Now that we’re all spending more time at home, many of us have become deeply invested in the daily lives of birds. Luckily, we can give them the tiny homes of our architectural dreams, becausemodernist禽舍s are very much a thing.
The practice of building elaborate avian sanctuaries dates back toOttoman-era Turkey, where birdhouses were often multistory affairs complete with balconies so the birds could watch...people? Today’s designs are sleeker, with everything from minimalist pieces made from recycled materials to high-end designs inspired by famous midcentury modern homes. Pampering the family of cardinals that lives in your yard with one of these pieces is guaranteed to make looking outyour windowa lot more interesting.
If you love clean lines and minimal design, Etsy sellerTwig & Timber’sline of simple, elegant birdhouses is hard to beat. The Right Angle, designed to house smaller birds, is made of reclaimed cedar and finished with teak oil to highlight the natural beauty of the materials.
Vermont designerPleasant Ranchput eight years of R & D into the Palm Canyon Birdhouse, a nod to midcentury modern home design. It comes in a variety of colors, but we love the cheeky orange pop of the Creamsicle model.
Designed in collaboration with ornithological experts, this graphic Swedish option offers great a place for birds to stop year-round. There are places to feed, nest, and rest. Plus, the closed feeder keeps weather from disrupting the seed—and pests from stealing it.
If you’ve always dreamed of having a 1960s Eichler-style California modern home but don’t live on the West Coast, live vicariously through your backyard birds. The San Rafael bySourgrassbuiltboasts a rooftop succulent garden, a double-sided birdseed “fireplace,” and a ceramic water dish that can double as a mini birdbath.
MidCenturyWoodShopsells some of the most splurge-worthy birdhouses on the market, and this piece inspired by Pierre Koenig’s Stahl House in the Hollywood Hills is no exception. Constructed entirely from California redwood and featuring a solar-powered swimming pool and water fountain, this one is for birds who nest in high style.
Made primarily from recycled milk jugs and available in nine colors, the Pitch is a perfect choice for eco-conscious bird watchers. It mounts directly onto trees or wood beams, and its 7-by-7-inch size means you can easily justify multiples.
