Bird Themed Furnishings Trending at Sturbridge Yankee Workshop

PORTLAND, Maine - Feb. 7, 2014 - PRLog -- Sturbridge Yankee Workshop has featured avian accents as far back as their founding in 1953. Roosters, eagles, owls and songbirds have roosted on pillows and prints while bird-shaped home furnishings have continued to make their mark in home decorating trends to this day. Not ones to discount history, Sturbridge Yankee Workshop follows suit as they feature feathered creatures on a variety of items available now on their website and in their popular catalog.

Bird motifs on pottery, tapestries and paper have been found dating back to the 17th century. Ornate designs emphasizing fantastical imagery focusing on life as it was perceived, with exaggerated whimsical features, soft colors and bucolic scenes. Flowers, vines and swirling shapes were popularized on wallpaper and tapestries used at this time. Sturbridge Yankee Workshop’s Rhapsody Lace Curtains feature a form of this whimsical imagery, with blooming flowers and delicate lace creating a soft, inviting appeal. Decorative and functional, as are many of Sturbridge’s items, Tree Trivet (http://www.sturbridgeyankee.com/tree-trivet.html?utm_sour...) enhances quaint appeal with symmetrical shapes and elegant scrolls culminating in a sweet bird perched on top. Soft colors on Bird Scroll Table Lamp evoke those same pastoral sensations.

By the time the Victorian age arrived, bird cages or aviaries - larger cages allowing for free-flight - were becoming common household items for wealthier folks. Viewed as exotic, rare and difficult to obtain, owning a birdcage, more importantly one with birds on display, was a way to enhance the status of a home. If live birds are not an option, Sturbridge Yankee Workshop’s Birdcage Magnet Chalkboard (http://www.sturbridgeyankee.com/birdcage-magnet-chalkboar...) evokes sensations of times gone by with its fleur-de-lis top and scrolled metal accents. Bird Cages and Flowers Wall Border will enhance any space with fanciful charm, adding color and interest to a blank wall space.

In the 1970's owls became increasingly popular, along with bold colors and macramé. Today owls are just as trendy, offering folk art, woodland and natural appeal for home decorators. Maine artist Tracy Lizotte features two sweet owls spending some quality time together on a lichen covered tree in Owl Smooch Print (http://www.sturbridgeyankee.com/owl-smooch-print.html?utm...). Nowadays birds can be seen accenting many items around the home, from items like Birds on Phone Pillow to lamps and more. These days the focus is more on realistic imagery, use of popular textiles such as burlap and woven cotton with screen printed imagery and trendy colors that work well with various styles.