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Chalkboard Walls: Fun Home Decor or Hot Mess?

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Chalkboard walls were once the sole domain of classrooms, but, if design blogs are any indication (and we like to think they are), they have had significant crossover success in people's homes, too. Chalkboard walls have become a staple in the kinds of homes—and, especially, kitchens—that become fodder for glittering, aspirational Pinterest boards. The theory goes like this: chalkboard walls can lead to a more productive kitchen, as they can serve as place for reminders about appointments, grocery lists, and more. But that's the thing about theories. In practice, we're all whipping out our smartphones in the store, pulling up an app and hoping we didn't forget to include an item. So, what gives?

Editors in the Curbed offices fall pretty heavily on the "no chalkboard walls" side of the divide, but as one advocate here says, they can be fun. They conjure the nostalgia of youth and combine it with the alluring tactility of chalk, which, as we all know, crushes pretty satisfyingly under the weight of a writing hand. The problems, though, may render this all null and void. For one, there's the dusty mess a chalkboard wall generates, which, for neatniks, isn't going to cut it. There are also aesthetic concerns: Unless you're constantly cleaning it (and we do mean constantly), a chalkboard wall is bound to remain covered in chalk residue. So, tell us: Where do you fall on the issue of chalkboard walls? Do you think they're fun or tiresome? Vote and sound off in the comments!

Poll results

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