Discover the Draw of Writing on the Walls
Let your freehand break free with write-on wallpaper, dry-erase paint and other design inventions that celebrate the scribble
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating... More »
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When I was little, one of the first household rules I absorbed was never, ever to write on the walls, a rule I broke as soon as I mastered printing in kindergarten. I can still remember the look on my mom's face when she caught me stretched out next to the baseboards, blissfully busy with my crayons (though it helped my case that my scrawled message was "I love Mommy").
Now we have chalkboard paint and other special surfaces to circumvent the problem. But there's no reason to limit them to kids' spaces — writing on the walls adds a fun, fresh, personal note to grown-up rooms as well.
What do you think of the treatments below? Give us your feedback in the Comments.
Now we have chalkboard paint and other special surfaces to circumvent the problem. But there's no reason to limit them to kids' spaces — writing on the walls adds a fun, fresh, personal note to grown-up rooms as well.
What do you think of the treatments below? Give us your feedback in the Comments.
by Benedict August
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We've sung the praises of chalkboard paint before, and it's still going strong as an interior wall treatment. Use it to cover an accent wall, then inscribe a message that suits the space or your mood. This cheery note plays off the happy hues in the room. For fun, use a chalk color that complements your decor.
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by Faiella Design
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| Chalkboard paint isn't the only way to get a hand-scrawled effect. The scene on the walls of this edgy bathroom was layered over regular black paint — a viable alternative if erasability isn't so important. See more dramatic black spaces |
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| If you prefer something on the brighter side, try dry-erase paint instead. Here it's used as a kitchen backsplash, handy for jotting recipes, grocery lists and reminders on. Alternatively, you could mount a sheet of glass over fabric, paint or wallpaper and buy markers or grease pencils designed to write on it. |
For a streamlined alternative to the usual door-mounted message board, just slather dry-erase paint right onto the door panels.
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| This mural, done with a Sharpie, elevates writing on the wall to an art form. If your sketching skills are rusty, you could project an image onto the surface and trace over it. |
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by Sarah Greenman
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| A modern classic, Graham & Brown's Frames wallpaper provides you with a blank canvas — or hundreds — to fill as you see fit. Scribble notes, post photos or color fanciful pictures as inspiration strikes. Although the paper is just right for kids' rooms, you could also hang it in a guest bathroom and invite visitors to add their own contribution. |
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by Holly Marder
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| This custom hand-drawn wallpaper has the inviting look of a coloring book that hasn't yet been filled in. Wouldn't it be fun for a home office or a playroom? |
| A sweet message to accompany a group of family photos radiates joy and warmth. Stencils keep lines straight and letters uniform, but if you have pretty handwriting (or know someone who does), going freehand makes it truly personal. |
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| Why confine your scribbling to the walls? Coat a tabletop, a desktop or another flat surface with chalkboard paint or a solid color, then embellish to your heart's content. |
by Paper Source
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If you're not ready to commit to a full chalkboard wall, try these removable panels instead. Group them together to create a calendar like this one, or mount them gallery style and draw a work of art on each one.
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A cool chalkboard wall treatment deserves chic chalk to go along with it. These faux bois versions are pretty enough to be a decorative element in their own right.
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A bamboo dry-erase board has more texture and nuance than plain white.
by Nama Rococo
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If you love the hand-drawn look but lack the time or inclination to do it yourself, go the next best route with this delightful doodle-filled wallpaper.
Ideabook published on Nov. 15, 2012.
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Second, the mobile over the baby's bed in that picture! It's a hat with a mustache and something else... and I'm sure that it's referencing an artist, but I can't place who. No vendor information on the picture. Anyone...?
Love it!
http://www.benjaminmoore.ca/en-us/for-your-home/paint-products/benjamin-moore-chalkboard-paint#advs=0&tab=2