Chalkboard

This simple DIY chalkboard can serve both style and function in your home.

Try out Kierste’s easy project to create your own farmhouse feature.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

1. Figure out what size you want your chalkboard to be, and then cut the plywood to size. Sand where necessary. With the foam brush, paint the plywood with three layers of chalkboard paint. Make sure you leave enough time to dry between coats.

Measure out the pine boards to frame your chalkboard. Cut the four pieces to size; then dry fit them to make sure they lie well on top of the plywood.

Stain the boards and give them time to dry completely. 5. Use wood glue to secure the boards to the plywood; then secure with a hammer or nail gun.

6. Grab a piece of chalk and slide it all over your chalkboard, covering it with a vertical, then horizontal, layer of chalk. Kierste calls this important step “seasoning” the board, as it prevents future “ghosting”—faint and permanent images of what you’ve written.

7. Use a lint-free cloth to wipe away any excess dust; then hang and admire your work.

For Kierste, no home project can be started without a solid budget. “I had a list of things I knew I wanted, and we built around those priorities,” she said. An open floor plan for the kitchen, dining area and living room was a must for the practicality of watching the kids as well as hosting family and friends. They are a family of musicians, and making space for practicing in the piano room and library was also important. Upstairs, Kierste and her husband opted for a simple master bathroom to allow more bedroom space for the children. For further money saving, Kierste and her husband DIYed several of the pieces in the home, and included their kids in a few projects such as the kitchen island. This helped them stay within budget, as well as add to the homespun feel she loves. “The coziest or most welcoming homes aren’t about what they look like, but the people in them,” she says.

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

With six children, Kierste’s passion is for beautiful and welcoming spaces that are also functional and orderly. “I love simple, fresh, clean lines and an uncluttered, more minimalist farmhouse design,”she says. Rather than filling every space with belongings, she chooses instead to allow a few key pieces to shine. “I love looking at and cleaning fewer things,”she says. The lack of clutter, combined with her predominantly white color palette, creates a sense of openness that feels calm and inviting. Wood doors, most made by Kierste and her husband, and wood flooring add warmth to the home.