Despite the fact that it is currently snowing outside my window as I type this I am fairly confident that someday spring will actually arrive here in Salt Lake. Our home is surrounded by lots of tree's and we are looking forward to putting out some bird feeders and bird homes to be able to watch some feathered friends. While my staunch cheapness will most likely drive me to making my own I do like the look of the Geo Birdhouse. Designed by Kelly Lamb for Areaware it has obvious influences from architect buckminster fuller. Its rounded shape makes an ideal nesting place for wrens, finches, swallows, warblers, and other small birds. The fact that it's ceramic should mean that it will hold up well in the weather. Stores are accepting preorders now.

Available from Unica home for $85.

I was browsing around, looking for modern landscaping inspiration (yes, that's pretty much all I think about these days) and my path led me to the goldmine that isDig Modern. I'd checked their site out before, but admittedly that was quite a while ago, and I had kind of forgotten about it. I am so glad I found it again! For those of you who don't already know about this totally rad site, Dig Modern gathers up all the best rare and vintage books and objects for people like you and me. A lot of these books are geared toward the DIY-er, with furniture plans, step-by-step instructions, detailed illustrations and photographs, and generally inspiring content. Prices vary wildly depending on the rarity and condition of the book.

A few books really caught my eye and inexplicably caused my cursor to hover over the "add to cart" button for seemingly endless periods of time. The tempting tomes included Practical Guide to Home Landscaping (1972), How to Build Decks for Outdoor Living (1963), and especially Home Landscape, The Art of Home Landscaping: Revised and Enlarged (1978). I must get my hands on a copy of these books! Unfortunately, that last one was going for $140 which is a little more than I'd like to spend. I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled. I'm sure there's a copy sitting in a donation box somewhere, just waiting for me to rescue it!

Do you own any of these, or similarly inspiring, books? How did you find them? Online, thrift store, dead relative, etc.? Share your gems and your sources! Please.

Vintage and rare books for the modernist from Dig Modern - $30 to $200.

Those that follow me on Twitter most likely have already heard that I was selected as one of 100 "Agents" for the Ford Fiesta Movement. If you haven't heard about it, let me sum it up. Basically Ford is bringing over 100 2011 Ford Fiesta's and giving them to socially networked people to drive and blog about for 6 months. The car is free, the gas is free, the insurance is free. So I was thinking last night, now that I have a free car, and free gas, what would the ultimate road trip be? With that segue here is the real question.

What are the 10 most architecturally significant modernist buildings in the United States? I will be planning an epic road trip across America later this year to visit them all, so I want to see some lists in the comments.

More about the Fiestamovement

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My "Agent" profile

I love a good makeover, any kind really. But nothing gets me quite like a great home renovation! I ran across this renovation on Hatch: The Design Public Blog. Karen and Andy, founders of Grassroots Modern fave Olli & Lime, share their experiences - here's a snippet!

First, we stripped everything out, removed all the old carpets, shelves, units etc until we had a blank canvas. Then we took off all the doors, widened and heightened each doorway and knocked down a few walls, improving the flow throughout. We re-plastered, painted everything white and laid walnut flooring.

Our taste is minimal and contemporary but with a retro twist, pretty much like our kids designs, so you’ll notice seventies-esque patterned wallpaper in the lounge, offset by a few designer classics. We’ve used a color scheme that’s very much in the Olli & Lime palette, so you’ll see brown, white and orange and even a lime green kitchen!

Renovating has been really satisfying, particularly because we had a shared vision of what we wanted to achieve. Almost a year on, as we continue to add our own touches, we still look around at what we’ve created and smile.

Can you believe those lime green cabinets?? Gorgeous!

Read more here.

Check out all the Olli & Lime goods at Design Public from $22 - $100.

I'm a big fan of people that find ways of using old materials in a new way, especially when those old materials are very affordable. Chris Rucker is one of those guys. He has a thing for oriented strand board (OSB) and has been building all sorts of furniture out of them. The designs are great, but even though the material is highly practical and affordable, I'm not quite sure I'm in to it.

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What do you think, would you own a chair made of OSB?  

Really awesome graphic design/illustration/letterpress from one-man show Mikey Burton. It was really, really hard to pick what to feature, as everything this guy creates is pure genius. I absolutely love the Carol and John's logo as well as the reinterpretations of classic book covers that Burton created for his thesis project. Check out his website for more eye candy and stop by his Big Cartel shop to pick up your own "Live With Art" letterpress print for only $20!

Letterpress prints from Mikey Burton - $20

Wall graphics are nothing new, and I'm afraid that most of the ones I have seen for the past little while are uninspired. That is until the good people from AtomicIndy sent me over this link for Mira Entu Interior. Based out of Spain Mira has a great selection of graphics for everything from kids rooms to commercial spaces. Prices start at around $100 for a large graphic and go up depending on how big you want to make it. If you're hesitant to order from over sea's, or just don't want to throw down that much cash, the site is still worth checking out to get inspired.

Wall graphics from MiraEntuInterior starting at $100.

These flash cards from Etsy seller BellesLettres are such a fantastic idea! Start out with the Beginner deck for the kids - a little game of "know your Corbusier" will make those long drives more fun for everyone! Hone your skills with the Intermediate deck which includes some less obvious pieces, such as the Paul McCobbPlanner Group Desk or the David Trubridge Koura Pendant. Fancy yourself a guru or a true connousieur? Step up to the plate with the upcoming Advanced deck, to be released soon!

Each deck includes a set of 20 flash cards, complete with the photo and name of designer on one side and an iconic piece of furniture of their design and its name on the other. Flash cards are laminated and measure 3.5 inches by 5.25 inches. Cards come on a metal ring that opens so that they may be removed for testing!

Modern Flash Cards from BellesLettres for $25

I saw this awesome poster on The Mid-Century Modernist and had to share! The Mid-Century Modern Collection poster was created by technical illustrator James Provost. Available in a range of sizes (from 6.7"x10" all the way to 40"x60"), this poster would look great in any home or contemporary office. Fancy yourself a mid-century guru? Head over to The Mid-Century Modernist and identify the names and designers of each piece to win a 16"x24" print! Hurry, the first person to answer correctly wins!

Mid-Century Modern Collection poster by James Provost from $12 -$70.

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Not all of us can have a green thumb, but luckily if you are the type that could even kill a cactus there is still hope. The Delta 20 planter by Lechuza is a self watering planter that is designed to keep your plants happy and green, even when you forget about them. Just fill it up and you are good to go for multiple weeks. To take the guess work out of it, the planter even includes a little reservoir that shows you when you need to refill. A winner of the red dot award, the Delta planters are available in several different sizes and colors, can be used indoors and outdoors and to top it all off, it's affordable with pricing starting at $29.

Available from Emmo Home starting at $29.

Check out these eco-friendly, prefab homes from Michelle Kaufmann Designs! I think my favorite of the bunch are the mkSolaire and the Sunset Breezehouse. Along with these great homes, MKD recently published a 176-page book highlighting these sustainable designs. In Prefab Green, Michelle talks about her design process as well as the importance of sustainability. Prefab is definitely looking more and more tempting every day! More about the Sunset Breezehouse: The Sunset® Breezehouse™ home was thoughtfully designed by Michelle Kaufmann Designs and Sunset Magazine for green, healthy living. The key feature of the Sunset Breezehouse is the BreezeSpace at the center, which is situated under a distinctive butterfly-shaped roof. This room, a glass-enclosed breezeway or porch, allows you to “let the green in” to your main living and dining areas, blurring the boundary between interior and exterior. Courtyards, terraces and decks are placed at the front and rear of the home to further integrate nature with living. By borrowing space from the outside, the home feels much larger than it is.

Pick up a copy of Prefab Green from Michelle Kaufmann Designs for $30.

For the room that we are remodeling downstairs I want to do a nice flush vertical grain fir door. Unfortunately that is proving more difficult than I thought. No one in town seems to stock them and everyone wants to custom order them in for me with a lead time of 6 weeks. Since we really want to have them here when we do the door jambs before the drywall that doesn't work for us. I have found one place locally, Stock Builiding Supply, that will custom build them for me with just a week turn around time. I should get the pricing for that today. It seems like it shouldn't be that hard of a thing.

Does anyone know a good place to get a flush fir door?

Artemide makes some of the most classic modern lamps like the iconic Tolomeo. Unfortunately all that rich history and brand recognition comes with a price. If you have been drooling over a Tolomeo, Melampo, or Tizio now may be the time to snatch one up. Y Lighting is having a 40% off sale on selected Artemeide lamps. I don't think I've seen this good of a deal in a long time.

Artemide 40% off sale at Y Lighting

I'll admit that sometimes West Elm is a little hit or miss with me, but their new Outdoor collection is definitely a hit! The Sydney Lounger and Metal Mesh Chair are two favorites that caught my eye. I would love to lounge poolside in either! As for outdoor dining, the Axis and Twist dinnerware sets are very stylish options in durable melamine. Check out the rest of the goods at westelm.com. Does anything catch your eye?

Pictured:
Sydney Single Lounger - $449 on sale for $404 through 04/20/09
Metal Mesh Lounge Chair - $349 on sale for $314 through 4/20/09
Axis Dinnerware - $14 to $18
Twist Dinnerware - $14 to $18

CB2 has a great range of outdoor furniture and accessories at a fairly affordable price. I love the look of the Sunny Arm chair shown above, and it's all steel construction should make it a sturdy enough to withstand the elements.

Their resort outdoor sectional is quite nice looking too, although I don't know that I would ever actually have a place to put a whole sectional outside. I also admit that I kind of like the little white g-nome. Is that so bad?

Check out all the new outdoor good at CB2.

Grassroots Modern reader Crystal recently asked, "How can we make our backyard private while still abiding by HOA standards of no fencing?" I suggested creating a natural wall, or a 'privacy screen', from plants - bamboo or a hedgerow. A hedge can be created from a number of plants, growing up to six feet tall depending on what you plant. They can also be as formal or informal as you like. Here's a helpful link from About.com. Can anyone offer any other suggestions for Crystal? Types of plants, creative solutions, etc. Have any of you had a similar landscaping dilemma? How did you deal with it? As always, links and photos are helpful and appreciated!

Image via

My friend Baz Mcm shared a great link with me on how to restore a eames fiberglass shell chair. I'm a big advocate of restoring old furniture when possible, not only is it often times the most affordable route, but its a good feeling to breathe a fresh breath of air into an old classic. Even though I got a great deal on my set of Emeco's, I still think the best furniture deal I've gotten to date is our set of bentply chairs that set me back around $10 each. I admit that often time the hardest part is just finding a good used chair, although some people are better at it than others.

Once you get the classic piece you want to restore, where can you go for advice/ parts?

I'm getting ready to watch this classic 1949 film based on Ayn Rand this weekend and I'm quite excited. Here is a little clip I found that hopefully gives mea taste of what I'm in for.

Have you seen/read The Fountainhead? What's your favorite part?

Form3 is a well rounded company based out of Petaluma California that creates everything from custom furniture to complete custom interiors. Working primarily with wood and steel they have a stripped down style that is easy to appreciate. Out of necessity (read lack of money) I tend to be a DIY kind of guy, and looking through their furniture designs is inspiring as most of them shouldn't be too complex for someone who knows their way around a wood shop.

Their custom interiors are a completely different story however. They show a high level of skill and have some beautiful wood details. Looking through their projects they have an impressive collection of beautiful interiors where they have done every thing from furniture to cabinetry. Definitely worth looking around if you are in need of some inspiration. More photos after the jump.

Form3.net

Remember those awesome acrylic bird feeders I wrote about before? Well, I just got word from Jenny of Red Yellow and Blue Ink that she has some new designs up for sale! These new feeders are inspired by the bright, cheerful colors of Spring. Jenny has also developed several new designs using re-purposed traffic signal lenses. Very cool! Be sure to check out the mini feeders/catchalls made from the scraps that accumulate during fabrication - a very creative solution, indeed!

Modern Acrylic Bird Feeders from Red Yellow and Blue Ink - $24 - $85.
Partial proceeds go to the National Audubon - www.audubon.org.