December 15, 2005
Tile Birdhouse
In our ongoing effort to provide you with the most interesting and unusual birdhouses available, we present this gem from Architectural Editions. It is made from Southern Pine, and the designs are based on 19th century Spanish tiles. At the bottom of their home page is this quote from "From Bauhaus to Birdhouse": "Birdhouses represent all virtues of home - safety, enclosure, stability and function. Birdhouses represent a longing to bring untamed nature into our lives," which gives you an idea of their world view. All these birdhouses are designed with identical facades front and back so you can enjoy the house from all directions, and each one is signed and dated by the architect/craftsman, Richard Banks. They come with an instructional booklet called "Words About Birds." Not shown: designs predominately yellow or orange.
Tile Birdhouse
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November 30, 2005
Frank Lloyd Wright Birdhouse
We brought you Frank Ghery-inspired birdhouses. Now here's one after Frank Lloyd Wright, for a most unique and unusual garden gift. Crafted of pine and cedar, sealed with linseed oil, it is 22"L x 8"W, costs $54.95 +s/h and was designed by Tom Holmes of HBH Designs. The Garden Artisans site brings together artists of many different types of garden decor with the sentiment "...because the garden is your canvas," and I was impressed by the interesting and beautiful items they offer. Someone should tell them that the horrific green of their website is not enticing, to say the least, and they need a good copyeditor, but taking a look at the work of the artisans is well worth your time.
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November 18, 2005
Egg-Shaped Birdfeeders
Perfect. This egg-shapped birdfeeders would blend beautifully with the Gehry-inspired birdhouses that go with the Gehry outdoor furniture or the Dedon oblisks, don't you think? It is available in a range of bright colors, costs $128, and is–one would assume–impervious to squirrels. Designed by Jim Schatz, this beauty is handcrafted of ceramic earthenware, has aluminum fittings and was named one of Fortune magazines' 25 best products of 2004. It easily disassembles (so they promise) for refilling. Offered by Design Within Reach. See the colors and photos of some in situ at the link below.
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November 18, 2005
Unusual and Unique Birdhouses
Birdhouses to go with the Frank Gehry outdoor furniture we just posted on are actually available, would you believe? Artist/designer Tom Dukich designed one, won awards and is now selling them to the masses. He was inspired by Gehry's Guggenheim in Bilbao to create a functional birdhouse with a contemporary aesthetic–hence the stainless steel material. The top swings open for cleaning, the soft finish reflects the surrounding landscape, there are twenty vent slots, drainage holes in the bottom, and even a tiny ladder inside so that the baby birds can climb up when they're fledged and ready to fly. Isn't that sweet? Obviously these interesting variations on the traditional birdhouse are impervious to squirrels. Less obvious is that they have been rigorously tested for heat buildup during summer months. Follow the links to read all about them and contact the artist. They cost $179.95, including a pole and ground stake or house mount and can be ordered in custom sizes and/or made out of titanium. Thank goodness.
Museum Birdhouses [via Land+Living]
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