Overnight I also asked Rejuvenation industrial designer Tim Wetzel for his thoughts:

This is one we really had a hard time figuring out. I disgree with Bo’s Brutalism tag, but you can be the judge. Brutalism is one of those terms that sends most people (self included) off to Google for a definition. I found this site that seems to explain Brutalism well: http://criticundertheinfluence.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/brutalism-the-word-itself-and-what-we-mean-when-we-say-it/ [Note from Pam, here is my story on Brutalist Furniture: http://retrorenovation.com/2010/10/13/brutalist-design-furniture-from-lane/]

To me Samba is all about decoration for decoration’s sake, which is 180 degrees opposite of the concepts of Brutalism. But what the Samba style is seems really tough to pin down. Maybe there is some vaguely Polynesian reference.  Maybe it was just a crazy fun doodle that we are over-thinking.  We still have the package it came in, but there is no clue on that as to the style – it was labeled simply “Modern”.  One thing for sure- it is striking, unusual and beyond the motifs typically seen on fancy door sets.

It will be interesting to see if your readers have a name for this style, or if they can point to other items with a similar motif.

Continue on for big honkin’ photos of all the finishes — and a lovely room shot.

“At a height of 16in., the Samba comes with the Schlage Orbit locking set and everything you need for a door with a 2-3/8in. or 2-3/4in. backset, plus an optional matching deadbolt.” It comes in three finishes — polished brass, polished chromes, and brushed chrome. Looks like it is $280. If that fazes you, you can occasionally find these vintage, but be sure they fit. See this story for some additonal examples of fabulous door escutcheons found via this blog, now mostly sold.

The first reader who finds me a photo with an authentic vintage one of these wins my everlasting admiration and if I get my act together, one of my vintage Fuller Brush salesman spatulas. Link: Samba doorset from Rejuvenation.

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Put a Bird In It!

How long have you been making these — and what got you going?

I’ve been creating the upcycled birdhouses and bird feeders for almost a year and a half now.  It all started with a vintage copper coal bin.  The handle, the front handle, the slope of what would be a roof all began to come together in my head and I just went with it!

What is your background? Did you already have the welding skills, etc?

My professional background is Graphic Design (for almost 20 years now).  It definitely helps with the creative side of things.  I’ve got lots of tools in general, but my background of stained glass work also helped get things rolling with the soldering of the materials.

Where do you get all your its and bits to use for the items? Is your garage/storage a vintage hoarding nightmare?

My garage is by definition “a hoarding nightmare”!  At least once every couple of weeks, I’ve got to stop and unhappy clean the whole area back up to have a clean

 surface and area to start over with.  I find most of my parts, pieces and general junk through family and friends out and about coming across things, garage and estate sales, and antiques/collectibles stores.

Are the enclosed birdhouses really livable?

The upcycled birdhouses I create are actually livable as long as the new owner keeps them out of direct sunlight (hot summer) and out of cold, exposed winds (winter).  But, honestly, most of my customers look at me like I’m crazy when I ask where they are going to put them outside.  Most are used for decorations and accents around their homes.

These are just so cool — and the last photo is just a small example of Brian’s bird photography. One talented guy! Thank you, Brian!

Links:

• You can buy Brian’s birdhouse creations (there are lamps, too) from his GadgetSponge story on etsy.com.
• Read his blog here.

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These doorbells — including the super fun atomic starburst — all great for a midcentury ranch house or coolonial — come in three designs, each in three finishes. They aren’t very expensive — $22 to $32. If you are a purist, you can still keep an eye out for authentic stock, I see it fairly regularly on ebay. Some readers have reported installing vintage doorbells with no problem, and they worked immediately. I do not have personal experience with this. But I do want to note: I have been told it’s smart to rewire old stuff, even if it’s never been used; consult with a pro. Link: Midcentury style doorbells from Rejuvenation.

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