In this post, I’m sharing the DIY Command Center I made for my kitchen. Not only does this command center stand out as an accent feature in the space, but it’s functional for our family too! I’m so happy with how it turned out!
The first thing I had to do was decide where I was going to put the command center.
Ideally, you want to put your command center somewhere in your house that you actually spend time in, or you just won’t use it. I thought about putting mine by the back patio door in our dining room because there’s a nice big empty wall space there, but I realized we probably wouldn’t use it if I did that because we never go over there. It’s just too far out of the way from the spaces where we typically spend time.
Ultimately, I chose the wall by my coffee bar. The kitchen is the center of our home, we spend a lot of time there. We start the day there by having breakfast and getting ready for school and we end the day with dinner together. From making coffee to doing homework — It’s where we spend time together as a family, so it made the most sense for our command center space.
Once the space was settled on, I began to plan the design. I knew the feature of this space would be the Felt Right tiles that I’d use as the background.
What are Felt Right Tiles?
The first thing I did was cover the wall for my command center in these beautiful and practical felt tiles from FeltRight wall tiles. I stumbled across their social media account and I immediately knew I wanted to do a project with these tiles.
They stick with adhesive squares, so they are renter friendly and won’t damage your walls. You can get them in all different colors, patterns, and shapes. You can also combine multiple shapes to create stunning designs on your wall. Check out all of these design ideas!
For this project, I chose the mini shiplap tiles in the color latte. I decided to use them to create a “bulletin board” type of surface. You can pin art, photos, and other things to them and they also absorb sound! This makes them a perfect surface for bedrooms, offices, music rooms, classrooms, and so much more.
If you love these tiles and want to try them out, you can use the code KARA15 for 15% off!
How to make an Easy DIY Command Center
Let’s jump into how I did this!
I wanted to make sure that there was a full tile on the edge of the wall, and I wanted the tile to line up with the edge of the counter too. So, that’s where I started.
I did my first line of tiles from the outside edge of the wall and worked my way inward to the back of the counter. I used my level to draw a line from the counter to the edge of the wall and that’s what I used to line up my tiles with so the first line would be straight. Then, I went up and down from there.
This worked well! I couldn’t believe how easy it was to just put the adhesive backing on the tile, peel off the paper, and stick it to the wall. Side note: I love how they look!
They were so easy to cut when I had to go around light switches and the cupboard edges! I used a kitchen knife but of course an exacto-knife or box cutter would work well too. I chose to do all the whole tiles first and then I filled in the rest of the space at the end with the tiles that needed to be cut. You decide what works best for you!
I went all the way up the wall to the back of the cabinets at the top. Then, all the way to the floor so the entire wall would be filled.
DIY Scrolling Meal Plan
Next step: a scrolling meal plan chart inspired by @mynwnest. I loved the scrolling calendar idea she made! To make mine unique, I added leather accents and a magnetic pen holder strip.
The first thing I did to make the scrolling chart for my DIY command center was measure and cut down the piece of dowel I used to hold the scrolling chart. Then I stained it special walnut.
I decided not to use the whole roll of paper to start with. The roll was very thick and my cabinet door would’ve hit it. Also, it gives me a chance to play with the layout of my chart to make sure it functions for me and my family.
Next, I drew out my chart. For this part of the project, I broke down and went to the store to buy a large steel square ruler. I think it was totally worth the $9 for how much easier it made drawing all these lines.
Plus, I’ll have it for all future projects that require straight lines and square edges! I kept the chart layout very simple and just made a space for writing meals and a large “to-do” section for writing notes. This way, I can put multiple weeks’ worth of meals and things to do on the paper before I have to change it. So far, this is perfect!
Next, I used leather straps and screws to secure the dowel to the wall at the top and bottom of the chart to hold the whole thing up. I also used screws to install a piece of hard plastic behind where the chart will hang to make it easier to write on.
Don’t worry, I have a trick for covering up screw heads! Cabinet door bumpers are perfect for this. They cost very little and once I covered them with buff and rubbed them for a gold look, they added a perfect little touch of color. I then added a magnetic strip above the bottom dowel so I can add a magnet to my pen and stick it there for easy access when I want to write on my chart!
How to Make an Acrylic DIY Routine or Chore Chart with a Cricut
The next steps involved making and hanging a few other various things to complete the command center. I am so excited about my DIY dry erase routine charts for the kids using acrylic sheet and my Cricut machine!
Pro tip: mirror your design so you can apply it to the back of the acrylic, that way you can wipe it off easily and without worrying about damaging the vinyl over time. Another tip that I learned during this project: if you’re out of transfer paper, you can use painter’s tape instead! Or, just be more organized than me and have all your supplies on hand before you begin!
I made two of these routine charts, drilled holes in the corners, and pinned them to the Felt Right tiles using cute upholstery pins.
What to Include in a DIY Command Center
I think finishing touches are my favorite part of DIY! I love seeing a project come together. To finish off my command center I hung a gold colored clock above the scrolling chart. Well, it was actually a teal colored clock I found at Wall-Mart that I spray painted gold.
Want to save this DIY Command Center idea for later? Pin it to your favorite board!
The color matches the gold rub and buff on the cabinet bumpers hiding the screw heads. Then, I hung this beautiful leather envelope from Target to hold mail or bills. It has a beautiful hook rail at the bottom, because who doesn’t love and need a few good hooks?
I felt like the bottom left corner under the cabinet needed something too, so I added a little decorative chalkboard. You could use it to:
- write a fun little saying,
- a daily inspirational quote,
- exchange fun messages with your kids, or
- as extra space for notes!
In case you were wondering, the reason I didn’t include a traditional calendar in my DIY command center was that I made one a while ago! It lives happily on my fridge, so I didn’t need one. But of course, a traditional calendar could easily be incorporated into the space where I hung my scrolling meal plan chart and to-do list!
Here’s the finished look!
What’s the Best Way to Clean Felt Right Tiles?
Admittedly, I got a lot of questions about how these tiles will hold up in a kitchen so I wanted to take a minute to address this. You guys know me, and the first thing I prioritize with all my projects is function.
First, I didn’t put these tiles anywhere near where I am cooking and splattering food on a daily basis. You wouldn’t want to use them as a kitchen backsplash or anything like that – they are best in places that are dry like bedrooms, offices, playrooms, classrooms, etc. The coffee bar area is more towards our dining room/living room and not exactly in the center of where the food lives.
If you do manage to get a little spill on them, carpet cleaner spot remover works great! I tried it with Nutella as a test (because let’s be honest, if anything is going to get on these tiles in this house it’s going to be Nutella) and it came right out with a bit of scrubbing. You can even vacuum them if they get dusty. Again, I wouldn’t use them as backsplash around a stove or anything like that, but if you do get a spot or two on them, they can be cleaned! See? Didn’t I tell you these tiles are great?
More family organization with a DIY Command Center
I’m not exactly a naturally organized person, but I’m always looking for ways to make that struggle just a little easier on myself! The more systems I can put in place for my home life, work life, etc. the better things run!
The best part about things like this is that you can completely customize it to your family needs! Kids and families need different things depending on the age of the child and what types of things your family does (like sports, homeschooling, and so many more factors) — make your organizational systems work for you!
Be sure to follow along in stores on Instagram where you can watch projects like this in real time! I love to show every step of the process — the good, bad, awesome reveals, and everything in between!