We love how this art wall turned out — and the best part is we didn’t overthink it (no “what-should-we-frame” paralysis). We did consider a few other options and ruled them out for practical and aesthetic reasons:
- One giant piece of art on each side of the window: too symmetrical for our taste and visually repetitive next to the large rectangular window (it would have looked like three big boxes).
- Open shelving: too much shelving, especially since the dining room already has built-ins (it would have been shelving facing more shelving).
- Mirrors: too many reflective surfaces, given the large framed mirror already hanging over the file cabinet on the opposite wall.
Instead, we used frames we already owned and arranged them in a balanced-but-not-perfectly-symmetrical composition. We aimed for pieces that feel personal and make us smile — not an exercise in perfection. The result is fun and relaxed, much like our cheerful green office chairs. Imperfect? Yes. But intentionally so.
We divided the wall into a “John side” (the right) and a “Sherry side” (the left). John’s selection leans into maps, typography, travel, and bold geometric shapes. He curated a small mix that reflects those interests:
Each piece speaks to things he loves and has a personal story:
- The map is a typographic map of Richmond by a local artist — it’s composed entirely of words (see more here). I painted the frame’s mat the same gray we used under the chair rail to help the map stand out.
- The handwritten item on the far right is an enlarged copy of a tiny comment card from a meal we shared in Alaska during our honeymoon. We wrote what we ate and what we saw on that card and kept it as a souvenir.
On my side I wanted to include something Clara made — everything she paints is my favorite — and I also wanted to frame a textile I love (some leftover fabric from Clara’s weekly project, which I previously used to reupholster a bench).
The fabric’s lattice pattern echoes the lattice detail on the chairs and complements the bold geometric print on John’s side — a happy coincidence that ties the whole arrangement together.
Here’s the process we followed for the office gallery wall. This method works for us, but it’s not the only way to do it:
- Collected existing frames from around the house and chose five that worked — total cost: $0 for frames.
- Laid the frames on the floor and experimented with groupings until we found a balanced, informal layout.
- Temporarily hung the empty frames to preview their placement on the wall.
- Searched for artwork and sentimental items to fill the frames (sometimes art dictates frame choice, sometimes the reverse).
- Pulled the typographic Richmond map from the playroom and painted the mat to make it pop.
- Dug through our memory box of keepsakes and found the honeymoon comment card, which we enlarged at a copy shop to fit the frame.
- Used a sentimental fabric swatch I loved and framed it as textile art.
- Found a high-contrast print from my art file to balance the composition on John’s side.
- Let Clara paint with washable Crayola paints on a large sheet so it would fit the chosen frame.
- Bought large colorful sheets of paper to serve as DIY mats and add cheerful color to the display.
The finished wall feels eclectic yet cohesive. The color palette is varied — Clara’s painting is vibrant while another print remains black-and-white — but dominant tones like teal and a warm yellow link back to the chairs and the dining room curtains. White frames help unify the mix, and adding small accents in orange or coral later could be a fun way to introduce new pops of color.
From the dining room, the contrast between the light-washed office and the darker built-ins helps define the two spaces instead of letting them blur into one long rectangle. I’m also on the lookout for a runner that doesn’t match too closely — something plum or textured burlap might work.
Cost breakdown: because we already owned the frames, the only expenses were about $9 for large colored paper for mats and $4 at the copy shop to enlarge items — so roughly $13 for five sizeable pieces of wall art. Not bad for an instant mood boost every time we look up from our laptops.
We still have a few office projects on the list: a more permanent rug (likely longer and darker), more art on the opposite wall, window treatments (probably DIY Roman shades), and a proper lamp and side table for the leather chair corner. For now, though, we’re thrilled to finally have something on walls that were blank for nearly a year. The frames had been sitting in the playroom — it only took $13 and a little creativity to bring them to life.
Have you ever enlarged a sentimental ticket or note at a copy shop? Or stripped down a toddler for a spontaneous art session? I thought I’d be particular about colors and composition, but giving Clara every color of the rainbow and watching her paint was such an easy, joyful choice.
Psst — here’s another post about sentimental pieces we’ve framed around the house.