Monday 29 October 2012

Using up old maps...

It's a miserable Monday afternoon with another deadline looming, so in the ultimate state of procrastination I've been giving my University bedroom a bit of a spruce up. I've learnt first hand how student houses can be pretty crap. They smell like moth balls, are always cold and it would take a Kim and Aggie duo living in one to keep it looking tidy.

If you've been reading my blog for the short time I've been writing it, you'll know I love maps. I love using them in my work and to wrap presents (see here for a post on this). I always have them around in draws that I've picked up from charity shops for pennies. I thought I'd show you how you can use up old maps you may have lying around the house...


I started off with an old box that a candle came in - I was using it to store the millions of bobby pins I own. I've been wanting to cover it in something for a while, the yellow colour doesn't really compliment my bedroom.


Flip the map over to it's blank side and draw around the box, so you have a template to cut out. Then just glue away. One tip is to make sure you fold down each of the edges - it just makes it look a little neater when it's finished.


It completely transforms something that was pretty dull, into a storage box with character. Of course you don't have to use maps, you could use old prints or comic book pages.


Here's my little nook that I keep my new box, I thought I'd share with you some other pieces I used my maps on. Take a look..


I bought this spicy Christmas candle from home store Dunelm the other week. The packaging was a bit festive for this year, I think I can just get away with the scent! I trimmed the edge of the map to match the wrapping of the candle tin and just glued it on. Now it looks a lot cooler and fits in perfectly with the rest of my bedroom.


My mum picked me up this notice board from the TK Maxx sale, it's a little chipped, but nothing that a black sharpie can't fix. These cork boards are brilliant for making collages to brighten up a bedroom. I filled mine with the last bits of my map, then filled in the gaps with some photos, tickets and postcards - I put it together pretty quickly with things lying around in my purse, I'm actually really pleased with it!

These little touches have made such big changes to a room that lacked in personality, yet so simple and easy to re-create. I'd love to know if you give this a go, if you do tweet me a picture here.
Or do you have any quick tips to spruce up a bedroom? 

Harri xxx

29 comments:

  1. What an adorable idea! I actually do have an old map I was going to throw away, so I'll have to find something to cover with it! Lovely post Harri xxx

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  2. I loooove this! Maps are so cool looking. I have a fascination with them.

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  3. I love this post :) your map box looks amazing - what a great idea for boxes to put gifts in too. Your room looks lovely from these few pictures, you should do a room post :) x

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    1. Thanks Hannah, I'll definitely keep that in mind for a future post! x

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  4. That is so cool, great idea!

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  5. Great diy map-box! Very unique and creative :)

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  6. Think I might actually glue one to the base of my pin board too, to make the cork background a bit more interesting. Brilliant idea, so creative! :)

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    1. Definitely give it a go, makes it more of a feature. Let me know how it goes :) x

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  7. Great job with the box! I like having flowers and you can gt them so cheap at tesco. haha I think they give any placea homely feel! xx

    ferdies-place.blogspot.com

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    1. Flowers are always so lovely, you're right about making a room feel more homely x

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  8. oh that is such a cute idea!! i love simple and easy transformations. and i think everyone loves a good DIY!! so cute!

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    1. Thank you, nothing better than a bit of DIY! x

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  9. such and simple and very effective idea. i never see maps in charity shops but i need to get my eyes pealed because i'd love to wrap some presents in them. come christmas it's going to be very map heavy

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    1. I must have been very lucky with my map finds then and I'm sure I'll be using lots of maps for present wrapping this Christmas too! x

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  10. What a cute idea and a cute little map fetish too haha have never heard of that one before! :)
    Kimmy
    xx

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  11. Looks completely adorable! I love simple DIY projects that turns something ordinary into something usable! and cute!!

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  12. i like to add things to my wall. pictures and such. i love anything to do with maps though. neat idea.

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    1. I love adding pictures to my walls too, so simple! x

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  13. I love the map idea. I’ll definitely try something like this!

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    1. It's so quick and simple, hope it goes well! x

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  14. this is a great idea. i love how it turned out! it's very creative and resourceful.

    :)
    Carrie
    http://readmylifeascarrie.blogspot.com/

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  15. This is such a lovely idea! I really like your blog lovely :) xx
    Vicki xx

    www.missvlouise.blogspot.co.uk

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