DIY White Board Wall

<center></center><center></center><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0897.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/DSC_0897.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I've always heard that it's really important to have your goals written in a place where you'll see them often. I thought it would be great to have a big wall in my office dedicated to ideas and goals and to-do's. I thought of a chalkboard wall first, but I liked the idea of a big and bright white board. White boards are a little easier to write on and clean up anyway.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xDSC_0734.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/xDSC_0734.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><a name="more"></a><br /><br />You can make any flat surface (including walls) a white board, but I wanted a magnetic surface and I wanted to be able to customize the size of the board. I brought a magnet with me to the sheet metal section of my hardware store and figured out it's important to get galvanized sheet metal or zinc. Aluminum is not magnetic.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_9837.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_9837.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I decided on these 12x18" sheets for my project. I think they were about $5 or $6 each.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_9839.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_9839.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />It helps the dry erase/white board paint to stick if you use a good primer on the sheet metal first. I love <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-to-spray-paint-hardware.html" target="_blank">this spray primer from Rustoleum</a> that's formulated especially for metal (Kilz has an all-purpose spray primer that's great for metal too, but it goes on a little thicker).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0030.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_0030.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I let the spray primer dry over night and the next day I gave everything a really light sanding and a good wipe down.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0048.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_0048.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The Dry Erase paint comes in a little box with two parts to mix together.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0076.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_0076.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You'll want a new foam roller to apply the paint too, so everything's as smooth as possible.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0075.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_0075.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I did two or maybe even three coats of the paint to make sure everything was really covered and smooth. There might be little air bubbles at first, but just leave them alone and they'll smooth out.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0085.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_0085.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It takes a little work to get a nail through sheet metal, and it's much easier to do that while the sheet metal is laying flat on the ground. So after the little white boards were dry, I made holes in the corners of the sheet metal pieces using the sharpest nails I had on hand and a scrap piece of wood.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0124.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/IMG_0124.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Having the holes done beforehand made all the difference and it was so easy to just hold up the sheets in the right place with one hand while tapping in my brass upholstery nails with the other. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0795.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/DSC_0795.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xDSC_0830.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/xDSC_0830.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The boards are super smooth and are easy to write on and erase, just like any white board you'd buy at the store. I will say that colorful dry erase markers usually need a cleaning solution to completely erase, but I think that's the case with store-bought white boards too. Those markers are just a bit stubborn.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0892.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/DSC_0892.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_1031.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/DSC_1031.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo zDSC_0746.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/zDSC_0746.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I keep all of my markers in this pretty little gilded soup tureen I got at a flea market in Brussels.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0819.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/DSC_0819.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was so worth it to go the extra mile to make my white boards magnetic. I have my Sticky Gram collection on the boards (which I think helps break up the sea of white) as well as a few other rogue magnets. The girls love to come in and hang up their latest masterpieces for me. Sweet kids.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_1010m.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2016/DSC_1010m.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0806.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/DSC_0806.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So I think we spent about $80 for this project, between the six sheets of zinc, primer, dry erase paint, new roller and upholstery tacks. More than a typical 16x20 board from Target or whatever, but I love how much visual space the series of boards takes up in my big office. It fits the scale of the room much beeter this way. And of course functionally, I really love having a place to keep ideas that won't get buried on my computer or accidentally thrown away on a sheet of paper. Having big plans written up here helps me at least <i>feel </i>a lot more organized, which I'm learning is half the battle. :)</div>

DIY White Board Wall

I've always heard that it's really important to have your goals written in a place where you'll see them often. I thought it wou...

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Up and Away

Greetings from (absolutely freezing) Salt Lake! I decided sort of last minute to come to <a href="http://www.altitudesummitslc.com/" target="_blank">Alt Summit</a> and I'm so glad I did. It's been really great to see old friends and to meet new ones! I'm speaking on a panel later today (eeps), but other than that I'm thinking of this trip as a little vacation, where I can just have fun and relax and let the inspiration that is always everywhere to be seen at Alt, just wash over me!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1390.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1390.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I did a little shopping on Monday (had to find something to wear for the green-themed party!) and this adorable window display at Anthropologie stopped me in my tracks. (<a href="http://instagram.com/jennykomenda" target="_blank">PS are you on instagram?</a>)<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><center></center><br /><img alt=" photo photo1.png" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/photo1.png" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br /><a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/07/valley-house-tour-girls-rooms.html" target="_blank">Evie's bedroom</a> with its vaulted and beamed ceiling is just begging for an installation like this, don't you think? I'm also considering just one big chandelier version, though Evelyn said she likes the grouping best. (Also, wow! Looking at those before photos of the girls rooms right now was such a boost of confidence for me! We ARE making good progress on this house! Things <i>are</i> getting done even though it doesn't feel like it most of the time. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo best-window-displays_louis-vuitton_2013_hot-air-balloon_02-1000x698.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/best-window-displays_louis-vuitton_2013_hot-air-balloon_02-1000x698.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />For the balloons, I was thinking red and white stripes just like the Louis Vuitton windows from last year would be really adorable with some of the wall color and wall paper changes I have in mind. I love how tiny the baskets are here too. So cute!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo best-window-displays_louis-vuitton_2013_hot-air-balloon_03-533x950.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/best-window-displays_louis-vuitton_2013_hot-air-balloon_03-533x950.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://thebwd.com/louis-vuitton-hot-air-balloons-window-display-2013/" target="_blank">LV photos here</a></i></div>

Up and Away

Greetings from (absolutely freezing) Salt Lake! I decided sort of last minute to come to Alt Summit and I'm so glad I did. It's bee...

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Painting Moulding the Same Color as the Walls

<center></center>Thanks again for all your kind words. I'm still working on figuring things out. It's been so helpful to try things outside of my normal routine and to just slow down and be more present. I can't tell you how good it feels to be out of crisis mode for even a little while.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1367.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1367.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The broken arm wasn't the biggest deal, but the cast was a pain and I'm so happy it's off now! You don't keep an elbow casted for all that long or else you can risk losing some range of motion down the road. So I'm taking it slow while the break continues to heal, but hoping to start doing some more projects again soon and get back into that creative zone. I think finishing the glossy top coat in the music room is a good one-arm project to try.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xIMG_0985-1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/xIMG_0985-1.jpg" /></div><br />When I did the primer coat a few weeks ago (which is what you see here still), I debated what color to paint the moulding on the walls. I think if I had left the baseboards and the chair rails white, the look would have been a little choppy and maybe too traditional looking, which might feel weird with such a bold color.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1372.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1372.jpg" /><br /><a name="more"></a></div><br />I think it looks really modern when everything, floor to ceiling, is painted the same color and the same finish. It makes the light play on the moulding lines in such a pretty way, and the full color wash is so much less jarring than stops and starts of different colors.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo KWIDHue_22July09_Page_064-smcopy.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/KWIDHue_22July09_Page_064-smcopy.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Kelly Wearstler's HUE</i></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 89509111314648828_9sjzWU0k_f.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/89509111314648828_9sjzWU0k_f.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Nick Olsen in House Beautiful</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo b0a35feb916664ead934c8947e1dddd8.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/b0a35feb916664ead934c8947e1dddd8.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Anthropologie</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo ades6.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/ades6.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 6thomfiliciabluelibrary.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/6thomfiliciabluelibrary.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Thom Felicia</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo 10AerinLauderhamptons.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/10AerinLauderhamptons.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Aerin Lauder in House and Garden</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo AtlantaHomesampLifestyles.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/AtlantaHomesampLifestyles.jpg" /><br /><i>Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo ce8c93ba9357513d11fac1587fcopy.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/ce8c93ba9357513d11fac1587fcopy.jpg" /></div><br />It's a pretty look, right? I'm almost tempted to add more paneling to the blue room before putting the top coat on! I'm especially drawn the the Kelly Wearstler photo (the top example in green). I <i>love</i> the dimension of the panels! It's so much more interesting than strips of moulding.

Painting Moulding the Same Color as the Walls

Thanks again for all your kind words. I'm still working on figuring things out. It's been so helpful to try things outside of my nor...

Read more »