I love maps, and the older the better. I absolutely adore giving reproduction maps from the New York Public Library. It’s seriously my favorite gift for nearly any occasion. Moved to a neighborhood in Brooklyn? A reproduction fire insurance map. Just got married? A map of your honeymoon location. I can come up with plenty of reasons for why maps work for almost any occasion. I also love any project that puts maps to good use. And now that so many of us use our phones, Google or other GPS devices for navigation, there is a plethora of lonely maps just waiting to be put to good crafting use. (PS — If you’re looking for more map inspiration, check our Sneak Peek Best of: Maps.) — Amy Azzarito
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Image above: Recycled Road Map Cork Board — use old road maps to create cork boards
Image above: American travel map made from cork to plot your next road trip.
Image above: DIY map lampshade created using an old map and hot glue!
See more map projects after the jump!
Image above: Etched map serving tray
Image above: A correspondence set made from discarded glove compartment maps
Image above: DIY framed wall map
Image above: Chalkboard globe DIY
Image above: World map made using a Salt + Coffee Watercolor Technique
25 Comments
Such great ideas!
I love maps also, plus they are cheap and easy to find. I covered a cork board with a USA map for my sons room. Turned out great.
I love using maps! Not only am I constantly on the lookout for globes to add to our home, but I also used 2 maps to create art representing where my boyfriend and I are both from! You can check it out here: http://www.foreverandarecipe.com/2011/11/diy-map-love.html !
I love these ideas. Maps are so great for decorating.
So many beautiful map DIYs! I think the serving tray is my favorite.
so in love with the map post cards! totally doing that :D wonderful inspiration!
Halligans DIY maps are my favorite!!!
love seeing maps used as decor! thanks for the ideas!
I love all of these – and Michigan represent! I live in colorado now, which makes for a slightly more boring cut-out ;) I have gotten some lovely small vintage maps on etsy of my favorite vacation spots. They’re framed in my living room. Love them.
Love to use maps in decor!! I’ll have my own diy soon!!! :)
There are few things in life I love more than maps. I think I will eventually end up wallpapering my bedroom with them!
What is it about maps that just draw you in? These are great- especially love that serving tray.
The lampshade is terrific! It brought back memories of ones that were in my little brother’s room when we were growing up in the 70′s… went with his “captain’s bed”. The one highlighted here has a more sophisticated look. The type of map matters!
Love that lampshade! I have some envelopes made from vintage maps here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/75875145/recycled-map-envelopes
I LOVE maps, they are so colourful and meaningful. I recently updated an old IKEA lack table with pages from a 1943 atlas, so chuffed with it :-)
http://madeinmorningside.blogspot.com/2012/01/side-table-revamp.html
The cork-board USA is adorable! Now, if only I can find an excuse to use this for my business! : )
Love maps! Martin is making a junk map of New York, the process is as beautiful as the WIP.
http://junkmappingnyc.blogspot.com/
Like the maps idea, but what’s up with the half-missing Upper Peninsula?
@Ginger, IIRC, the western half of the U.P. is usually separated and at a different scale.
I covered my bedside table top with a cab driver’s map of Greater London (where I was born), it’s at the right scale so you can see the great bends of the Thames. And I lined out the back of a a glass-fronted cabinet that I got from the dump with panels of large-scale map of the forest where I live.
These are lovely! The postcard is very cute and the salt + coffee technique is definitely going to be going on in my kitchen! The Sneak Peek best of Maps is *very* visually mellifluous!
love maps, love these. thanks so much for the inspiration!
Love the maps, but the first imagine, of dear old Michigan? Ummm…half of the Upper Peninsula is missing.
Um, thank you Alanna! Only 3/4 of Michigan represents. (I’m from the part that got cut off.)
This is a great collection of maps, I especially like the etched map. And maps definitely make great gifts!
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