Decorating your home is about creating a space that is pleasant
to the eye, and that says something personal about you, the
decorator. But more than that, homes are places where memories
are formed. Antique maps, by virtue of the history contained in
them, make the perfect symbols of remembrance and nostalgia fit
for a home in which memories will be created.
Antique maps as interactive works of art
Antique maps, no longer serving their original practical role as
records and guides to places and geographies, are now stunning
works of collectible art filled with the historical memory of
place and geography, of flora and fauna, of people and their
journeys.
Antique maps are more than just good-looking works of art framed
and hung on a wall. Antique maps are a living piece of history
that attract family members, friends and guests to talk and
discover. A map draws people to it. A common scene around an
antique map is a huddle of guests pointing to it, tracing its
coastlines, borders, and names, and talking about how things
have changed.
When choosing an antique map for your home décor consider the
following three ideas.
Choose an antique map to match your decorating theme
Genuine antique maps or prints can add another layer to the
theme (traditional, rustic, country, Tuscan, Aegean) you've
chosen for your home. If you've filled your rooms with Old-World
furniture reminiscent of the eighteenth-century then a unique
world map dating back to the 1700's is the perfect addition.
Nicolas De Fer's double-hemisphere world map, a copper-engraved
map in which California appears as an island and Australia is
only half-drawn, is a stunning acquisition for a traditional
decor. (Maps and prints mentioned here can be seen at VintageMaps.com, an antique
maps and prints website).
Match your antique map to your city of residence
An antique map can add to a person's knowledge of their current
residential district or state. For a New York apartment, Matthew
Dripps's 1880 pocket map of the city is remarkable for its
detail. Place it in a bright room or have it well lit so that
you and your guests can locate hotels, churches, theaters,
railroads and much more.
Choose an antique map to match your hobby or holiday dream
If you are a wine lover and regularly entertain other wine
lovers then the perfect map to hang near the dining table is one
of Victor Levasseur's maps representing the wine regions of
France in 1854.
If you're an avid traveler with a dream of traveling around the
coastline of Australia, then Aaron Arrowsmith's 1820 map of "New
Holland" (as it was known back then) is the perfect addition to
your study or home office. You can study the coastline as it
appeared to cartographers of the era and keep your travel dream
alive.
Antique maps are records of how places have changed over time
and are symbolic of how our homes change over time (children
grow up and leave, new rooms are added or joined). Antique maps
are the ideal addition to a home and, if chosen well, soon
become part of your family's own history.
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