The blackboard wall trend has been going strong for the past couple of years, for nearly every room in the house. I think it makes particular sense in the kitchen, and I’ve featured the look on Kitchenisms before. It’s the perfect place for shopping lists, menus, recipes and notes. The matte finish of blackboard paint is contemporary and fun, but I think it works in a variety of kitchens.

The look needn’t be limited to the wall, however. There are lots of options for using this cheap DIY design idea- check out some of my favourites here.

The whole wall works well in a loft-style space, like in this image from the photostream of chutes and ladders:

From the photostream of ooh_food, I love this charming eating area. The section of blackboard wall behind the table adds the perfect touch of whimsy:

If painting the walls isn’t an option, how about a piece of furniture? No.8′s Vintage Blackboard Cabinet (found via Ohdeedoh) comes ready-painted, and has the added bonus of being movable to another room:

For just a touch of the trend, I like this blackboard-painted range hood from This Old House:

I like this idea from Living etc: use a section of wall as a calendar/organizer! Pretty and practical:

From the same source, the pantry door option might be my favourite. It keeps the trend limited to a small space, but still has impact: