A unique canvas: Kathy Rondel’s Art Deco bird box design
A shared vision for nature
Here at BrdBx, our journey started with a simple idea: to bring birdsong back to our urban spaces and gardens. We spend a lot of time thinking about architectural lines, ensuring our products are designed to improve habitats for wildlife, but we are always thrilled to see how people welcome our boxes into their own spaces. Recently, we had the pleasure of seeing one of our blank wooden boxes transformed into an incredible painted bird box by the talented Jersey artist, Kathy Rondel. Click here to see Kathy's Facebook page.
Kathy usually works with watercolours and oils from her beautiful studio overlooking Mont Orgueil Castle, but when she was gifted a Flit Box by our MD, William, she decided to lend her creative eye to a very different kind of canvas.
Materials at the ready for our recycled-wood bird box ready for a new lease of life
The perfect sustainable canvas
Our products are handmade using recycled, water-repellent WISA plywood. We partner with a variety of sustainable manufacturers and social enterprises whose teams are made up of talented people who have overcome difficult life challenges. Knowing that the box was crafted with purpose made it a great foundation for Kathy to experiment with bird box design.
She told us that she had plenty of outrageous ideas at first, including a "rose-covered cottage" and a "wild garden" approach, before settling on a striking Art Deco theme. Because our boxes have several different planes to work with, Kathy noted that it was an interesting challenge; she knew that an overly tiny or intricate design might simply get lost on the smaller surface area.
Crucially, she was mindful of the box's ultimate purpose. She base-coated the box using Fusion mineral paint - checking that it was water-based and would sit perfectly beneath her acrylics - to ensure that the nesting birds and their new generation would be completely safe.
Close up of the Fusion mineral paint and Kathy's sketchpad
Overcoming camouflage challenges
When creating eco-friendly garden features, blending in is often a priority. Kathy initially tried to match the main colour to the ivy in her garden to provide camouflage against marauding corvids that might target the young. However, the transparent paint she initially chose proved to be hideously streaky, requiring what she laughingly described as "50 coats" before it looked right.
Once the base was set, Kathy used her remarkably steady hand to outline bold Art Deco geometric shapes in a beautiful yellowy-gold. When she reached the front door of the box, she got incredibly inventive. She settled on a stylised Art Deco bird, carefully painting it so the bird's eye sits neatly right over the top of the entrance hole. She hopes Mrs Bird isn't put off by the odd-looking member of her species already residing there!
Preparing for new arrivals
Currently, this stunning piece is sitting in Kathy's studio. She plans to display it on her stand at an upcoming event this July, before officially putting it up in her wildlife habitats garden next spring. Watch this space for a visual update on the stand.
We shared some advice with Kathy ahead of her installation. To ensure sustainable bird boxes UK-wide are safe and comfortable for their feathered occupants, it is best not to position them just anywhere. We recommend installing our boxes about 2 to 5 metres above the ground, ideally facing north or northeast. This keeps the nesting birds safely out of the full, direct sun and away from the main prevailing wind.
Seeing our BrdBx reimagined through Kathy’s eyes is a wonderful reminder that when you choose to support garden wildlife, you aren't just inviting nature closer - you are creating space for art, community and second chances. We cannot wait to see which busy little feathered divas decide to move into Kathy's Art Deco des res next spring.
If you would like to paint your own Brdbx and would like a naked box to creatively express yourself, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Click here to view our BrdBx products.
