I’ve gathered some interiors ideas for decorating with maps. Framed maps are something I love in a home. The multiple colours of places and borders, oceans and mountains. More personal choices of maps, tell you a little about the owner, places they’ve lived or love. As captivating as a shelf of someone else’s books. A home should reflect a personal history; collected family photos and mementos. Maps give another layer to reflect important places, significant memories. Maps are an affordable addition to your home and make for individual interiors inspiration.
Affordable Maps
At a friend’s home recently, I spotted a framed old map of the London Underground. I have an affection for the London underground, different stops and memories associated with my youth. The London Underground has evolved and continues to evolve, this map included the odd now lost station. The clever thing it was wrapping paper simply framed. The total cost added up to very little, compared to framing a print. I used wrapping paper with a map of London to cover a table earlier in the year, in my Ikea Upcycle. A big blank wall above our table need something and we filled it with a laminated wall map, at under £30 it and was an inexpensive way to fill a big space. The map prompts dinner time chats about far-flung places and improves our geography.
Creative Decorating
Maps are fascinating, they gives us a perspective on our place in planet, as much as helping us finding a new cafe opening. I have my eye on more maps for the wall of the house, places I’ve loved from mountain regions to complex cities. Topography always has something new to offer a details not noticed before. Maps make for creative decorating; maps clipped into bunting or re-created into hearts and frames. Neighbours have a map of the area they spent their honeymoon, on the wall of their kitchen. In our kitchen we have a map of the ‘sea regions’; Tyne, Dogger, Cromarty, because I love Radio 4 Shipping forecasts.
Scratch Maps
Scratch maps, are simply maps for display with a layer than can be scratched off. You scratch off the places you’ve visited. Know someone who is well travelled? Scratch maps make a great gift, a sort of ‘humble brag’ for the wall.
Map Memories
I had some small square photos printed, snaps of night out with friends, my last night out in the North. The photos are mounted on a map of the city we used to live; collected memories, people and places. It sits above my desk a daily reminder of our life there.
Decorating with Maps
photo credit: Joãs Silas unsplash
Children love globes, small fingers over spinning continents. Collections of globes look wonderful gathered on shelves. Pinterest has some great ideas for decorating with maps and I’ve gathered my favourites on a board of ‘Map interiors’. An entire wall papered with maps, maps on cushions, lampshades, craft ideas for maps. Endless ideas for incorporating maps into unique interiors inspiration.
Places to Buy Maps
Mapify – create a customised map, with sizes to fit popular frames.
Stanfords – for wrapping paper, globes, and all sorts of maps: Pub Stops of the Lake District, Game of Thrones, California Wine, Polar Charts, Alps panoramic. Branches in London and Bristol.
Buy Map hangers, laminated maps and relief maps (remember those from school?) at Maps on line
Do you love maps?
Huge fan of maps!! I pick up old ones in charity shops and use them for decoupage and wrapping paper!
Ah thank you. Charity shops are great for maps, I should have added that.
I love maps, and it’s been passed on to my 4 year old boy who is obsessed with the tube map! We have a tube map duvet cover and a typography style london map on the wall. It’s nice to look at and remember when you visited places on the map 🙂
#HomeEtc
That’s what I love the memories invested in places and maps are a prompt.
I do love maps and want to use them more in crafts, but can’t quite yet bring myself to cut them up. I think everyone loves maps a bit, and I know if I give one to MOH he’ll immediately look to see the rudest place name before doing what I’ve asked him too! I can’t help but smile (sometimes!!) #homeetcs
I know what you mean about cutting them up, I think that’s why I like Susie’s idea, of buying them from charity shops, old ones are easier to re-purpose.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your fab upcycled table!!!! Such a clever idea!! I have lined the inside of my desk drawers with wrapping paper but I love the idea of covering a table top — the map trend is fab too. Thanks so much for sharing lovely xx #HomeEtc
Quality wrapping paper goes a long way. I have drawer liners in the bedroom drawers but you’ve given me an idea for elsewhere – thank you.
WOW the table is amazing 🙂 What a clever idea and so simple! Looks fab. Thanks for sharing, Jess xx
#HomeEtc
Ah, thank you. I love the table and even more so for the effort that went into it.
My friend had a big life change in her early 30s and decided to up sticks and go travelling. Her most prized possession is now her scratch map!! Love your table xxx
Yep, I think I want a scratch map. The older I get the more I like to remember my carefree journeys of my youth.
I use maps a lot, too. In fact, one of the first presents I ever bought my eldest was a map of the world for his bedroom wall, I bought it before he was even born. I love looking at them.
Ah, Love this. Me too, maps are so absorbing.