Recently I cleaned out a box and came across hundreds of postcards that I had purchased over the years. I guess the more adult I become, the more real art I hang, the less likely I am to plaster my walls with the detritus of my travel. Since we did our house renovation in 2014 there has been this very large wall in my office just waiting for something. What I wanted was a giant bulletin board that I could litter with all sorts of things that I like to look at. Photos, postcards, pages from magazines, spent tickets from trips. But do you know how hard that is for someone who is a totally incapable of DIY projects? And who do you call to source an appropriate material and install it? And what would a 12-foot long bulletin board look like? Anything shorter would look ridiculous.
The wall has been a big white whale–albeit a lovely one in Benjamin Moore Moonlight White (OC-125)–for about five years. But five months of working from home had me hankering for something to look at. So when I came across the box of postcards I thought I would do something about it.
Turns out putting up this wall of post cards led to an extremely satisfying result. It is amazing to be reminded of beautiful, interesting things I saw in the before times. As I put them up I began to think about how they represented the best humanity can put forward. The antidote to the dark days we are living through. I am also delighted on a daily basis looking over at the wall and getting lost in one of them images.
Someday we’ll be back out there again. Someday.
hogglestock 
Such a great idea! Looks wonderful.
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For a moment I could have been looking at the walls of my student bedroom. I studied History of Art, and ended up with every part of my walls covered in postcards. It was useful, soothing, and I miss it. So many got lost or damaged along the way that when I found a box of them a few years ago I decided to bin them. Love your wall.
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I miss seeing real paintings. This helps. Also, recently I re-read Falling Slowly by Brookner and the main character spends a fair amount of time standing in front of paintings.
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That’s beautiful — I would stare at all day! What did you use to affix them to the wall?
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I was wondering that too!
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Simple loops of tape. I figured my mental health was worth the price of any slight damage it might do to the wall.
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I love postcards. This looks amazing!
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It’s beautiful. Reminds me of my college days- I covered nearly an entire wall of my side of a dorm room in photographs and artwork on postcards and cut out of discarded magazines.
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Wonderful. I love it. I have enough postcards to do that too, but not the right wall at the moment.
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This is amazing! Also pleased to see the Rupert Brooke and Iris Murdoch postcards that I have!
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I am a big fan of the National Portrait Gallery. I also have a lovely painting of Beatrix Potter a couple columns to the left of Iris, but I’m not sure it shows up in any of the photos.
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Well, that’s amazing! If I had the wall space I would emulate you with my postcard collection – impressive!!
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Mesmerisingly wonderful
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Wonderfully Perfect! Thank you for sharing this beauty. Love postcards,esp those strong graphic ones of ships, planes, trains from posters. Whenever you get a thought, ‘should I post on blog or not’, just do it. Always a perfect fit
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I just love this. Great idea. I’d like to know how you affixed them to the wall too. 🐧🌷🤠
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Just loops of tape.
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Lovely. My bulletin board at work has a similar concept but postcards I’ve picked up as souvenirs are mixed with bumper stickers I’ll never put on my card and some beautiful cards from friends.
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This is beautiful!
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I love it
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Glorious! And, especially right now, what a wonderful way to remind yourself of all the places you’ve been and all the amazing things you’ve seen.
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I love this idea! They look great! I have loads of postcards, too, and I like the idea of putting them up in my office :) Thank you!!
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I was going to ask how you attached them to the wall but I see your tape comment. It looks really good for looped tape. Here, it’s too hot so taping those would result in a floor full of fallen cards eventually. I’d use some putty or something but that would be a lot of putty. I love the finished product though. And a good use for the Persephone bookmarks.
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Love this, Thomas! Thanks for sharing it with us.
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Only one word: brilliant!
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This made me so happy. I actually remember my dad teaching me how to make tape loops as a kid. It was a revelation.
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Wonderful. Yes, to the beauty of the world. Oh Siegfried Sassoon. I have a different picture of him (but same era) in the book room here.
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