| Several million people in the US alone enjoy having | | | | home is left unpainted, especially those made |
| a birdhouse in the back yard. It is a popular | | | | from cedar, which will weather to a pleasant gray |
| pastime to build your own birdhouse, and some | | | | finish. |
| folks invest hundreds of dollars in very ornate and | | | | The definition of rustic of course varies from one |
| decorative bird houses to attract the local avian | | | | person to another. While the it can mean to be |
| population. | | | | "constructed and made in a plain or simple |
| But for some folks, the idea of housing birds in | | | | fashion," another definition is "having a simplicity |
| these grand ornate structures like a replica of a | | | | and charm that is considered typical of the |
| Middle Ages church or a Victorian mansion seems | | | | countryside." This qualifies almost anything that |
| to be a bit much. While these great houses | | | | recalls the earlier years of our developing nation. |
| certainly make an impression on the human | | | | Or anything associated with a "country style" may |
| visitors to your yard, it probably seems a little out | | | | be labelled rustic as well. |
| of touch for the wildlife in your yard. | | | | Examples of this type of birdhouse include replicas |
| Something a little more rustic seems natural, and | | | | of early Southwestern structures like an old |
| it turns out there are dozens of different types | | | | Spanish Mansion, or a Native American adobe |
| of rustic homes for birds. | | | | home. These are beautiful houses, and often this |
| Simple houses - One of the all time favorite | | | | style includes an outdoor landscape as part of the |
| designs is the basic log cabin design. Recalling the | | | | the house structure. While these are beautiful, |
| homes of the early settlers, these come in | | | | they are not "simple and plain" by any stretch of |
| variety of styles and woods. Fir homes, from one | | | | the imagination. |
| story to multiple stories are common. More | | | | One other favorites is a country hotel or |
| recently, log homes fashioned from bamboo have | | | | restaurant. These again have heavily decorated |
| become popular, as bamboo has gained favor as | | | | exteriors, but have a unique country flavor to |
| a sustainable building material. Often this style of | | | | them. |