Confession: we have lived in this house for over three years but we still have nothing on the walls in the office. How sad is that?

I love our office; it’s a quirky little room with a big bay window and two doors, one that opens into our foyer and one that opens into our kitchen. We have a big table desk and a leather chair and ottoman and a beautiful wood console for Wade’s fancy stereo.

And we have nothing on the walls. Not one single thing.

Last week, Wade pulled this photo out of a Pottery Barn catalog; this is what he wants to do with the empty space behind the chair and over the console.

I love the jumble of frames on the wall over the table, and the fact that they’re different sizes and shapes.  I also love that the pieces on the table top don’t suddenly stop at the bottom of the frame. And I love that the wall on the left is very symmetrical.

Rather than buying the frames from Pottery Barn (because who has that kind of money?) I’m going to scavenge around at Michael’s and Hobby Lobby; I’ll be able to find the same essential frames for much less. And since they don’t all have to match, it’s easy to buy them different places. I’ve also learned from my very smart friend Rita that a can of spray paint can completely change the look of even the cheapest mismatched frames. For less than $5, in fact.

Choosing what goes in the frames might kill us; hanging them will be the easy part. Years ago, I read a piece in Martha Stewart Living (I think) about creating craft paper templates for frames and using those to lay out the design. Cut a template for each frame (a piece of craft paper the same size and shape as the frame) and mark where exactly the nail hole needs to go. Tape the templates to the wall; once you’ve got them all in the right place, make the nail holes (using the mark on the paper template). Take the paper down, replace with the actual frame, and voila! Pictures! On the wall!

You can also write on each template what will go in the frame, if you’re trying to balance, say, baby pictures with landscapes, or if you want to cluster photos from an event together. You know, if you have any idea what’s going in the frames, which at this point, Wade and I do not. Sigh.

Your turn: any good tips for filling the walls in your home? My office isn’t the only bare spot in this house. Sadly.

Want to see the rest of my house? Take the virtual tour at The Stir’s Home and Garden blog. Please ignore the gigantic pile of boxes next to my desk. I’m begging you.