DIY painted cutting boards

I am a bit of a self-proclaimed kitchen goods hoarder. Antique plates, silver vessels, and basically anything that can add a little bit of flair to my dining room table set up are my weakness. Cutting boards happen to fall in this category and I have found myself with a wide selection ranging from bamboo circles to thin olive wood slabs (who needs this many options? I do!). When Poppy Magazine asked me to contribute to their summer issue, I jumped at the chance to create something that I absolutely love, unique pieces for entertaining. After coming across a few simple unfinished wood boards from Ikea I quickly decided to adopt them into my growing collection and turn them into something a little more interesting than an everyday cutting board. With simple crafting tools, like painters tape, complementary paint colors, and a paintbrush, the boards were transformed in a single afternoon. They now reside happily stacked among my other treasured kitchen items.

Start with unfinished wood boards (try a hardware store if you can't find packaged ones), blue painter's tape, a craft paintbrush, and 2-3 colors. I chose a muted grey paired with either turquoise or gold.

Add strips to the board using the painter's tape, making sure the rub the edges completely so that no bubbles are formed. Don't forget the sides either.

After the boards have dried completely remove the tape.

Finish with a clear coat to seal in the paint (a food safe one if you are using them as trays). I've yet to finish mine, but I plan on using a glossy finish to make them look a little fancier.