Europe is a wonderful place to pick up goods that you can customize at home. Local trinkets from a Rome might include ceramics or some Italian artwork, while Paris offers everything from vintage posters to candles produced in the oldest candle shop in the world! Even simple items like ticket stubs or subway maps might come in handy if you don’t have a big budget. No matter where your travels take you, have a look at our ideas and keep your memories on display.

5 Ways to Display Vacation Mementos in your Home

1. Shadow Boxes

A shadow box is an effective way to keep small souvenirs, little pieces and trinkets safely on display. Shadow boxes are striking in their simplicity; all you need is a photograph, a postcard, or even a small map of the destination – subway maps are particularly suitable – and a few bits and pieces, like ticket stubs, or small memento, and you have a 3D memory box of your treasured vacation.

2. Framed Maps

In a similar vein, framing a map is a classy way to showcase the destinations that you’ve visited. You can have more than one framed map on a wall to create an enduring tribute to your travels. This also doubles as a superb talking point for visitors, and a pleasant reminder of past trips.

Image via: BHG

3. Sand Vase

If you like to go to the beach on your vacation, start taking a plastic bottle with you to collect some of the sand from each beach you visit. Don’t forget to take a note of the location by writing the name of the beach, the country, and the year on the bottle.

Once you have a few bottles of sand, layer them in a tall glass vase and label each layer with the information from the bottle. This leaves you with a unique souvenir full of clashing colors and textures. If you’re miles from the beach one holiday you could also collect earth for a similar effect.

4. Framed Textiles or Garments

If you’re the kind of person that likes to buy textiles or traditional garments on your vacation, don’t just put them in your close to gather dust, put them on display. Framing textiles not only protects them from moths, it also acts as a piece of unusual wall art to remind you of your adventures for years to come. It is also a way to add an extra splash of vibrant color to your home.

5. Kitchen Magnet Wall

If there’s one memento that we all bring back from a vacation, it’s the humble fridge magnet. If you travel a lot then you’re bound to have quite an impressive collection. If your fridge door is groaning under the weight of all the magnets, install a metal magnet wall in your kitchen. This acts as a visual tool to showcase your collection of magnets.

Picking out the right souvenir when your on holiday can sometimes be harder than it looks. But keeping in mind where it will go and how it will fit in with your home’s furnishing should help make the job all the easier.

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