Maps can add a feeling of intelligence and class to any study. For years people have been hanging wall maps in their studies and dens. Most used these maps as a reference and then it caught on and people that never even read maps decided to hang them for their aesthetic appearance.

I was recently in a large house with a very large study that had maps on the walls. There were maps of the Dominican Republic, maps of Egypt, and a Malaysia map. They also had a tasteful floor globe. I asked why these specific counties and my friend replied that he had visited all of these places and they were her favorite.

Maps can do many things for a room. They can make the owner appear smart, they can make the owner appear to be a world traveler and they add color to usually boring studies.

Nicki Amouri hands her camera to a friend, throws her arm over another and smiles wide as she leans in for a shot with the monument her class came to visit.

It’s a typical field trip memento – except that Amouri is in a brothel. The monument is a fluffy, queen-sized bed in a Western-themed party room reserved for VIPs and big spenders.  Read more