Hot to Shop: Vintage Pull Down Educational Maps

 I've written about vintage maps before, but thought I'd re-work and post about them again.

 One of the questions I'm frequently asked is:  I love vintage shopping, but how do I know what to buy?    How do you decide what to buy and where you'll use it ?

My answer is that I've been doing this for a while.  Part of the skill involved is just repeated exposure.  I  subscribe to design magazines, design blogs, read design books, and watch programs on interior design.  On some level, if you get enough design exposure experience, you'll find that you'll notice something that you've seen in one of your resources and just know that you should purchase it.  Many of my purchases are a gut reaction.  Only after I look at my design file, my Pinterest boards, or look at a magazine again, do I realize that I saw that idea previously.  It's almost as if I subconsciously stored the object of the image.  After so many years, I just know when I should purchase something--not always where I'll use it--but I know it will work.

So I guess the short answer is practice and exposure and trust your gut.

Finally, to the point I've been trying to make with all that talk.  I've been writing some posts about what's trending in vintage decor, so while you're developing your shopping skills --what fun practice shopping--you can look for some of the things I feature.

Today I'd like to feature a hot design trend, educational classroom maps.  They are sometimes called posters and also called vintage teaching charts and pull down maps.
I'm sure you're all familiar with the maps like these:

The classroom teaching charts that I always look for have a science/nature-related theme.  In my sun room I have a reference map for shells.  It's one of my favorite things in my home.
You can see that it has been well-used. It was so fragile that I had to apply a muslin backing so I could safely hang it.

It actually was the design inspiration for the look and the colors in my sun room.

My Sun Room With the Vintage Shell Teaching Map

I recently found this smaller version with mollusks.  I love the vibrant colors and the size.  I'm noticing that many of these educational maps are from Germany.  I haven't decided if I'll use this in my home or sell it.

This next image is more of a science poster.  It's definitely shabby, but I really liked the subject matter
and the illustrations.

This last image isn't even vintage, but I loved the art and the gold leaf.  I have plans for this one.

As you can see,  the science-related maps have greater appeal to me.  I love them for their subject matter but also for their vibrant colors and design. Their large size really makes a statement.


Here are some other examples of nature-related pull down maps
 that will surely make you want to own and display some.

Source for the vintage teaching charts' images that are not from my home here.

Put these maps on your decor trend shopping list. You can find them readily on e-bay under the pull down map category.  Here are some (fuzzy) images of some I recently saw for less than $150 on e-bay. I'm also seeing them more and more in antiques shops too.

This botanical isn't vintage, but what a bargain.  It's at IKEA and it's $19.99.

Let me know what you find and how you used it.
What are you hot to shop for?  How do you decide what to collect (hoard)?


Kathy

New Shopping Finds Equals Change Ups

I've been shopping and finding some goodies for my home.  But new finds always create change ups.

The table against the brick wall in my screened porch looked like this for almost a year.  That's a record in our house.  I think it made it because everything was covered during the winter.

Covered bottles, faux coral, Santos, cement pedestal, metal ferns, giraffe table cover (really a bedspread), and a framed tin ceiling section as a back drop.

Here's a close up of the bottles.  The big green bottle didn't have a cover like the others and decided to borrow some of my bling.

Now I'm not saying I'm going to keep all this new stuff on the porch, but I wanted to share my finds.  

The piece I'm most excited about is the chinoiserie planter with the geometric pattern.  I think I may re-purpose it as a magazine holder.  I also found two huge pieces of coral.  Behind the coral are industrial looking metal trays that I plan to use as jewelry and desk organizers.  They're from a candy store in New Jersey and I bought ten of them.  I also purchased a blue blown glass covered bottle to add  to my growing collection, a piece of driftwood, some leather books, and a plaster architectural fragment that makes a perfect bookend.  That was an exciting shopping trip.!

On another outing I found this cute elephant side table.  He's on the screened porch too along side my chair. It's  just a perfect place to rest my morning cup of coffee.

The next purchase is going in the family room in front of my Mid-Century Modern buffet/tv stand.

This brass faux bamboo bench will be extra seating or a place to prop feet.
The curved hammered metal top is fabulous.

I always buy nature-inspired classroom maps when I find them.  My favorite is this shell reference map in my sun room.

I couldn't pass up this bug chart.

And of course my latest bling.

Vintage acrylic and rhinestone bracelet

What have you found lately?

I love the hunt but I love the find better.

Kathy