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This simple pocket-friendly DIY will definitely liven up your kitchen

DIY & Weekend Projects

By Aishwarya Bhonsle

May 25, 2021

A kitchen with shelves and a black wall

If 2020 taught us anything, it is to make the best of our everyday chores. For Mumbai-based interior designer Sahana Singh, it meant cooking trending recipes. But, as a designer by passion and profession, the extra time spent in the kitchen got her thinking about the décor in it. With the help of her family, a few brushes, some blackboard paint, and chalk, Sahana created a fun, interactive and functional wall in her kitchen. The story of that dramatic feature is part of this edition of our ongoing series, Designers Hack! Sahana's DIY wall not only added a playful touch to her kitchen but also showcased her love for modern kitchen design by incorporating functional and innovative storage solutions, making her space both aesthetically pleasing and highly practical.

If 2020 taught us anything, it is to make the best of our everyday chores. For Mumbai-based interior designer Sahana Singh, it meant cooking trending recipes. With the help of her family, a few brushes, some blackboard paint, and chalk, Sahana created a fun, interactive and functional DIY wall in her kitchen. And, the story of that dramatic feature is part of this edition of our ongoing series, Designers Hack!

Sahana resides in a rented flat, so she had to make sure any design intervention would be pocket friendly and wouldn’t create any permanent alterations to the space. After making a blackboard out of a wall, the family filled it with recipes and food doodles giving it a café inspired look. The artwork is very personal, has a lot of character and creates a fun ambience in an otherwise practical, no-nonsense place.

Here is a simple step-by-step guide to how Sahana created a recipe blackboard in her kitchen:

- Begin by cleaning the surface you want to apply blackboard paint on.

- Use a masking tape for areas that you don’t want any paint on. For e.g., around the edges of switchboards, and walls.

- Next, use a paint roller to apply the blackboard paint on the wall. We recommend Asian Paints 3 Mangoes Black Board Paint for this DIY.

- You can add another coat of paint if required.

- Once dry, your blackboard wall is ready to be filled up!

Sahana shared some things-to-remember to get the best out of the project:

1. Add Colour And Character
Kitchens needn’t be drab and purely functional spaces. There’s great potential to add pops of colour and character by creating a feature wall. Adding shelves and glass cabinets where one can display objects that are pleasing to the eye is also a way to add interest to the space.

A kitchen with a black wall with artwork painted with chalk on it

After making a blackboard out of a wall, the family filled it with recipes and food doodles giving it a café inspired look.

2. Have A Theme
Themes are a good place to start. Sahana’s kitchen wall was inspired by cafes, where wall art is a big feature. Think about different aspects that link into your theme. For example, she also has a menu board right outside the kitchen, so the cafe theme flows easily from one space to another.

3. Be Bold With Colour
Don’t be afraid of using black or dark colours. It can add depth even to a small space. It’s also easier to maintain as it does not reflect wear and tear as easily as a lighter surface. If you're into interior design, using dark colours such as black can also give your space a sleek and sophisticated look, especially when paired with the right decor and lighting.

4. Have Some Art In The Kitchen
The art in your home need not be just paintings or frames on walls. Murals and graffiti can be an interesting way to lend an eclectic look to an ordinary space.

5. Choose The Right Chalk
Chalk come in a variety of options; Sahana has used oil-based ones. Liquid chalk markers and chalk paint is also available and are great for illustrations as they give you better control.

6. Start Small
If you’re unsure about the results, start small when doing a DIY project. Choose a pillar or a narrow wall to try out your blackboard paint options and artwork before moving on to a bigger space.

Designer Sahana Singh

Sahana Singh is a Mumbai-based interior designer.

A kitchen sink with floating shelves next to it

With the help of her family, a few brushes, some blackboard paint, and chalk, Sahana created a fun, interactive and functional wall in her kitchen.

Previously Sahana had used charcoal pencils to write and illustrate a series of light-hearted phrases around the art of cooking and eating.

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