unpainted wood door. I painted it the very next week. Children love it and I don't mind the chalk dust…just wipe it up.

Chalk board walls are great! Easy to make. I have one that acts as a calendar and part of it as a magnetic board. Its there for the family to add their appointments and always easy to see at a glimpse.

As a former teacher I can't recommend chalk dust as a home improvement.

I agree. We have used the chalk pens but they are a bit tougher to get off. So to remedy this we use a damp cloth to do our erasing.

I voted yes but don't think it is by any means 'unique'. I think the house above is fun and inviting and probably perfect for the home owner. Kids love expressing themselves at a young age & when they get older, paint over it. It's only paint.