Where in the World?: Decorating with Maps and Globes
I chalk our fascination with maps up to all the drama and possibility that they promise. An old map is like a great historical novel and a new one could be a thriller, a romance, a mystery.
There are dozens of ways to incorporate maps (and their cousins, globes) into home design. Here are a few of my favorites:
As I mentioned, my brother has a collection of historic maps. They're cool for so many reasons, but most of all because they tell a story of how people of the world perceived their landscape at a certain point in time. Vintage maps can be expensive, but don't have to be - I found some great, cheap maps at the Paris flea market. In a nice frame, they're a great addition to any room.
Several of my childhood friends went to college at the Merchant Marine Academy - a school that sends its students out to sea on commercial vessels for six months during their sophomore and junior years. My friends' parents each hung a huge world map in their basements, charting their sons' travels with pushpins and adding photos along the way. In the end, the maps looked like something out of a Jason Bourne movie - they were really cool capsules of their travels. That's what this wall-sized map reminds me of. I love the idea of using this in a guest room, too. It'll give visitors hours of in-room fun and a great conversation starter.
This college dorm room reminds me a lot of the inside of my broom closet - in a good way! I love the idea of papering a whole wall with maps. It's such a fun (and inexpensive) way to decorate.
Q