A gallery wall is a collage of frames and objects hung together and I've found it to be one of the best ways to fill a large, blank wall. If desired, you can pick a theme. My gallery wall commemorates a three-month sabbatical my family had the privilege of taking last year: every item is a memory from the trip. Well, everything except for that big silver bowl that my childhood speech therapist gave me as a wedding gift 13 years ago; Marta, my friend who designed The Wall, said we needed some more metal to make the elements coalesce. Marta also suggested the frames be a mixture of white, gold, and walnut wood, to go with our 60s mod house. Boy was she spot on! We love our sabbatical gallery wall, and it helps keep the memories fresh.

Next up: My three sons share a bedroom. I have visions of a gallery wall in their room that is a collection of their most interesting artwork. Now I just need the motivation to execute!

TRAVEL TIP: Collecting posters is a space-friendly way to bring home souvenirs while traveling light. During our sabbatical, we had one poster tube that held our growing collection of memoirs and it was able to pack into a carry-on suitcase.