Red Rustic Birdhouse

Birdhouses are among my favorite things. Little wonder when a red rustic birdhouse belonging to my sister-in-law captured my attention one fall while visiting her and my brother.. Out came the camera and the little birdhouse became the star of a photo style shoot at their farmhouse in Alabama. 

The farm was a great source for props to use with the rustic birdhouse. Dried grasses, brilliant red maple leaves, and a large piece of vintage rusty metal added to the rustic style of the birdhouse. 

Red Rustic Birdhouse

Made from scraps, the roof is old pieces of decorative trim with a routed design painted white. A red wire ring attached to the peak of the roof allows the birdhouse to hang from a tree branch. The walls are simple rough-sawn lumber painted red. 

A small nail also painted red serves as a perch beneath the entry into the functional birdhouse. A random round gold metal piece dresses up the front. 

Another farm prop, home canned red peppers, are the color of the birdhouse. 

A hole at the top back allows the birdhouse to hang on the side of a tool shed or a porch wall. So, the birdhouse is very versatile. 

• sit on a ledge 
• hang from a tree
• hang on a flat wall

A hinged door on the back makes it easy to clean out old nests after the baby bids leave the nest. Re-used rustic brass hinges and thumb latch add style to a seldom seen side of the little red house. 

More perfect color of red potential styling props are maple leaves that turned red and are dried. These are not leaves from a Japanese red maple tree, but are from green leaved maple trees that turn red in the fall.  

My sister-in-law found  the large rusty metal sheet in one of her dad's sheds on the farm adjoining hers and my brother's farm. It's a great backdrop for photo styling, but I wasn't able to convince my sister-in-law I needed it more than she does.