Decorating with Bird Nests | Shabby Chic Style

At the risk of turning into  a Portlandia cliché, I’m really fond of birds’ nests as a decorative motif. Exhibit A: this ring, purchased at a shop in, ahem, Portland (Maine, not Oregon). The symbolism may be heavy-handed, but nests do make me feel happy and cozy.

Fortunately, the marketplace agrees with me. Any vaguely French Country or Shabby Chic home shop is likely to have a supply of nests in its inventory. The problem is that I can never find a good spot for them now that I live with a 3-year-old who likes to play indoor baseball.

On a recent visit to the wonderful Twin Elm Farm in Peterborough, New Hampshire, inspiration struck. I picked up three cute little nests, all priced under $12 and realized that they would look great on the wall of my bedroom, right above a Turkish birdcage I found at Brimfield.

I simply hot-glued the eggs and feathers in place and mounted the nests on wall hooks. It’s an inexpensive and naturalistic way to dress up the wall, and I love the way these objects work together.