Seattle Culture

Vintage Glass Gardens’ Reimagined Silver Service is for the Birds

One-of-a-kind birdhouses serve a repurpose.

By Nia Martin July 27, 2017

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This article originally appeared in the July 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.

[addtoany]

Not everyone can look at a vintage silver teapot and see the potential for something new. But Lake Forest Park–based Suzanne Quirk can—and did. The owner of Vintage Glass Gardens (pieces available at garden shows or by appointment) has put pieces from silver services and birdhouses together like peanut butter and jelly. Her one-of-a-kind birdhouses range from small to large ($75–$125), from sugar bowls to coffee urns, with teapots in the middle. Meant for smaller birds, such as chickadees and wrens, the birdhouses are designed by Quirk’s mother, Neoma Hoefle, and built and assembled by Quirk’s father, Dave. All the houses are cleaned, given drainage holes and sealed spouts so rain cannot enter—keeping our feathered friends comfortable and dry year-round.

 

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