If you're like any other parent out there, I'm sure you own the IKEA MALA easel. These seem to be at every friends house, daycare center, school, and gym kids areas. They are really boring though, so I thought I'd spruce ours up with some pink paint and Rifle Paper Co. wrapping paper! Other than needing several coats of paint, this was a super simple DIY project and it looks SO cute in the girls playroom.
If you're not familiar with the IKEA MALA easel, one side is chalk board and the other is dry erase. It is a great tool for learning letters, numbers, colors, etc. Here is our simple IKEA MALA easel hack!
You will need one IKEA MALA Easel, 2 tubes of acrylic paint in which ever color you choose (we went with a matte paint), a sheet of wrapping paper or a large sheet of scrapbooking paper, Modge Podge, foam paint brushes (I ended up going through 3), scissors, and painters tape.
grab our pink couch here!
I started by taping off both the inside center and outside center of the easel (the chalkboard side and dry erase side), and the tray. Then I started with my first coat of paint. The paint actually dried fairly quickly, but we all know how DIY projects go with two toddlers running around.
The easel needed about 3 coats of paint. For the tray, I just laid my paper in it and traced the size, then cut it out. I used one of my foam paint brushes to paint a thin layer of Modge Podge on the red side of the tray. Then, I laid my paper down and painted another thin layer of Modge Podge over it to seal it.
laying the painter tape down
painting my first coat
I probably should have been more prepared with paper to lay the easel on while it dried
paint is finished
I love buying these rolls of Rifle Paper Co wrapping paper for flat lays, gifts, etc!
the finished tray (we'll see how it holds up after the girls get ahold of it!)
baskets are from Home Goods // Unicorn // Tassels // Fairy Banner
Make sure to check out our other IKEA hack here where we add cushion and upholstery to children's chairs. Let me know if you have any questions!
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so cute! I love that wallpaper you used!!
Love this idea. I was thinking of buying the kids one since our plastic one is all beat up and scratched. For some reason, I never thought to line the IKEA (red shelf) with wrapping paper! I did think of painting it. Thanks for the inspiration girl.
What a great idea! thank you for sharing!
By the way, what paint did you use?
Love these IKEA easels! We have two or even three of them haha 🙂
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Live your pink sofa. May I ask where it’s from?