How I Turned Old House Plans Into Meaningful Wall Art

When I came across my parents’ old house plans tucked away in the attic of their coastal Maine home, I knew they were too special to keep hidden.

With the help of a vintage frame I found in the same attic, I turned them into meaningful wall art that now hangs in our dining room—a simple way to blend family history with timeless vintage decor.

The Sentimental Story Behind These Framed House Plans

When my parents decided to downsize and build a new home in their 70s, they chose a traditional Raeside & Dame Early American replica-style home just across town from their original home near Nubble Lighthouse. You may read more about this story in this Coastal Maine Heritage – Embracing My Roots.

Years later, while renovating and refreshing the house we now call our own, I discovered their original architectural house plans tucked away in a closet. Framing one of these blueprints in a vintage attic-found frame became my very first decorating project after the renovation—a small but powerful way to honor the legacy of their thoughtfully built home.

Adding Vintage Nostalgia to a Newly Renovated Room

After repainting every wall and refinishing the original soft pine floors in our coastal Maine dining room, the space felt clean, fresh—and a little too empty.

Like many of us in early 2020, we were waiting on delayed furniture deliveries, which gave us time to focus on smaller, more meaningful projects. That’s when I decided to frame these colonial house drawings—my parents’ original architectural blueprints.

These drawings now serve as a quiet reminder of the care my parents put into building this home—and of how even the most simple vintage details can anchor a space with soul.

And I need to add these framed house drawings to my 9 Vintage Decor Pieces I’ll Never Part With.

Framing Architectural Drawings with Vintage Style

From the Attic to the Wall

While sorting through the attic, I discovered an old vintage wood frame that—miraculously—fit my parents’ colonial house drawings perfectly. It felt meant to be. I gently framed one of the original architectural blueprints and hung it in the dining room, which also serves as the entryway to our home. This simple gesture brought the space to life, adding architectural charm and a meaningful connection to the past.

Right beside the blueprint now hangs a small watercolor painting of the coastal house my parents lived in before building this one. It’s a piece I had painted for them in college, and I’ve always chuckled at the artist’s touch—adding evergreen trees to a home perched oceanside. But together, these two homes—one captured in detailed plans, the other in a whimsical painting—tell a quiet story of transition, legacy, and love.

When I first framed these house drawings, the home itself was still a work in progress. Furniture was delayed, stores were closed, and like many of us, I was leaning into small, soulful projects that helped a house feel like home again. Framing these architectural plans became the heart of it all.

Explore more of this home today, along with all the beautiful renovations in our blog series In My Mother’s Maine Home.

Why Framed Architectural House Plans Make Meaningful Vintage Wall Decor

Architectural drawings aren’t just blueprints—they’re stories on paper. Framing old house plans as vintage wall decor adds a deeply personal, historical, and visually striking element to your home. Whether they showcase a family home, a dream project, or a favorite architectural style, these aged architectural prints make meaningful statements while preserving legacy in the most artful way.

Creative Ways to Use Vintage Architectural Drawings:

Original colonial house plans can be delicate, so be sure to handle them with care. To preserve the integrity of these treasured blueprints, consider scanning or photocopying them before using them in your decor. Whether displayed as wall art or styled into a tabletop vignette, decorating with architectural drawings is a beautiful way to honor the past and celebrate the legacy of your home.

Looking for more vintage-inspired decorating ideas? Explore my favorite Vintage Bedroom Decor Ideas or Seasonal Porch Decorating Ideas to keep that nostalgic charm flowing from room to room.

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