Inventive ways to display your Awesome Map

Here at Awesome Maps we pride ourselves in producing more than just your average map. We believe the way you display your map can be just as unique as the map itself and we’ve been so impressed with the creative displays you have shared with us! Here we’ll dive into some of the more inventive ways we’ve seen our maps displayed to provide you inspiration and motivation for your own map hanging and adventure planning.

Deck out your van

Photo: @angelobiscotti

For those who travel by van, it seems only logical to decorate your van walls or roof with your Awesome Map. Hang your map on the roof above your bed for late night or early morning trip planning from bed, or alternatively fill your wall space with the map, decorating it with lights and photos. Your map will serve as a guide and companion on the road- a visual guide to plan out the best travel routes and a souvenir to decorate with photos, reminding you of the places you’ve been and memories you’ve created.

Photos: @4handsonthewall

Thanks to Stefanie and Andi, and Angelo for sharing their beautiful van decor with us. Their designs are simple, yet add so much life to their home on wheels. You can simply pin the map to the wall or roof and to easily add photos, line the bottom edge with a thin strip of cork board to create a space for hanging.

Create a book nook

Another way to incorporate your hanging map is to center it into a corner of your room that you’d like to highlight. Props to Mel for picking a space full of plants, music and books- a few of our favorite things. 

Photo: @_mels__pics_

To create this cozy corner, frame your map with any store-bought frame or just pin it to the wall if you’re on a budget! Surround the corner with things that brighten the space and voila- you have created a homey space for reading or other activities.

Dual purpose surfboard rack

What happens when you combine creativity, DIY projects and an Awesome Map? An amazing creation like this! Major props to Kazuya who put together this beautiful wooden frame and completed the display by hanging a surfboard rack above the map. Not only is this an epic room centerpiece, but it’s also practical and saves space!

Photo: @kazuya812

To make this display you’ll need to mount long wooden panels to the wall to create the backdrop. On top of the flat panels, you can hang the map and cover it with a large sheet of glass or plastic for protection. Depending on your hobbies and what gear you have to store, you can make this display a dual-purpose creation by adding a surfboard/ skateboard rack or perhaps building a shelf or cubby to store yoga mats, climbing gear or anything else taking up space.

Make it into a table

A super easy way to add some character to your home is to use your map as a table surface. This works especially well on a coffee table to surely impress your friends and provide endless talking points. You may have to cut the map to fit perfectly, and then all you have to do is find a sheet of glass or plastic to place on top of the map and you have a brand new surface.

In your workspace

Ideal for a home office, you can display your Awesome Map above your desk for constant inspiration and a healthy dose of daydreaming. Use any easy framing technique or just pin it to the wall and your office space will be instantly upgraded!

Photo: @wave_writer

What better inspiration to get out there and explore than to have a map hanging above your head as you work?

Display your map with character

Use your map to reflect your personality and your journey through travels or just life! Small touches can go a long way, like Cristina's creation with fairy lights and photos. You can create this centerpiece for any space in your home. One of our favorite simple ideas is to take different colored pins or thumbtacks and use one color to mark the places you’ve been and another to mark the places you’re going.

Photo:@cristinamaclein

Another fun way to use your map is to draw on it! You can take different colored pens and make doodles or little notes surrounding your favorite destinations to indicate a special memory from the trip.

We’re always curious about other original ways to display a map. If you have any ideas that we missed, drop us a comment! As always, post your original Awesome Maps display and use the #awesomemaps to share it with us and our community!