Townhouse Birdhouse

Good morning Lovlies!! I’ve been really enjoying my children this summer. We’ve been working hard and playing hard. The main thing I’ve been working on since spring came early has been my yard. For the first time in years, I actually feel like my yard is part of my home…and I’m loving it!! I’ve still got so much to do, but in the meantime, I’m enjoying it.

One of my goals this summer has been to clear out all the stuff I have in my garage that I finished a
couple years ago (check out the reveal!). I want to be able to park my car in there again this fall. Yep, by the time the kids go back to school. Yeah…lucky for me, Oregon is still on the old school schedule of going back after labor day! 😉

One of the things in my garage that was just taking up space was this glorious bird house that a friend gave me years ago when she noticed I was posting birdhouse after birdhouse on my pinterest boards. I call it my Townhouse Birdhouse.

When I first got it, it was all pine and in perfect condition, ready to paint. I wanted it to be happy and bright. I had seen these cute designs painted on some birdhouses at a local antique store that I wanted to imitate. When the flowers didn’t go well, I painted over them unsuccessfully and stuck it in the garden anyway.

Over time it became weathered and part of the wood broke off of one side of the roof, then it got a crack up the middle on another side. Being able to see this deterioration take place in direct view from my kitchen window was somewhat disturbing, so one day last summer I decided to bring it in and end the misery. I painted it red…which was worse, and left it in the garage all winter long. Finally, one morning this summer I brought it in and set it on the kitchen table.

Since it’s huge, it’s not easy to ignore. I told everyone it wasn’t going to leave the table until I finished it. I knew this would motivate me to get the job done! I asked my always willing 6 year old if she wanted to help me paint it and asked her for suggestions. I needed a fresh perspective.

She mentioned gray black and white and suddenly I started to have vision!

So she and I painted the whole thing cobblestone gray from Country Chic Paint, and used

Rust-O-leum’s chalkboard paint for the roof. After adding some hardware, I thought I would be satisfied, but I wasn’t.

So I picked up this stencil from Michael’s craft store and changed it up around the bird entrances.

Much better, don’t you think?! Amazing what a little character will do!!

I was then ready to mount it and enlisted a few helpers.

One of my son’s friends helped me cement a post so that it would be stable. I don’t plan on bringing this in again. Here is the process:

Step 1.- concrete a pressure treated 2×4 1-1 1/2 feet into the ground and let set for 24 hours.

Step 2.- Add platform cut to shape of the birdhouse base.

This one is particularly heavy because of it’s size.

Step 3.- Add triangle brackets to stabelize the weight of the birdhouse. The triangle pieces are scraps from a recent fence project. (I’m dying to share soon!)

Step 4.- Pre-drill and screw birdhouse into place using fence screws, from the bottom of the platform

There. I love it!

The fun thing about birdhouses, is that you can be so creative and anything goes.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love a no fail project. 😉

We put it in a spot that had no focal point and was a little plain. I wanted it to greet people somehow.

It makes me smile each time I walk past it.

I LOVE the way it turned out!

Be sure to join me tomorrow for another project. In the meantime, you might enjoy this post about how I used a pulley to hang the first birdhouse I ever made!