5 DIY Decorating Projects

Prepare Walls for Kids' Art

You long to be that cool mom who’s laid-back enough to let the kids freely decorate their rooms, but you imagine a wall Swiss-cheesed with nail holes and hanging hooks. Now you can give them free rein over their decor by covering a wall with magnetic primer, which contains nontoxic iron particles. You’ll need at least two base coats under the paint of your choice. The resulting surface will hold magnets, which in turn can hold artwork, Derek Jeter posters, and that Got Milk? ad collection. (For best holding power, use broad, flat, or ultra-strong magnets.) Now when your kids change their pictures of the flavor of the month, it won’t become the labor of the month.

To buy:

• Rust-Oleum Magnetic, $23.50 for 1 quart, rustoleum.com for store locations.
• Krylon magnetic spray paint (good for smaller areas), $11.50 for 13 ounces, dickblick.com.