Whether it's a detailed London one to muse over in a cloakroom or a bright and colourful world view in a kid's room, maps and murals have become an increasingly popular way to dress walls and add colour and interest to a space.
There are plenty to choose from: opt for a vintage Ordance Survey map to get a glimpse of what your neighbourhood looked like in Victorian times or transport yourself to your favourite capital city. Whatever your style, there are plenty of reasons to be mad about maps. And here are some you need to have on your radar...
SATELLITE
Point Two Design (opens in new tab) has just released a brand new line of stand-out map wallpapers, taken by NASA satellites. Pick any place in the world that means something to you, and have an ultra high-res image of it printed from the sky.
These self-adhesive mural maps can be customised not just to any place, from Paris to Funkley, Minnesota, but any size and in any colour too.
3D VINTAGE
A vintage scene, made modern by being three dimensional, the A City Rises (opens in new tab) wallpaper by Rebel Walls, £33 per m2, is pretty funky.A back scene with depth as well as a rich back story, this original map dates back to 1912 and shows the extraordinary reconstruction of downtown San Francisco after the city was hit by not only an earthquake, but also a fire in 1906.
ATLAS
The world maps from PhotoWall are a great way of sprucing up a kids room with something that's subtly educational too. Don't be surprised if they suddenly start acing geography class.
For an on-trend pastel update, the World Map Wallpaper (opens in new tab) from Notonthehightreet.com ispaste-free, self-adhesive, re-positionable and reusable, and canbe stuck onto any non-porous surface – a fun update for a headboard or wardrobe perhaps?
ORDNANCE SURVEY
Have a historic Ordnance Survey map printed of your local area, to create an interesting feature in a guest bedroom, cloakroom or hallway. With maps dating back to 1888, the historic maps from Love Maps On (opens in new tab) create an eye-catching feature wall.
For detailed Ordnance Survey style maps, Love Maps On (opens in new tab) print close-ups that show the street names, parks and boroughs – they can even print them with hill shading to give the maps a 3D effect.
Even without the shading, the maps would make a striking feature in a hallway. A current overview of the local area to inspire new explorations perhaps?
OFF THE GRID
It's hard to know where to start with Mr Perswall (opens in new tab)'s wallpapers as there are so many to choose from, but we think the ultra-modern Manhattan grid (opens in new tab) is the perfect place. Sadly there isn't a UK equivalent, but the modern lines, bright colours and fun repeat pattern more than make up for that. Pretty snazzy for an office, don't you think?
LONDON
Ever wondered what London looked like decades ago? The London 1894 (opens in new tab) wall map by Happy Wall (opens in new tab)will introduce you to the smaller, quieter and greener London before skyscrapers took over. It'll have guests captivated.
Prefer something a little more up-to-date? Happy Wall's London City Map (opens in new tab) is a simplified map of the city as we know it today.
VICTORIAN
Pick a postcode and have a vintageOrdnance Survey street map printed of that exact area – but from Victorian times. Paste-free, self-adhesive, re-positionable and reusable, the Custom Victorian Street Map Wallpaper (opens in new tab) from Notonthehightreet.com that will make an interesting – and informative – feature.
DEEP BLUE
The Blue World Map (opens in new tab) by Rebel Walls is restful as the different shades of blue blend into each other, making it a relaxed choice for a bedroom or study.
WINDOW MAP
Instead of opting for plain frosted glass, create privacy with a printed window film. The National Maritime Museum collection for SurfaceView features gorgeous vintage maps from all over the world, printed on a. frosted window film that lets the light through, while retaining privacy.
Aside from creating an interesting feature, and creating extra privacy in cloakrooms and bathrooms, they're also perfect for creating a more attractive view if the current view from the window is less than desirable.
The industrial style 'View of Amsterdam', above, by the National Maritime Museum looks even better against a worn frame – and would suit Crittall-style too.
The National Maritime Museum collection features lots of other historic maps too, like the below close-up of London City (opens in new tab).
