Collecting inspiration for my future map room.

These vintage maps make me want to jump on a ship and sail across the Atlantic.

You can buy prints of vintage maps, atlases, and books via Gotzfried Antique Maps.  They feature work from 15th – 18th century cartographers.  I can’t get over the detail in these.

San Francisco

Singapore

Left- Bronx & Queens, NY  Right- Sydney

Seattle

Rome

I have a feeling that my map collection is going to get bigger.

“Aspiring to replace the common with something more beautiful.”  Architectural designer/artist Karen O’Leary cuts out each of these amazing intricate maps by hand.  She also creates detailed map drawings using black ink lines on white paper.

I’d frame my map art with a black background to make it pop.  You can pick up your favorite city and request a custom piece in her etsy shop:  Studiokmo

San Francisco, Singapore, Seattle… how do you pick just one?!

Source & Photos:  studiokmo on flickr and etsy, bltd

The Map Room at the NY Public Library (Photo: Peter Aaron/Esto)

Codrington Library, Oxford England -curiousexpeditions.com

Strahov Monastery Library, Prague – pixdaus.com

Wren Library, Trinity College, Cambridge -wiki commons

Austrian National Library (Wien Prunksaal Oesterreichische Nationalbibliothek), Vienna, Austria – wiki commons

Lawrence of Arabia Screenshots

I’m collecting maps for my future map room.  Charting, graphing, plotting… whenever I plan a trip or adventure, I spend countless hours absorbed in my research.  How far is Lima from Cuzco?  Should we do the glacier or jungle trek?  I dream of sitting at an oversized table loaded with huge unraveled maps in a big open space.  After finalizing the details for our Peruvian adventure I have a pile of notes that are in desperate need of a real home.  My bookshelf just seems to grow exponentially with travel related reads.  Good excuse for a map room, right??

If I had my own, I’d fill it with globes, books, compasses, and at least one big authentic worn in leather chair.  I can just smell the old books and hear the echos in these gorgeous old libraries.  I’m taking design notes…