Travel Home Decor: Our Favorite Travel Themed Decorating Ideas

A great way to fuel your wanderlust in between trips is to have travel inspiration and reminders in your home or office. When we bought our home a couple of years ago, one of the first things we did was start filling it with travel themed decor, from maps and globes to photo frames and candles.

We have been collecting travel themed home decor items for years now, and our home is full of them: a large wooden world map on our living room wall, solar-powered spinning globes on our office desks, personalized map coasters on our dining room table, and travel photos on just about every wall. We love that so many of these items are handmade by individual artists and small businesses.

In this article, we share the travel home decor items we actually own and use in our home, along with our top picks from Etsy artists and Amazon. We have organized everything by room to help you find items suited to your space, budget, and decorating style. Most items range from about $20 to $150 and many can be personalized or customized.

If you are looking specifically for a gift for a traveler, you might also want to check out our travel gift guide, or our guides to travel themed jewelry and travel themed wedding products.

Travel Home Decor for the Living Room

The living room is where we spend a lot of our time and where we gather with family and friends, so it is a great room to display your love of travel. Our living room features a large 3D wooden world map as a statement wall piece, plus coasters, photo blankets, and other travel themed touches.

3D Wooden World Map

This is probably our favorite piece of travel home decor. We have this 3D wooden wall world map from EnjoyTheWood on our living room wall and it is a real statement piece. The map creates a 3D effect with raised areas in over six contrasting shades of wood, and you can use pushpins to mark specific travel locations.

It takes up quite a lot of room, so measure your wall before ordering. We applied ours directly to the wall after painting, which the instructions say you can do. Just be aware that although the manufacturer says it can be removed without damaging paint, we are not entirely sure about that. We also considered mounting it to a board first and then hanging the board, which would be a safer option if you think you might want to move it later. But since we are not planning to redecorate anytime soon, we were happy to go with the direct approach and have been thrilled with the result.

The maps come in a variety of sizes and color shades and would make a great gift. You can see the full range at Igor and Maryna’s Etsy store.

MOVA Solar-Powered Globes

We are both in love with the solar-powered globes from MOVA. We first spotted them spinning in a window display in a shop in Venice, Italy. We assumed they were spinning because of their base so were surprised when the shopkeeper put them in our hands and they kept spinning!

The globes spin on their own using solar power and magnets so they do not need to be plugged in and there are no batteries to change. They just need light, either indirect sunlight or indoor lights. They can also be placed on just about any base.

Laurence bought me the 6″ green-and-gold globe for my birthday and I love it! He loved it too so he has since got an Earth globe for himself. We each have one on our office desks, spinning right now as I write this. They are great conversation pieces and we never get tired of watching them slowly rotate.

In addition to world maps, MOVA also sells globes depicting planets, the moon, artwork, and sports teams. They come in a variety of color schemes with several base options. You can see the full range in their Amazon store.

Personalized Map Coasters

Travel themed map stone coasters are a great way to add a bit of travel decor to any room. We especially love that these can all be personalized or customized. The map design is decoupaged to the stone tile and treated with commercial grade paver sealant on both front and back, and felt backing is applied to the bottom.

We have a set of personalized coasters on our dining room table that include the places where we met, our first road trip, where we got engaged, where we got married, and our first home together. I love looking at them and being reminded of all those special places. Coasters can be made of ceramic or natural stone with a number of customized designs available. See more at Brenda’s store: Hand to Home Concepts.

Custom Travel Photo Blanket

These custom photo throw blankets are a wonderful way to display your favorite travel memories. The blankets come in a variety of polyester fabrics, including fleece and woven styles. You can use one photo or use several photos to create a collage. Photos are sublimated into the fabric (rather than screen printed) to help prevent fading, cracking, and peeling.

You can see more blanket styles and other personalized gifts at Julie’s store.

Animal Print Lampshades

If you are looking for something bold and eye catching, UK artist Kelly Stevens-McLaughlan creates some wonderful animal and tropical themed lampshades and cushions. Kelly is known for her unusual and whimsical animal art and designs, and she works with galleries and leading interior designers worldwide.

Whether you want to reminisce on a past safari adventure or dream of a future trip, her designs will create an instant focal point in any room. Take a look at her designs in Kelly’s store.

Map Throw Pillow Set

This set of map themed throw pillowcases is an easy and affordable way to bring a travel feel into your living room. Pillowcases are typically 18 inches by 18 inches, made of cotton, and have a zipper closure. They do not include the pillow inserts, which keeps the price down and lets you use inserts you already have.

You can find more travel themed pillow options on Amazon.

Vintage Suitcases

We love the idea of using vintage suitcases as home decor. They add a pop of color and can double as storage, working well as coffee tables, side tables, or bedside tables. You can find vintage suitcases at antique shops, flea markets, and on Etsy shops like AnthiLeoniDecor.

Travel Home Decor for the Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and there are some wonderful ways to incorporate a travel theme into this space. From tea towels and magnets to wine stoppers and cutting boards, here are some of our favorite travel themed kitchen decor items.

State Shaped Cutting Boards

You can celebrate your home state or favorite USA vacation destination with these state shaped cutting boards. Each board is made of high-quality bamboo wood and handcrafted in Florida. They can be personalized with an engraving of your choice and used as both a cutting board and serving board.

The boards are available in the shape of all 50 states. See a range of other handcrafted items at Left Coast Original.

Map Magnets

Our refrigerator is covered in souvenir magnets brought back from destinations around the world. These classic glass magnets with real paper atlas maps can be customized to allow you to choose your favorite locations, either places you have been or places you want to go. The magnets come in various sizes and shapes.

We love that you can pick your favorite locations and be reminded each time you open the refrigerator door. See more at Lil and Jill’s store.

Custom Map Wine Stoppers

These heavyweight, food-grade wine bottle stoppers are a perfect gift for wine lovers. They fit all standard wine bottles and the silicone seal makes for a perfect fit. The wine stopper features a map location of your choice under a crystal clear glass dome.

You can also get custom flag and U.S. state designs. You can find more personalized map items at Tammy’s store Bjeweled Vintage. She also makes lovely personalized map cabinet knobs for kitchen drawers.

Custom City Tea Towel

These custom printed tea towels come with a map of your own home town or any location you choose. They are made from 100% cotton and the map covers a range of about 11.5 miles by 6 miles. These would make a perfect housewarming gift.

Embroidered Destination Dish Towels

The team at Embroidery Everywhere can embroider just about any country or destination design on a dish towel. Their dish towels are made from 100% cotton and measure at 30 by 30 inches. You can choose the color of the towel and the design, with several ready-made options or custom orders available.

In addition to kitchen towels, the team can embroider bath towels, aprons, pillowcases, shirts, and more.

Travel Home Decor for the Office

Whether you work from an office or at home, it is nice to fill your space with little reminders of why you work so hard. We each have a MOVA globe on our desks (spinning away as we type!), and there are plenty of other ways to bring travel into your workspace.

Personalized Vacation Photo Coffee Mug

A personalized vacation photo mug is a great way to commemorate a special trip. You can have your favorite vacation photos printed on a stainless steel travel mug or a ceramic mug, with space for multiple photos and custom text.

We enjoy drinking our coffee every morning and seeing a photo from one of the first trips Laurence and I took together in Spain. A great and practical way to remember your travels, and would also make a wonderful gift. You can find personalized photo mugs at mypreciouspaper’s store.

Secret Travel Book Safe

Keep your keepsakes, travel documents, or valuables in a hollow secret safe book that will hide in plain sight on your bookshelf. We have one ourselves, a hardcover copy of To the Ends of the Earth: The Selected Travels of Paul Theroux, and it is a great place to store passports, desk keys, and extra cash that we would normally just shove in a drawer. Inserted magnets keep it closed even when standing upright.

You can find a wide selection of hollow book safes on Etsy, including travel themed titles. Two shops we recommend are Hollow Books by Refined Pallet, which has a large selection including travel themed titles, and BookEnd Designs, which specializes in vintage books and has some beautiful options.

Atlas Map Envelopes

If you want to bring a smile to someone’s face, send them a letter in one of these atlas envelopes. These upcycled atlas map pages have been handcrafted into letter-sized envelopes.

We love that these are so well-made and are also making good use of discarded atlases and maps. A variety of sizes and recycled papers are available. Jennifer has some great products in her store, Paperette Shoppe.

Wooden Mountain Bookends

These mountain range bookends are a perfect way to bring the feeling of nature and the mountains into your office space. Measuring at 13 by 7 by 5 inches, the bookends come with non-slip cork bottoms and each piece is slightly unique in color and grain due to the nature of wood.

In addition to mountains, the Moku Crew also make wooden bookends of ships, trees, lighthouses, and more.

Personalized Photo Frame

Use a personalized vacation photo frame to proudly show off your best vacation photos. You can choose a ready-designed frame to personalize or have it entirely customized with your own design. All frames include a stand for tabletop display and a hook for wall hanging.

We love taking the time to print some of our best travel photos and displaying them at home so we can look at them every day. You can find more at Richard and Tatiana’s Store.

Old World Map Lamp

This Old World map lamp shade is a timeless twist of Old World and modern design that looks great on an office desk or side table.

You can find this and other map themed lamp shades at Elkhart Lamps on Etsy.

Desk Globe

A classic desk globe is a timeless addition to any office. This antique map style raised-relief globe from Replogle is 12 inches in diameter and features an antique brass colored base.

Replogle sells a number of different globes of different sizes and styles, and you can see their full range on Amazon.

Travel Home Decor for the Bathroom

Even your bathroom can reflect your love of travel, from world map shower curtains to nautical bath towels.

Map Shower Curtain

A world map shower curtain in blue and cream is a simple way to pull your bathroom look together. Catherine at Mapology has a whole range of world map shower curtains, pillows, duvets, and bath towels.

Travel Home Decor for the Bedroom

Fall asleep dreaming of travel with these travel themed bedroom ideas. From map bedding to trinket dishes to a special ring bowl, there are plenty of ways to incorporate your love of travel into your bedroom.

World Map Bedding Set

This world map bedding set looks clean and pretty with tons of detail, and it comes in a variety of sizes. You can also pick out matching pillowcases. This duvet cover is from Mapology, the same shop that makes the map shower curtains.

Wanderlust Ring Bowl

This little bicycle wanderlust dish is one of my favorite small touches in our home. This handmade bowl is made of white earthenware clay, with the letters and design stamped in dark brown ink. The one we have features a bicycle design on the outside and the word “Wanderlust” along the inner rim.

It is a great place to store jewelry, particularly our world map wedding rings whenever we need to remove them. Elycia offers a wide range of handmade bowls that can be customized. See more at Elycia Camille’s store.

French Inspired Trinket Dishes

These handmade ceramic trinket dishes are perfect for those who love France. The designs are stamped on and then fired, glazed, and fired again. You can choose from Eiffel Tower and other French designs in a variety of colors and shapes.

We always use ceramic dishes for soap, rings, coins, and other small items. They would also make lovely party or wedding favors. Cynthia has a number of French inspired items in her store and is happy to make custom items.

Vintage Suitcase Shelves

Turning vintage suitcases into wall shelves is such a creative idea. They are available in various sizes and colors and can add a unique, eye-catching touch to your bedroom or any room.

You can sometimes find these at vintage markets and antique shops, or search for “vintage suitcase shelf” on Etsy.

Travel Themed Wall Decor and Wall Art

One of the easiest and most impactful ways to bring travel into your home is with wall decor. We have maps, pin boards, and decals throughout our home, and there are so many options to choose from.

Travel Map Pin Board

A world map pin board is a great way to show your love of travel and display the places you have traveled and want to travel. The maps are made from printed canvas stretched over a cork backing and attached to a wooden frame. They come in a variety of styles, colors, and sizes, and you can personalize the title and legends.

We have had one of these (in the vintage rustic style) on our walls for years and we love it. The pin board comes professionally packaged and easy to hang, with all fixtures included. Each map also comes with a set of two colors of pins. They are available in world map designs as well as USA maps, Europe maps, and individual state maps. See more at Ross’s store Conquest Maps.

Scratch Off Travel Map

A scratch off map is a fun way to show where you have traveled in the world and help you decide on your next destination. We have one of these and it is very detailed for its size. It was easy to scratch off the gold foil layer, and individual U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and regions of large countries can be distinguished so you can scratch off specific areas rather than an entire country.

We recommend the maps from Maps International, which are some of the most detailed scratch off maps available. Their maps show over 10,000 cities and places, and each package includes a scraper tool. You can browse their full range of scratch maps and push pin maps at their Etsy store.

You can also find a nice framed push pin map with a National Geographic design on Amazon.

Travel Wall Decals

We had a set of vintage travel stamp wall decals on our bedroom wall in our previous home and we loved seeing them every morning when we woke up. Each decal is made of high quality self-adhesive matte-finish vinyl and they are available in a number of colors and sizes. We applied these carefully following the included directions and had no problems.

Unfortunately we were not able to take them with us when we moved, but we would buy them again. Adam and Kim have a number of great travel-related wall decals at their shop Blue Design Co. For a larger wall decal, you might also like this removable world map decal from looksugar.

Custom Map Wall Art Prints

We love the variety of travel-related prints from elevencorners on Etsy. They offer world map prints, crossword travel map prints, travel list prints, and framed maps with custom GPS coordinates of your favorite locations. All prints are on high-quality matte paper.

Custom Caricature from Travel Photos

If you love getting caricatures done while on vacation, you can have Anatoli create a custom caricature based on your personal photographs and ideas. Any personal details or situations can be added to create a unique gift. Caricatures are hand drawn with pastel pencils on cotton paper. Custom oil paintings are also possible.

See more of his work in his store Oil Custom Paintings.

Travel Inspired Candles and Fragrances

Travel-inspired scents can help you remember past travels. Smell is one of our most powerful senses and scents can instantly trigger vivid memories. These travel themed candle and fragrance companies are some of our favorites.

Wanderlust Scents Candles

One of our go-to destinations for home fragrances is Wanderlust Scents. Drew has a selection of candles, room sprays, and diffusers, all inspired by different locations around the world. The scents are complex and designed to be unisex.

One of the company’s most popular items is its Cuba-inspired Old Havana scented candle, but scents inspired by London, California, the Rocky Mountains, Brazil, Hawaii, Tuscany, and dozens of other locations are available. See all the options here.

MERSEA Candles and Travel Wraps

MERSEA started with travel-inspired candles and has grown into a full lifestyle brand offering candles, room sprays, diffusers, travel wraps, sweaters, and clothing. Their artisan soy wax blend candles are hand-poured in the USA using fresh fragrances and packaged in beautiful canvas bags.

We especially love their candles for creating a cozy travel-inspired atmosphere at home. You can browse their full candle collection and other products on their website.

Travel Destination Perfume Oils

We love our collection of travel destination inspired scented products from The Adventuress Soap Co. They create scents inspired by places around the world, from Rome (orange blossom, amber, and basil) to Reykjavik (sparkling icicle, cedarwood, and musk). The company now specializes in travel-inspired perfume oils and fragrance samplers, which are perfect for taking on the road.

Archipelago Luxury Candles

Archipelago is a California-based luxury fragrance company that makes natural soy wax candles. They have a destination collection with scents inspired by Kashmir, Charleston, Stonehenge, Havana, Dubai, Positano, and other locations. They come in glass jars, as pillar candles, and in metal travel tins.

Homesick Candles

We love the concept behind Homesick candles. They have scented soy wax candles representing different countries, USA states, cities, and national parks. They are designed to bring back nostalgic memories of great experiences and wonderful places. The large 13.75oz candle has a burn time of 60 to 80 hours.

More Travel Home Decor Ideas

Here are a few more travel themed decor items that work in just about any room of the house, from the front door to the garden.

Beer Cap World Map

For those of legal drinking age, a beer cap map is a fun way to play around the world in beers and encourages you to try new ones. We had one of these and started it off with a beer from the oldest operating brewery in the United States (Yuengling in Pennsylvania, in case you were wondering!). We eventually gave ours as a gift and it was a huge hit.

You can find a great selection of beer cap maps and other bottle cap art at Torched Products.

Travel Fund Jar

We love that the world map money jar serves both a functional purpose and a decorative one. This 1-gallon jug is made of thick, durable glass with a black plastic screw cap. The world map design is made of high quality matte black vinyl.

The hole on top is big enough for any type of coin and the coins are fairly easy to remove from the jar. A great place to keep your spare change to save up for your next adventure. Laurence has one in his office and it looks great next to his collection of vintage cameras. See more at Renee’s store All Sales Are Vinyl.

Vintage Travel Stickers

This set of world cities vinyl travel stickers is an easy way to add a retro feel to any travel-related project. We use stickers like these to decorate our laptops alongside stickers we collect from our travels.

You can find these and other vintage inspired travel stickers at Retro Planet Graphics.

Luminary Bags

We love these map luminary bags as they remind us of luminaria in New Mexico, which are a traditional holiday decoration around Christmas. The use of paper maps, customized cut-out shapes, and stenciled designs really makes these stand out. They can be used inside or outside with LED candles.

There are different sizes and customization options available. Check out more creative designs in Suzie’s shop Olden Designs.

World Map Wall Clock

This wooden world map wall clock features a silent quartz mechanism so it will not disturb you while working or sleeping. It comes in several sizes and styles.

You can see more clock designs at the ModernClock store.

Switchplate Covers

These decorative switchplate covers are created and assembled by hand, using laminated images affixed to durable steel plates. They are available in over 30 different plate configurations to cover any light switch, electrical outlet, or telephone jack on your wall.

Sheree offers more than 1,000 unique designs at her store.

Cork Map Board

This engraved cork map of the United States is a great centerpiece for a wall where you can pin photos, reminders, or chart your road trips. Made with heavy duty half-inch thick corkboard, it is built to last.

Check out Geo 101 Design for more minimalist geography related items.

World Map Throw Pillow

This watercolor world map pillow adds a colorful travel touch to any room. The throw pillow cover is double printed on spun polyester fabric and comes with a concealed zipper.

Globe Flower Planter

This globe design clay planter is a lovely way to bring travel and nature together. Perfect for a windowsill, desk, or garden shelf.

RV USA State Decal

If you travel by RV or campervan, this USA state travel decal lets you keep track and proudly display your adventures for the whole campground to see. You can find this and other travel decals at My Impressive Inks.

Airplane Doormat

This “Arrivals and Departures” doormat is a fun welcome mat for any travel lover. Made of coconut fibers with a UV resistant seal, it can be used inside or outside your door.

You can find this and other travel themed doormats at Creation Shed Shop.

Kids Travel Play Mat and Floor Puzzle

If you are looking for travel themed items for kids, a world map play mat is a great option. These large-scale play mats allow children to learn about the world while playing. For older kids, this 51-piece USA floor puzzle from Melissa and Doug has individualized pieces with brightly colored features for each state, including the state name, capital, and a landmark.

So that is our guide to travel themed home decor, and hopefully we have helped inspire you in how to decorate your own home to express your love of travel. The majority of the items on this list are handmade or hand customized by individual artists and small businesses, which we love supporting.

If you are looking for more gift ideas for travelers, check out our travel gift guide for over 75 gift ideas that are perfect for travelers, our travel themed jewelry guide, or our guide to the best travel wraps and shawls.

Planning to decorate your home in the future? Pin this article to Pinterest to save and read it later:

Frequently Asked Questions about Travel Home Decor

Where can I buy travel themed home decor?

Two of the best places to find travel themed home decor are Etsy and Amazon. Etsy is particularly good for handmade and personalized items from independent artists, such as custom map coasters, wooden world maps, and handmade ceramics. Amazon is a good source for branded products like MOVA globes, Homesick candles, and Melissa and Doug children’s items. We recommend checking both, as each has different strengths.

How do I decorate my home with a travel theme?

Start with the rooms where you spend the most time. A large world map or pin board makes a great statement piece for a living room wall. Personalized items like map coasters, photo blankets, and custom photo frames add personal touches to any room. Candles with destination-inspired scents can create a travel atmosphere without any visual clutter. We have been decorating our home with travel themed items for years and find that a mix of maps, globes, personal travel photos, and a few handmade pieces gives the best result without feeling overdone.

What are good travel themed gifts for the home?

Some of our favorite travel themed home gifts include MOVA solar-powered spinning globes (which we have on our desks and never get tired of watching), personalized map coasters with meaningful locations, scratch off world maps, and destination-inspired candles from companies like Homesick and Wanderlust Scents. Custom photo blankets and personalized photo frames also make thoughtful gifts that can commemorate a specific trip or travel memory.

Are MOVA globes worth the money?

We think so. We have had two MOVA globes for several years now and they are still working and spinning every day on our office desks. They use solar power and magnets to spin on their own without batteries or cords, which means there is no maintenance. They are a conversation piece that everyone who visits our home comments on. They are on the pricier side compared to a regular decorative globe, but the solar-powered spinning mechanism makes them unique and they have held up well over time.

Do any of these travel themed home decor items catch your eye? Do you own any travel home decor pieces yourself that you love? If you have any questions about any of these items, just ask us and we are happy to share our thoughts!