Back to the blackboard…

I’ve never been a trendsetter – or even an early adaptor as the forecasters call it – so I’m always surprised and delighted when I latch onto something that isn’t well and truly over. My problem is that when I do discover something I love, I tend to become obsessively addicted (such as footless tights, which I’m finding impossible to give up) and end up buying numerous versions of the same thing (cushions, white antique jugs and tent dresses spring to mind).

So, anyway, I was leafing through one of my very favourite French home decorating mags the other day and what do I see? A blackboard fridge. Yes, the whole finish is blackboard and it even has a dinky little tray to hold your chalk. You may remember I talked about painting my fridge with blackboard paint in a previous post. Naturally disaster ensued because of lack of primer and I, bored by the board, just let it be. Turns out this was the best thing I could have done because I gave it one more shot (writing on it) and it worked and has ever since. Just goes to show you don’t really need to follow instructions to the letter. Or at all, really.
Anyway, said board has become incredibly useful in the kitchen. Not only can I just jot down when we run out of something in my best school teacher handwriting, I also get to play out all my childish writing-on-the-blackboard fantasies. There’s also something quite satisfying about cleaning the board and I’m sure that harks back to school, too. Ah, the smell of chalk dust.

I strongly recommend it. Everyone’s doing it and everywhere. On walls, on cupboards, ceilings (have only seen this in a French restaurant and wouldn’t recommend it for your kitchen). Also, in kids’ bedrooms, but that could get a bit messy.

I’m the only one allowed to write on it in my household. And only white chalk is allowed. Another obsession.