Another Place for Chalkboard Paint

I have this mini wall that separates the family room from the kitchen. It's like a giant box that holds my washer and dryer. In retrospect when building the house I wish we'd had the builder create a garage laundry room and made our home one big open space. But 14 years ago, I was too busy getting a wedding planned, new job under my belt and building this little house. And seriously who places a phone jack in the middle of a wall these days? Maybe in the 50's, but 1996? It's a real pain trying to cover the jack which for some reason sticks off the wall about 3/4". So I painted the wall the color of the kitchen (Another dilemma....paint it the den or the kitchen color?). When taking some old pictures down from the wall last week I obviously did not find the right color to patch the walls. And I have no idea what color it is. Huh. Artist brain in work......paint the entire kitchen? No way says sane Mommy brain. I decided to go with chalkboard paint. Yep. Love the stuff. This wall is where I tend to hang my kid's artwork in frames I find at thrift stores (forgot to take before pics, sorry). But it's beginning to be a real issue finding cool frames that fit the work. And I'd like to be able to change the work more often. They do take my art classes, and are always painting when I do. So we needed a gallery wall space. Here it is all nice and painted black. Which honestly rocks with the black kitchen cabinets forward and the new black leather sofa in the family room.

Before I could get the artwork on the walls, the kiddos had a better idea. Start drawing...on the WALLS. I mean how cool is that? So the gallery is a little unproportioned. That's okay though. When Christmas is over I can erase the Santa drawings and finish the wall of with more creations.

William hard at work on Old St. Nick. Can you see the tree in the background? It's an amazing flocked, pre-lit tree I found at the mart a few years back. Love the flocking. And our super sweet black couch. Lot's of eyes rolled when I said I had gotten it. And then when they saw it they were like, yeah Jenni you can pull this off.

I decided to doodle some frames around the paintings. Yep. I think it's great idea too. Pat pat.

So here's a little glimpse into the personal side of me. I really LOVE my home. It's cozy, and decorated on every square inch. My style that is. No Kirklands or Pottery Barn allowed and I am not to keen on "drapery". It's been collected piece by piece. Complete with rock collections lovingly displayed on the mantle. I promise to show more soon!