Sometimes I get overwhelmed but in the most awestruck type of way. Travel never fails to remind me what a big world we live in. And maps show me how much more exploring I need to add to my bucket list. And it can really overwhelm me with how small I am and how vast this world is. Like, wow. I’ve long been fascinated by maps and love buying new ones when I travel to a new destination. For years, they’ve become a home design staple for me, and often I’m getting compliments and long pauses at the wall to admire. I’m a sucker for a beautiful piece of artwork, but truth be told, maps are some of the most fascinating creations I’ve laid eyes on. But sometimes designing and styling them the best way can be tricky. Here’s three ideas to decorate with maps.
This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Trip Map World and includes affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
Get a pushpin map
I could literally stare at my map from Trip Map World for hours. (Honestly, I probably already have!) I am entirely impressed with how detailed it is, especially because my hometown of St. Louis is on the map. Trip Map World goes beyond the basic labeling of Paris and Sydney. I love being able to show my French friends exactly where I live because most maps aren’t big enough to show my mid-sized hometown of St. Louis. Although the map is plenty big – and I ordered the smallest size – it’s not excessively heavy, which makes it easy to move and install. Although their small team is based in Lithuania, they ship worldwide. They have a crazy big selection of colors and styles, and naturally, I picked the pink one. Are we surprised?
As much as I love maps, a map is a map. But with Trip Map World, I can make it mine. The whole point of their maps is to personalize them, and I love that I can showcase my postcards. I get a postcard almost everywhere I go. And although I love collecting them, it’s hard to know how to showcase them in a clean, sophisticated way aka not just taping them on the wall with Scotch tape. I love that I can grow into my Trip Map World board for years to come.
Styling tip
Compile your favorite postcards, and print your best travel photos. Collect other itty bittys from your trip like metro tickets to pin up onto your board. The best part about the Trip Map World option is that you can grow into it and edit the map as you go.
Make a map collage
One of the easiest ways to style your map is to make a collage. Because I moved so many times throughout college and had little space, I often decorated my bedroom with a collage of maps. Over the years, I’ve accrued a heap of random itty bittys from postcards to photos, maps to wall art. (Just ask my mom how she feels about our storage room — sorry, Mom.)
And I never really knew how to make them all work together until I started experimenting with collaging. If you’re looking for the best ways to style world maps and postcards, this is a great option. Ask friends and families for old magazines and start digging for pages you might want to hang up. My senior year of college, I created this massive collage, and I still remember how bummed I was when I had to take it down because I loved it so much.
Styling tip
Flip through magazines and tear out pages that fit your aesthetic. After laying out a basic outline of what your wall collage will look like, pick one or two maps to be the focal point. Then decorate around those so as to draw attention to it. Use sticky tack, push pins or tape.
Use the map as a backdrop
When I traveled to Nice, I picked up a map of my French department, and it just sat in my armoire for months. I just didn’t know what to do with it, until I got my shelf. I had this inkling of an idea to put the map behind the open shelf. And I immediately fell in love with its muted yet classy touch to my shelf. I simply taped my map to the back of the shelf; consider layering another if it’s not long enough. As far as for ideas to decorate with maps, this is one of the more subtle options.
Styling tip
Pick a road map, any road map. And simply use clear tape to create a backdrop for your open bookshelf.
Implementing the best ideas to decorate with maps takes time and patience. But what I love about decorating with maps is I can make my home truly my own and showcase my travels. For more decorating tips to showcase your travels affordably, read this post. Happy decorating!
