As I was scrolling through my FB feed the other day, I literally stopped in my tracks because of this stunning image from the Williamsburg Brand. I had worked with them at High Point a few years ago, and love how they have translated their traditional style into contemporary goods.
Of course, the lamp is a ton of fun, but it was the paper behind it that I wanted to know more about. Someone from the Williamsburg Inn kindly responded instantly and told me that it was available at Williamsburg at Home, their shop in Colonial Williamsburg. I almost hopped in the car and drove down, but then saw it was sold out.
Designed by British surveyor and cartographer John Rocque in the 1740s, this iconic London map elegantly portrays the neighborhoods of what many American colonists considered to be their true home. The six panels that make up the mural are almost identical in size to the original 18th-century map, which was widely used by gentry and commoners alike. The metallic finish on the wallpaper gives a hint of sheen to any accent wall.
It is actually six wallpaper rolls, sequentially numbered, which are 18" wide for an overall mural size of 108" x 110". I am pretty sure that this would fit in my upstairs hallway.
The map is also available through York Wallcoverings, here, and comes in metallic and non-metallic versions with additional paper on the top and bottom for use on a nine-foot wall. The cost is $159 for the six rolls.
I know that Ben Pentreath has this map, featured in his stunning London home (now redecorated). But it’s in 24 panels, suitable for framing (which adds considerably to the £175/$200 price tag). Each of the sheets is 24x19 inches, which makes for a massive piece. Ben said that the original map was photographed in the 1970’s and then colour-corrected and repaired.
Of course, all of this brings to mind the famous Turgot Plan de Paris, about which I wrote much many years ago. If you search for “Plan de Paris” you can read all about it, including me mounting it on the dining room at my old house
What do you think of this map? Would you buy it? I am considering it strongly!
Hello Meg, The maps are beautiful, but I don't think that I would want a mural of a non-local map, unless that place had special significance to me. I would prefer to get another map and blow it up. Some on-line free map resources have huge jpg's that could probably be used as well as an original map. A blown-up local map would also make a good reference tool.
ReplyDelete--Jim
p.s. Don't forget about older aerial maps if they exist for your location--people will be swarming around them trying to identify landmarks.
You clearly know me! This is the local one for Baltimore!
Deletehttps://pigtown-design.blogspot.com/2016/07/mapping-it-out.html
I think it is fabulous & classic!
ReplyDeleteAgree!
DeleteYou're going to think I'm lying, but I swear it's the truth. I was scrolling down, reading this post, and saw the first photo. I said to myself "this is supposed to be about this lamp, but the reason it looks so great is that wallpaper". And then I scrolled down again and you'd written the same thing! Made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I'd buy that wallpaper in a New York (okay, London) minute, if I had the wallspace for it...
Great minds, and all that...
DeleteI love the idea of a London map. Go for it!
ReplyDeleteThinking seriously about it!
DeleteMany yeas ago the Turgot plan de Paris was it not down loadable in some manner here from a link??
ReplyDeleteIf you look at the Wiki page for the Turgot map, there's a high res link to the map. And i think that there's still a link somewhere if you search for the map on this blog.
DeleteFor $159, I think you should buy it. Seems like a bargain.
ReplyDeleteMuch more so than other versions.
DeleteI have long regretted not buying some wallpaper that depicted the 100 Acre Woods from Pooh....now out of print. Some silly thing like I had no appropriate place to put it. SO my advice, based on this old pain, is to get it now; if you end up not using it you can sell it, but if you don't get it and it goes out of print you will always be sorry.
ReplyDeletececi
Did you look on eBay for the wallpaper? i find the strangest most random things there!
DeleteI'm on phone now! I see pics. They are lovely but for me a map would need some personal connection. If you feel it then get it x
ReplyDeleteHelllllew???? don't you have a personal connection to london? xo
DeleteWhy am I feeling that your passion/lust for this/a/any antique wall/wallpaper map is merely Step One in a longer range plan where YOU PRODUCE WALLPAPER MAPS FOR ALL SORTS OF CITIES, INCLUDING [beginning with] BALTIMORE. Oh, was I screaming? Sorry....xo xo
ReplyDelete-Flo
WORLD DOMINATION through tea towels and wallpaper! Bwahahahahahaha!
DeleteI'm for it! You don't have anything else to do, right? Bwahaha!
Delete-Flo
I say Go for it! Classic, traditional and very elegant, just like you.
ReplyDeleteI am playing around with the map on Photoshop and Spoonflower to see if I can DIY it for less.
DeleteWhen the Department of the Interior was still located in Washington DC I got a few 1950's black and white maps of places I have been. They are framed and hang as very nice reminders of travel adventures. Then I went to the map division of The Library of Congress and got gigantic xeroxes of maps of my particular location from 1920. There were 4 sections of about 3' x 5' and they are now wall paper. Worked quite well. The xeroxes have not faded and I like the effect. Ann
ReplyDeleteThe LoC has a TON of high-resolution maps on-line. Only issue is that they uploaded them in a format called JPG-2000 which was supposed to be the "new" standard. Clearly not.
DeleteI love this map! I agree, you should by it! If you manage a DIY please share your process.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth... i am playing around on photoshop and then spoonflower. i have printed up a small sample to see how the resolution works because i have to make it fit the 24 inch width of a wallpaper roll. Of course, I will keep everyone posted... as always.
DeleteI have loved reading maps since I was a child and, over time, became quite good at navigating with the use of them. I still love a map in the car when I'm going somewhere say....Baltimore. I've been reading maps of London for a long, long time, and I stayed there over the years for lengthy stretches, so "yes" I love the idea of a map of London. I love the lamp against the detail. It's such a strong visual. I agree with the other commenter in that I think it's important to have a map that means something to you, and in this case, it would.
ReplyDelete