A while ago I was perusing Design Sponge and ran across this modern birdhouse which I liked very much.  I was reading the comments on the post and was struck by one mentioning the material used for the birdhouse- polystyrene.  He (or she) said-- "um, yeah it's cute - but are birds really going to live in a polystyrene house?"-- among many other things.  I really encourage you to go and read the other comments, they were very enlightening.

I love well designed products as much as the next guy, but I have come to realize that sometimes it just represents excess.  So, this is my twist on a more natural modern birdhouse.  We often see gourd birdhouses, but they are usually left unpainted, or are painted decoratively.  How about just a simple coat of non-toxic paint?  Add in a little twig perch.  This is the time of year to pick up gourds at your farmer's market to preserve, or better yet, buy one predried, cleaned and drilled right here.

I like their simple graphic quality, and would love to see many of them dotting a wooded area.  We have a woods across from our house that has a few nature trails in it, and I considered painting a bunch of them and hanging them over there.  My only hesitation is that someone would steal them. 

They would also make nice holiday gifts for those "hard to craft for" men in our lives.  What kinds of gifts are you making this year?