The (Real) Bird Cage As Design

Home decor stores are full of little fake bird cages. This, I do not understand. Why have an empty, fake bird cage sitting in your home when you can have a beautiful real one, with a beautiful real bird in it?

I have a canary, and a pocket parrot, and I dearly love both of them. A canary, in particular, is the ultimate in low-maintenance pet, with a very high emotional return. A male canary's song is beautiful. I seriously cannot imagine my home without my canary.

I have developed an interest in unusual bird cages lately - an interest bordering on obsession. Most cages, including the ones I own, are very boring and utilitarian. They are wonderful at keeping my birds safe and contained, but don't add a thing, visually.

Much, much research on my part has uncovered this sad fact: you almost cannot find a beautiful, safe, vintage looking, unusual bird cage suitable for a real bird. Well, not for under many hundreds of dollars. My sweet man is very, very close to taking it as a personal challenge to design and build one. Here are some inspiration pictures I plan on showing him:


In this picture, I love the idea of the vintage trunk and suitcase stacked, with the bird cage on top.


This, I am not totally fond of, but I could be, with some design tweaking. Looks almost like a small, upside down table, with a bird cage inside. I don't see anything resembling a slide-out tray - a design flaw which would have to be remedied forthwith.


This image is from Martha Stewart, and is my favorite of the most doable bird cages. This is made from old windows! You simply keep a removable metal tray in the bottom. My man could have this put together in a day, if I get him the windows.

::sniff:: Want! Love! Need! This one is my favorite of "can't ever have" bird cages. Veeeeeery expensive. Don't remember where I saw this one - if you know where, be sure to inform me. I will be thrilled to share the link!



This image is from a blog I enjoy so much - "Dreamy Whites". The blogger's name is Maria, and she has taken the design blog world by storm! I want this cage, so bad!

Bird Cage



This image from www.houzz.com - sort of looks like a baker's rack, redesigned and repurposed into what COULD be a bird cage. Thing is...I have something almost just like this, only without the chicken wire. I'm wondering...

Soon, friends, I am going to take you with me to a local design shop I've discovered. Oooooh, this place is A-mazing. The manager brings her two sweet, sleek, graceful dogs to work, and while I was there, I saw the most beautiful, wall-mounted bird cage I have ever, ever, ever seen. Inside this wall-mounted cage, I saw Gloster Crested Canaries. Be still, my heart!

Of course, I struck up a brief conversation, as I pretty much compulsively do everywhere I go.

Bird cage is theirs. Bird cage not for sale. Bird cage not made anymore. Customers have come in her store, seen it, fallen instantly in love as I did, and have offered good money for it, and the birds. No deal.

But I can at least get pictures for you. And I'd love to interview the owner, for blog purposes, along with taking lots of shots of this cool store.

Moral of this post: if you see a beautiful, unusual, vintage looking bird cage, suitable for a real bird, one that could be a design element all by itself, one that is not hundreds of dollars, contact me ASAP!

Linking to the lovely Melissa at The Inspired Room - another blog I love!

inspired room

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