Project Zero

I don't know about you, but sometimes when there is chaos all around me and my to-do list is a mile long I find myself craving a quick project to get me motivated again.  Sooooo, I ignored the pile of boxes in our guest room waiting to be unpacked and decided to give our boring pantry door some life. 

I have found myself pinning a lot of rooms with brightly painted doors and I also love the functionality of a chalkboard in the kitchen, so I combined the two using a tutorial for DIY chalkboard paint on pinterest.  Thankfully I had all the supplies in the garage so it was quick and free!!! 

To make my chalkboard paint I used an old sample of Dignity Blue by Sherwin Williams and a box of non-sanded grout.  You just mix 2 tablespoons of grout for each cup of paint you'll be using.  Make sure you mix really well, you don't want any lumps of grout on your final surface.

Here it is after two coats of paint.

Next I made sure to condition the surface which is a must do, otherwise whatever you write the first time will never fully erase.  To do this you take a piece of chalk (actually it will take several pieces by the time you are done) and rub the side all over the door. Then use an eraser to work the chalk dust into the paint.

 

Now we have an easy place to jot down the things we need to pick up before we close the pantry door and forget all about it.   

And on the exterior a weekly menu to hopefully avoid all the "What's for dinner" questions (oh, who am I kidding, they'll still ask!).

I am in love with our new pantry door!  It is the perfect pop of color for our kitchen and once I paint over the brown walls with something a little lighter and neutral it will look even better (if you look closely you can see my paint swatches in the pictures above).  Now I feel ready to take on another project or 20.