How I tamed a flamingo
What does the pink flamingo ornament say about us as homemakers?
Storytime:
The eyesore
A couple of years ago my brother moved into a new home. He loved every part of it, except his neighbours. The reason for disliking his neighbours? Well – they had a piece of sidewalk right next to my brother’s front gate, where they insisted on keeping their collection of faded red, cracked and rusted cement and steel lawn flamingos.
The heist
There were 7 of them in total and the one looked worse than the other. Every day my brother and his family had to drive past these monstrosities, which leered wonkily at you as you waited for the electric gate to open.
In a sequence of events that include an evening of revelry, a hint of hijinks, a visit from a Russian Cousin and a good dose of sisterly mischievousness, one of these flamingos might have flown over the fence and all the way up to the master bedroom bathtub. Proud of my prank, I left thinking that was it – Little did I know…
The aftermath
Over the years this cement bird turned out to be really good at flying. She has pitched up in the back seats of cars, attended family weddings. The Flamingo made appearances at birthdays, christenings and supermarket openings. It basically became our tongue-in-cheek family mascot She even flew all the way to my little mining town in Mpumalanga to attend my birthday in Feb 2020. Shortly after this, covid struck and she was grounded. Years of wild travels and rough living was showing, and she was more cracked and faded than ever.
The new look
I decided to revamp her, with a fresh coat of marshmallow pink paint, accents of fuchsia and decadent golden legs. The plan was never to display her in my home. She should have gone back to her flock, or at least my brother’s bathtub…but somehow, once she was all dollied up, I couldn’t let her go. That is how I ended up with a pink and gold cement lawn flamingo in my living room. And I’m loving it.
The short history the lawn flamingo
Created in 1957 by the sculptor Don Featherstone, the first pink lawn flamingo was made in Massachusetts for Union Products, a plastic manufacturer. From there the flamingo has ridden the rollercoaster of changing décor styles. Loved in the 1950’s, disdained towards the end of the 1960’s, finding a new following in the 1980’s and early 1990’s and becoming an ironic icon of the Kitch revolution in the 2000’s. From then the pink flamingo has been an ever present, light hearted feature in many a fabric design and bric-a-brac genre. You can find these vibrant birds everywhere. Floaties, fluffy pillows, sequin embossed t-shirts and jackets, conversation pieces and even Christmas ornaments. Cocktail stirrers, journal covers, custom material prints for soft furnishings…Even the arrivals hall at Tampa International Airport sports a massive pink flamingo installation.
The advent of the Jungalow aesthetic.
It can be argued that the pink flamingo was a key factor in the advent of the 2010’s Jungalow aesthetic. Because of its history, the flamingo finds favour as a way to decorate a space with life and vibrancy, without being as overbearing as a dark floral print, as overtly bohemian as peacock and paisley, or as preppy as candy stripes. The flamingo is the go-to choice of the homemaker who loves a good laugh but appreciates a great design. There is no denying that the basic lines of a flamingo, with its slim legs, slender neck and pleasingly plump body is appealing to the eye. Add to this its single colour plumage, and its easy to see why the flamingo design has stood the test of time. Whether its pink, butter yellow, teal or even black, the flamingo chameleons well.
Meet the rest of the flock.
The flamingo is by no means the only bird that has been gracing our homes.
The exotic beauty and colourful plumage of birds of paradise have always intrigued us, and we are happy to say that this joyful trend is going strong. We are calling it: the Bright Bird Vibe and these are some of our favourite homemaking inspirations.
Nifty Posters: Flamingo and parrot print posters from A5 to A1 size
Global fabrics: Velvet printed fabrics for soft furnishings
Melua Interiors: Golden Heron statue
Lego Creator: Parrot Lego build
Build a habitat
What we love about the Bright Bird Vibe is that it will instantly elevate your indoor plants as well. Suddenly your mismatched pots and spindly houseplants become a quirky indoor jungle. Peace lilies, bamboo palms, ferns and orchids are beautiful additions to a room styled with bird accents.
Where the two worlds meet
Did you know: The strelitzia reginae, that striking flowering plant with the large green leaves that features on the back of the 50c Coin, is also called the parrot flower or the “Bird of Paradise” plant.
This plant is indigenous to South Africa and thrives in the eastern parts of the country, but can, however be happily cultivated in any sunny spot with well-draining soil. It is a fast-growing plant that does well outdoors, but can just as easily be a beautiful feature plant indoors. Its striking blue and orange flowers will compliment a home with a vibrant aesthetic and can be styled alongside minimalist, mid-century modern, bohemian and Jungalow interior designs. It is easy to care for and a happy strelitzia will give you years of joy.
What about a real bird of paradise?
In our opinion, there is no cage big enough to keep a bird happy. Like William Blake so aptly put it:
A robin redbreast in a cage
Puts all Heaven in a rage.
A dove house fill’d with doves and pigeons
Shudders Hell thro’ all its regions.
