If you ask us, older is better, so we're always on the look-out for the perfect aged map. If you prefer the vintage look, you can always age a map with tea or coffee. One giant map is a great idea for your home's decor---think playful and fun. Having an entire wall to plot trips and study geography (which would also make an awesome accent wall). Or, if you'd like more sophisticated map decor, you could break the map up into sections and frame side by side. That way, you have the look of a huge map but it's appearance has been spruced up. On the other hand, globes are a great addition to any bookshelf and we're also really digging the children's vintage map blocks. While they're marketed for kids, we could see one or two on a kitchen ledge or next to a set of books in the living room.
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Love the last pic.
Image Surgery has very pretty vintage maps laser cut into butterflies. www.imagesurgery.com
A basic DYI version is here:
http://www.examiner.com/x-11495-NY-HowTo-Home-Design-Examiner~y2009m7d3-How-to-make-butterfly-art-from-travel-maps
I have two vintage globes on my end tables and they always draw conversation when I have people over. Especially when you really start looking at them and seeing what has changed, name and country wise.
I have been looking for a map for our room, but didn't even know this was in right now. I found a site that sells stunning antique sailing maps and atlases, they are amazing, and pricey, I'm sure!
http://www.helmink.com/
Check out this post by my wife on her blog. Large maps can work very well! They truly inspire us to go somewhere!
http://www.anopensketchbook.com/2009/06/sweet-silence.html
Crazy, I just blogged about the map butterflies this morning! If you're inspired by maps, I invite you to peruse the cartography section of my blog, where I've been documenting art inspired by, or using, maps and related imagery.
I hope it's not inappropriate for me to post this here, but that last map is made by my company, Authentic Models (AM).
It's the center of our 1739 Paris Map portfolio. We took the Michel Turgot map from 1739 and divided it into 30 even portions for wall display. I also have an antiqued version on UV-resistant acrylic panels that's been pretty popular. We have fabric panel maps of Rome (1676), Amsterdam (1737), New York (1879), the American colonies (1755) and the world in 1660. We work from original copies of all of these maps and it takes several months to complete the artwork for each.
Check out www.authenticmodels.com and click through to the Museum Collection to see them all.
Again, if this is an inappropriate use of comments, please delete this, but I hope it's okay to share. It's a very cool collection that we're very proud of.
@Mam rad pivo--thanks for sharing!
I was just thinking about maps today too. Has anyone ever come across a set of vintage map bedding? I saw a set in a house I stayed in last week, and I would like to find out where it came from.
Any info on that street map quilt? Too gorgeous!
Suzyn, the map quilt is by Haptic Lab; more info here.
i love maps... uh... hence my username. i had a gigantic one on my bedroom wall in my last apartment but it wasn't too stylish. i'm loving these ideas though. more more more!
Too many nightmares involving being an adult in my 5th grade classroom and tripping on acid.
No offense maps, I love you in all your pastel colored and graphic relief glory but living with you and your ilke makes me well... a bit uncomfortable.
i love the cube idea with the maps.
"Or, if you'd like more sophisticated map decor, you could break the map up into sections and frame side by side." i have been thinking about doing this at www.blockposters.com for a while now. just can't decide on which wall to put it on.
also, i have a 1974 european map from my dad's backpacking trip that i want to frame for our bathroom. i thought it would be a nice alternative to the tacky plastic map shower curtain!
i just checked out the butterfly maps...perfect timing. i am going to DIY these this weekend in shadowboxes for a butterfly-loving friends bday. thank you!