Amy and Anthropologie: The Reclaimed Birdhouse

Hey everyone, it’s Rachael’s friend Amy again with another Anthro inspired project While visiting my parents, Leslie and Ernie, at their home on the Carolina coast, I saw this bird house on the Anthropologie website.

{Anthropologie}

It’s made from reclaimed lumber from a Charleston Row house. It’s super cute, especially with the hardware perch. But, for $160, like most things from Anthro, it is way too rich for my blood. So, I asked my dad, as skilled wood worker with a boss wood shop, if he could help me make something similar. Like always, it was Daddy to the rescue!

Now, just for the record, my dad has mad skills. He is a master cabinet maker, creates truly stunning custom furniture, and even turns wood on a lathe into some of the most incredible things you have ever seen. He normally makes things that look like this:

He also has just about every tool you can imagine. And to top it off, my dad never throws anything away, so I was pretty sure he would have most everything we needed to make a birdhouse on hand. Still, as you will see, he never ceases to amaze. I guess what I am saying is, I was at a distinct advantage doing this project with my Dad, rather than on my own, but it wasn’t that complicated and I am sure you could make one too!

We started by heading over to dad’s lumber pile, where he busted out a board reclaimed from a low country tobacco barn. I think that is just about as awesome and unique as lumber from a Charleston Row house. It’s from the same part of the South and probably just as old or older. Score one for Dad!

We took some measurements from a similarly shaped bird house that mom already had in her yard and Dad used a saw to cut out the pieces of the birdhouse.

Right away is started looking quite house-y!

We Dad used a drill press to cut a hole in the front of the house for the ‘bird door.’ This can also be accomplished with a hand held drill and the right drill bit.

We made the hole 1 ¼ inches to attract bluebirds, sparrows, nuthatches, swallows and wrens. Did you know that certain sized birds like certain sized doors in their houses? Interesting stuff.

Next, it was time to attach the hardware perch. I figured this would involve a trip to the hardware store, and then Dad busted out this:

I tried to tell you how awesome his is, but you had no idea, did you? Totally ridiculous, I know! I selected an adorable, vintage-y, oil rubbed bronze drawer pull from the hardware buffet and we attached it to the front of the bird house, all perch-like.

Then we Dad used a clamp to hold the pieces together and assembled them with a nail gun. I know it sounds like Dad it all of the work, but I swear I helped a little! I shot the nail gun and everything (which was awesome). Again, if you don’t happen to have a boss hydraulic nail weapon on hand, or a Dad on hand that has one, I am sure this could be accomplished with a hammer, the old fashioned way.

Oh, and another helpful tip, attach the bottom of the bird house with screws and not nails. This way, after a bird friend has called it home for a season, you can easily remove the bottom and clean it out to ready it for the next little bird tenants.

If you would like more detailed instructions on how to make your own house (without the assistance of my dad and his awesome work shop) check out this detailed tutorial.

Also, if you happen to be a parent, this is a great project to do with your child (even if he or she happens to be 35 years old).

So are you ready for the big reveal?

TA DA! Anthro eat your heart out. Not only do I have an adorable birdhouse made from reclaimed siding from a historic Low Country tobacco barn, complete with a drawer pull perch, the total cost of this project for me was $0, and getting to spend a fun afternoon playing in the woodshop with my Dad, well that is priceless. Thanks Daddy!