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Stuck at home with the travel bug? Or any other kind of bug? Why not embrace the staycation and add some travel home decor. You can feel a million miles away in the destination of your dreams, wherever your heart desires, without actually going anywhere.
Here are my top 16 travel home decor ideas to give your home a travel-inspired makeover and keep your travel daydreams alive, even when you aren’t able to actually, ya know, travel.
1. Wall World Maps
Just because you can’t travel right now doesn’t mean you can’t start thinking about where you wanna go next. I love putting a map up on my wall and noting both where I want to go and where I’ve already been. It’s fun to see a bigger picture of where your travels have already taken you and what parts of the world have yet to be explored. Put one of these maps up on your wall and let your daydreams roam free, even if you can’t.
2. Scratch Off World Maps
One of the best ways to note where you’ve already traveled is on a world map with a scratch off surface. These scratch off maps reveal another colored surface below when the top layer is scraped off. So you get to slowly turn the map from one color to many others as you check off more and more parts of the world. Like travel home decor paint by numbers in reverse. If you’ve traveled a decent amount, your map can start off fairly scratched and multicolored as soon as you bring it home. But if you haven’t yet checked off all the places you want, don’t let that discourage you. You can have the satisfaction of scratching off each country in real time as you go. That is, once you’re allowed to travel again.
3. World Map Cork Boards
Not a fan of scratching? How about poking instead? A world map mounted on a cork board is also an excellent choice. Get yourself some fun multicolored tacks and pins, and have them represent different things and go to town decorating your world map cork board with where you’ve been and where you want to go. Each different type of thumbtack or pin can represent something different. I love to use three different colors: one for where I’ve been, one for where I want to go someday, and another for my top priorities where I most urgently want to go next. Unlike the scratch off maps, this gives you more control over what colors and labels you can put on each country and destination. Plus, I find having that third category gives me an extra boost of travel motivation to make those top priority trips happen as soon as possible.
4. Travel Wood Signs
If you’re into rustic cabin style decor like I am, or if you just like the look of wood signs, you can find a great many excellent options of the travel-inspired home decor variety. There are all sorts and shapes of wood signs with inspirational travel mantras and words. So you’ll be sure to find the one that puts you in the ideal traveling mindset while you’re still at home. It’s amazing the power a simple heartwarming sign can have on your mental state and how quickly it can brighten your day in an otherwise dark and static time. Tough Cookie tested and approved.
5. Travel Box Signs
If you want even more wood with your travel home decor signs, how about a box sign? Get the same inspirational travel mantras and phrases on the same rustic style decor, but in a 3D box shape that can sit comfortably on your shelf or desk as well as your wall. These also come in all shapes and sizes. So you’ll be sure to find one that fits that perfect spot you’re picturing right now – be it on your desk or that kitchen windowsill or wherever you have in mind.
6. Memory Shadow Boxes
Let’s take that wood box concept and flip it on its head… literally. What if you turned it around and put your favorite travel memorabilia INSIDE? What an idea! Get one of these lovely shadow boxes to mount on your wall and fill with all your favorite travel photos, souvenirs, and other memories. It’s a great way to make your travel home decor more personal and meaningful to look at whenever you’re stuck in the house and need a little dose of the travel warm fuzzies.
7. Photo & Postcard Displays
If you don’t want to put your travel photos, polaroids, and postcards inside a bulky shadow box, or if you simply have too many to fit inside such little frames, how about hanging them out on a lovely wall or tabletop display? That way you can still pass by and see them every day while you’re at home, enjoy reliving the adventures, and get inspired for the next ones. Or if that doesn’t float your boat, try something else. Find ways to take these travel home decor ideas and adjust them to what works best for your space and style.
8. Travel Wall Art
Don’t have enough travel photos of your own yet? Or just not happy enough with any of yours to put them on display? Try using someone else’s. You can get beautiful artwork of your favorite cities and destinations by professional artists for your own walls, and see how nicely it brings the room together. I have a small collection of artwork from local artists that I’ve found over the years, both travel-inspired and otherwise. And they all add a nice home decor ambiance to my rooms that inspires me daily.
9. Travel Wall Decals
I love wall decals. It’s the simpler, easier way to add a more permanent travel home decor touch without having to actually paint. Because there’s no way I could paint something as good as this with my own hands. Put an inspirational travel quote and mantra on your wall in decal form, and remind yourself every time you pass by that wall that “life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” There’s more than one kind of daring adventure, even within the comforts of your home or neighborhood. Have you explored everything there is to explore right here? Done all there is to do? Tried all you want to try? Find your next adventure wherever you are. Get creative. I dare you.
10. World Time Zone Clocks
What else can you put on your walls to achieve that travel home decor vibe? How about a clock that shows you different time zones around the world. Pick between these simpler or more elaborate designs, and set the other time zones to places you dream of traveling next. Then you can imagine what life must be like in those other places and pretend you’re there as you pass by this clock throughout the day. Or use it as an excuse to start your day drinking a little earlier. Gotta pass the time somehow, right? And besides, it’s 5 o-clock somewhere!
11. Travel Throw Pillows
Now that your walls are pretty well covered, let’s decorate the rest of your house in travel-style. Got some couches and chairs that look a little too bare? Well break out the throw pillows! There are so many to choose from. All sorts of styles and color schemes and themes. These are just some of the many options available on Amazon, and there are many many more. So shop around for what goes with your existing home decor and go to town. You know what they say, you can never have too many throw pillows. (Not sure who said that, but it sounds like a nice thing to say.)
12. World Globes
Walls, check. Couches, check. Now on to your tabletops and bookshelves. Do those need some more travel home decor love? How about one of these sophisticated looking globes? You can find educational ones that light up with the night constellations, or traditional ones with more of a classic antique design. Pick one that compliments your decor aesthetic and add a nice worldly touch to your home ambiance. It’ll fit right in with all those leather bound books and smells of rich mahogany.
13. Suitcase Trunks
Sure throw pillows and globes are nice, and they do make you feel more grown up. I mean, have you ever seen a throw pillow or globe in the home of anyone under 25? Not likely. But despite their sophisticated air, the purpose of both can be a bit bewildering. I mean, what are throw pillows for? They’re purely decorative. But trunks. Now trunks have a purpose. Besides being nice decoration, they also hold stuff. So why not get one of those. Maybe one of these super cool trunks that look like suitcases. You might not actually be able to take them on an airplane with you – though you’re welcome to try I guess – but boy will they look snazzy around your home. Even if they’re not traveling anywhere, they’ll make you feel like you are. All while holding your stuff in neat, stylish containers.
14. Pensive Pillowcases
What home decor makeover would be complete without some new bedding? Those are decorative and purposeful. Sure your new throw pillows are nice. But I bet you could still do with an empowering pillowcase or two to curl up with at night, when those throw pillows get tossed off the bed because they’re too awkward and small to actually sleep with. Like these Tough Cookie Says designs created by yours truly and available on our GearBubble store. with many options featuring famous quotes by history’s most iconic women or more personal mantras said by all. Pick one that will comfort you as you fall asleep or energize you when you wake up the next morning. Or better yet, one that can do both!
15. Motivating Mantra Mugs
You know what else is fun and useful? Mugs! Funny, punchy, and inspirational mugs. White mugs, black mugs, and travel mugs. Oh my! Our Tough Cookie Says GearBubble store has you covered here too, once again with a wide variety of designs featuring historic women’s famous quotes or more generic motivational mantras that will give your morning cup of coffee (or tea) that extra boost it and you so desperately need. Because when we’re stuck at home, we need all the help we can get.
16. Stirring Shot Glasses
Last but not least, perhaps another good motivational item to have in your kitchen is another kind of drinkware guaranteed to put a pep in your step. I don’t know if you can call these travel home decor per se, but they sure are decorative and travel-friendly. There are many designs to choose from, all of which are fun and feisty enough to motivate you at home, and small enough to take that pep with you next time you travel. So when that other time zone on your new world clock strikes 5pm, you might want one of these handy to help kick off your trip to Margaritaville.
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