The Affordable Way Nate Berkus Fills Empty Wall Space

Although Nate Berkus is known for his love of high-quality and luxurious home items, he doesn't always recommend dishing out hundreds or thousands of dollars on décor. The designer took to Instagram to provide some advice on how to fill a blank wall without spending loads of money. He says that using your own photographs will create a space extra personal to you on a budget. "Take imagery that you have taken with your phone on trips [or] of people that you love," Berkus says. He continues, adding that you should "crop [the images] in really interesting ways, like the steps of a building or just an angle of the beach where you had a great vacation." Once you have the image you want to print, "blow it up [and] frame it."

Perhaps, in your search to find the right photographs, you find that you have multiple pictures that could be used as artwork. If so, you could create a gallery wall of all of these images and arrange them in a tasteful way. "[A gallery wall] is going to make your home feel layered and lived in and complete, especially if you use imagery that you have taken yourself," Berkus explains. 

Besides blowing up and printing out pictures you've taken, there are a few other things you could hang on a blank wall. "I like to frame not just art, but unexpected things like a beautiful menu, a handwritten note, or a kid's painting," Berkus says (via Chairish). He adds that "you want the pieces you incorporate to be meaningful, regardless of the price point." Further, you could also display objects on your walls, like shells, rocks, plants, baskets, or dishes. When creating a black and white gallery wall with his husband Jeremiah Brent, Berkus writes, "Pro tip — you can also add objects (framed or not) to your wall!" per Facebook.

Another important element of filling a blank wall for less is finding the right picture frames, and Berkus recommends choosing pre-owned ones. "The best thing that I think you can do is go and find some vintage frames. Go on Etsy, go online, go to the local antiques malls," per Instagram. Thrifting for your frames will not only save you money but will also add character to your wall's design.