It’s time to decorate, and you are faced with the question of sentimental style vs. overall aesthetic. You want your space to look cohesive and well-curated but don’t want to hide your treasured memories. Wood maps of special locations can help you bridge the gap between sticking to an organized fashion and showcasing things of personal importance.
What Is Wood Wall Art?
A blank wall is an open canvas to decorate however you’d like. Wall art can help you express your personality, showcase your personal history, and remind you of happy memories. When faced with the task of decorating, you can feel excited that your home customization will bring you joy.
Wood wall art is one of the best ways to share your style while telling the story of your family’s lives. Along with photographs and sentimental items, wood maps act as conversation starters for you to share treasured memories that took place in a specific location. The art itself is beautiful and eye-catching, and the details will draw in your family and guests.
Hang your wall art carefully and securely to ensure nothing gets broken and no one gets hurt. Some wood wall art is heavy, so make sure you have the correct supplies to hang it properly. With a secure anchor to the wall, your décor will be on display for all to see.
How Are Wood Maps Made?
Some of the most beautiful decorations have intricate details, giving the viewer a lot to look at. Wood maps are the perfect blend of art and science, marrying the precision of mapmaking with a stylish flair.
Wood maps start with bathymetric charts of the water’s depths. This data allows artists to showcase the intricacies of the area’s lakes, oceans, and waterways. These measurements — along with other landmarks, prominent roads, and noteworthy areas — are then displayed on a wood map made with materials including:
- High-quality birch wood
- Wood stains
- Glue
Layers of birch wood are laser cut to signify the shoreline and depths and dimensions of the water and surrounding land. Once those pieces of wood are cut, an artist places each layer by hand so that the 3D wood wall art prominently displays the highs and lows of the bodies of water. Wood stain is used to signify which areas of the map are water, and any additional embellishments are added.
Incorporating Wood Wall Art into Your Décor
It is easy to see how wood maps can be added to your existing or developing aesthetic. While its application is obvious when bringing nautical themes to your décor, wood wall art has a place in many styles. Some prominent ways to include wood charts are:
- Within a gallery wall
- Next to photos from your travels
- As a focal point above furniture
By mixing art made of different mediums, you can create visually stunning décor for your home. Wood wall art goes beautifully with paintings, photographs, and even other 3D pieces to create an attractive overall display. The details of these maps can be visually complex, so pair your chart with simple pieces like a painting of trees to balance the space.
3 Popular Types of Wood Wall Art
Art made from a naturally beautiful substance like wood creates an interesting and unique ornament. Even under the umbrella of wood maps, there are various styles to choose from. If you want to showcase your love for the southern states with a wood chart, for example, you have your choice of size, type, and function.
Some of our favorite wood wall art styles include traditional wood maps, wall clocks, and cribbage boards. Depending on the space in which you plan to hang your piece, you can determine the size of your décor and if you want it to serve a function beyond decoration.
1. Traditional Wood Maps
If you are looking for a way to exhibit a map of your favorite location in a visually striking way, a traditional wood chart may be the perfect solution. These maps come in different sizes to give you options when decorating your space. Whether you want a large map of Savannah, GA, as an anchor for your gallery wall or a small map of the Great Lakes to decorate your lake house, there is a wood map for you.
These art pieces come in a solid wood frame with acrylic glass protection. Many pieces can be customized with different frame and stain color combinations to ensure the display fits nicely with your existing décor. Ready to hang, wood maps can go directly on the wall for a no-fuss decorating experience.
2. Intricate Wall Clocks
Why settle for boring timepieces when you can have a clock that doubles as a beautiful example of wood wall art? Telling time turns into a walk down memory lane when you choose a wall clock with a wood map of one of your favorite locations.
Wall clocks are both practical and stunning, making it easy to give them space in almost any room. These clocks can be placed in living rooms, offices, bedrooms, and even hallways for an accessible and charming way to tell time.
Hanging a clock on the wall can easily complement the existing décor while providing an essential function. We recommend choosing a clock with a similar color scheme to the room where it will be hung. Place the clock at eye level for easy reading. This is important for both telling time and examining the intricate details of the wood map displayed on the clock’s face.
3. Unique Tide Clocks
In some cases, a traditional timepiece is not the only clock needed. A tide clock is useful in homes and businesses along the Eastern coast to inform swimmers, fishers, and beach-goers how high or low the tide is.
Reading a tide clock is easy once you know what to look at. In place of the 12 and 6 of traditional clocks, tide clocks show high and low tides, respectively. When they are correctly set, the clock will correlate with the rise and fall of the water along the shore, giving accurate predictions for when the tide will come in and go out.
Tide clocks make stunning wood wall art for a beachfront property or vacation home. Not only do you get the information you need for a fun and safe day on the water, but you can see a unique view of your favorite seaside scene.
Décor Styles with Wood Maps
Decorating with maps is not new, and wood charts of a favorite vacation spot or important destination bring a personal element to your decorating scheme. While displaying wood wall art can be a sentimental step if it includes a map of a special place, it is important to make sure it looks great in your space. Fortunately, wood maps can seamlessly integrate into many interior design styles.
Whether you are decorating an office, a lake house, or your typical living space, there is a good chance adding a wood map will fit well with your current décor.
Traditional Design Style
Inspired by 18th- and 19th-century designs, the traditional design style mixes vintage finds with a few modern elements to create a timeless look. Rooms decorated in this fashion usually feature silk, linen, velvet upholstery, and dark wood. It is important to include some color so the room does not feel dark, and the blue of a wood map would be the perfect pop for a traditional setting.
This décor scheme often highlights collections and includes global accents, so a collection of international wood maps would be a great addition to a traditionally decorated space. Use maps of different sizes to create a visually compelling gallery wall with favorite spots or bucket list locations.
Coastal Themed Design
Whether the sea is just outside or miles away, the coastal motif is a popular design choice. Nautical theming can be as subtle or on the nose as you’d like, making the coastal vibe easy to fit into any space. Coastal décor includes subtle hints at nautical life. This can include:
- A light blue or light green color palette
- Beach-themed items, like driftwood or sea glass
- Textures reminiscent of sand or dried wood
- Wicker furniture
- Basket-weaved accents
- Natural light
- Nautical navy and white
- Boating motifs
Wood wall art can add a personal touch to a nautically themed room without detracting from the overall look. There are wood maps of coastal states that would make a stunning addition to any living space, bedroom, or bathroom that you’d like to remind you of the sea.
Cozy Lake House Style
Having a house on the lake provides easy access to summer fun, giving you the ability to make memories in your favorite place. Decorating a lake house is a mix of style and function. You want to feel at home and relaxed with plenty of room for family and friends while keeping your space aesthetically pleasing.
A lake house typically boasts a cozy atmosphere with décor leaning into warm tones, wood accents, and easy-going furniture that won’t be damaged by lake water when the kids come in from a day of play.
When it comes to wood wall art in your lake house, an aerial 3D view of the water is an obvious choice. Imagine sitting in your Adirondack-style chair and glancing at your Lake Michigan map before looking out the window to see the actual lake right outside. A delightful homage to your location, each wood chart adds a meaningful touch.
Eclectic Entryway Catch-All
While it might look chaotic to the casual observer, decorating with an eclectic style is a process of careful selection and arrangement. Bold colors and global influences can be incorporated into an eclectically designed room. While there is a mix of textures, influences, and materials, each piece is carefully curated to create a cohesive look that is as unique as it is beautiful.
Wood wall art fits perfectly into an eclectic room. The variety of colors and textures lends well to the specially chosen décor. Whether it is a wood wall clock or a cribbage board that is as interesting to look at as it is fun to play with, wood wall art matches the purposeful yet diverse design scheme of the eclectic style.
Sophisticated Office Space
An office space — whether it is in the home or in an office building — is typically clean and business-ready. That doesn’t mean that it is devoid of personal items, and wood wall art lends itself to being sentimental while keeping the professionalism of the space.
Decorating your office obviously includes functional items, but incorporating décor that reminds you of a special place or a meaningful trip can help you feel inspired as the workday goes on. You can even display an aesthetically pleasing map of the city you’re in, like the striking map of San Francisco Bay.
Adding wood wall art to almost any room is an easy way to bring beautiful décor with a personal touch. Whether you choose a wall clock or wood map to fit into your eclectic living room or cozy lake house, incorporating a map of your favorite spot will help you feel nostalgic while adding elegance to your space.