DIY Tutorial: Chalkboard Paint Backsplash + $250 Home Depot Gift Card Giveaway!

28 Jun DIY Tutorial: Chalkboard Paint Backsplash + $250 Home Depot Gift Card Giveaway!

Happy Friday, everyone!  I am so super excited to share my kitchen backsplash makeover with you today, PLUS you could win a $250 gift card from the Home Depot! (NOTE: THIS GIVE AWAY IS NOW CLOSED)

When I was contacted about participating in the #BountyChallenge, I readily agreed.  Truth be told, I often say no to these types of things – they can seem disingenuous to me.  But I felt great about this one!  Why?  Well, take a look at my little storage closet.  #keepinitreal

Yup, I use the heck out of these babies.  (as greenly as possible, of course)  I have bought other paper towels in the past in a pinch, but Bounty is really my fave.

Let’s get to the tutorial, shall we?

When we moved into our home, the kitchen had been recently renovated.  There are some things I love about it, and there are some things I would do differently.  The backsplash is one of them.  It is some sort of stone, and yes, it is fine, but I prefer something a little cleaner.

Since it is not in the budget to redo the backsplash (hello addition), I decided to paint it.  I had some leftover primer from a previous project so I whipped it out and started priming the backsplash.  (mine was tinted yellow for my former project, but I knew it didn’t really matter since the backsplash would be black)  This primer from Zinsser’s is great, and you can tint it, too.

It took me less than a quart to prime everything, and before I knew it, I was done.

The primer had dried by the time I finished priming everything so I was ready to start painting right away.  I pondered doing gray, but I eventually decided on the black chalkboard paint.  (did you know you can get it tinted in 12 different colors?!)

The black instantly made the kitchen feel more bright and fresh – it even surprised me a little!

I don’t usually use painters tape when I paint.  My hand is pretty steady, and any drips or mistakes that occur are easily wiped away with a wet paper towel.  (when I paint anything – walls, furniture, etc., I always have a slightly dampened paper towel next to me).  One thing I love about Bounty is they don’t tear or shed when they are wet – major bonus for wiping away those smudges!

Of course, then it was time to fill in the old grout lines with my chalk pen.  I bought three of the pens, used two of them fully, and most of the third.

I like the “imperfection” of the look, and though I took a few breaks before getting all of the grout lines filled, I finally finished.  The chalk pen wears really well (much better than regular chalk obviously), but I wanted to ensure it would last through times I need to wipe the backsplash clean.  Therefore, I taped off the countertop and upper cabinets using plastic dropcloths and sealed everything using a stone and grout sealant.

By the way, did you notice the little recessed shelf above the stove?  Here’s another before picture for ya.

I wasn’t really sure what to do with this since it is not really all that useful.  But after feeling inspired by this beautiful invitation (I seriously want to have a dinner party just so I can use this), I had an idea.  Cutting a piece of thin plywood I had in the garage to size, I painted it with the chalkboard paint, and let it dry.  To make it look more “chalkboard-y” (new word), I covered the entire piece of painted plywood with chalk and then wiped it away.  This helps the board look more authentic.

Then I pulled out some of my vintage serving ware and started tracing/free-handing their silhouettes using real chalk.

I used my chalk pen to make the designs more bold and fill in some details.

Once again, velcro was my friend, and I utilized it to attach the board to my backsplash.  The fun part was stepping back and admiring my work.

Don’t worry about chalk dust marks if you are doing a permanent design of some sort on a chalkboard painted surface.  They add to the character of your creation!

Here’s the space in its entirety.  Revamped and revitalized.

Meet my new monkey friend in the kitchen.  I found him at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago, and had fun finding the perfect succulent for his little basket at Home Depot.

If you follow me on Instagram (please do!  @astoriedstyle),  you know I have been loving our peach harvest this year!  Our tiny orchard has produced some beauties!

I’m so happy with my backsplash project, and I want you to be able to accomplish some of your home checklist, too!  You can be eligible to win a $250 gift card to Home Depot plus two rolls of Bounty paper towels by doing one or both of the following:

1. Leave a comment.
2. Share this giveaway via Facebook, Twitter or any other form of social media you prefer complete with a link to this post.  (Bonus points if you use the hashtag #bountychallenge)  After you have done this, come back here and leave a comment telling me where you shared this giveaway.

Two entries per reader are permitted.  Sorry, US residents only!  Winner will be contacted by email once entries close (midnight CST, June 30th), and announced on Monday’s post.  I will select the winner via random.org.

Hope you enjoyed my backsplash makeover!  Come back Monday for more details on my kitchen transformation!

If you would like more information on how Bounty can help you clean up your messes, watch the short video below.

The moral of this style story?  Never underestimate the power of paint when it comes to tile you do not like or want to change!  Happy Weekend!

Don’t forget to enter to win the $250 Home Depot gift card by leaving a comment below!  You can also enter a second time by sharing this diy/giveaway via social media and leaving a comment telling me where you shared! 

This post is sponsored by a partnership between Home Depot and Procter & Gamble.  All opinions, thoughts, and messes are completely my own.