We had a lot of pets in my family—dogs, cats, hamsters, ferrets, even a cockatoo named Baby. This, by the way, is not Baby. Nor is it a bird we're giving away. At least not today. I do think it's pretty, though—the flashy crest, the snowy plumage—like Baby, only without all the chatter.
Maybe that's why I'm so drawn to figural cockatoos instead of the real thing: There's plenty of beauty, but none of the back talk. Take this pair of vintage porcelain cockatoos I found at Scott's in Atlanta with my friend Deborah Buck. We were down there doing a story together for my old column Weekend Shopper at House Beautiful. They were such strong, statuesque pieces, Italian probably, from the 50s, and not a chip on them. When Deborah and I saw them, we both looked at each other and thought, Lamps!
Photography by Michael Blackwell
I had the cockatoos set on chinoiserie bases to give them the feel of being on a strong pedestal, like a Corinthian column. And I didn't want to ruin them by drilling into the porcelain, so I had a professional wire them through a tube attached to the base. I chose black shades lined in gold leaf to reflect onto the birds, accentuating their definition. Very Hollywood Regency, I thought, perfect for a credenza or gorgeous old bureau.
Photography by Brendan Paul
Now here's the best part: While the cockatoos I found may have been vintage, our friends at The Well Appointed House, a fantastic source for furniture, lighting and accessories, have a few cockatoos of their own, one of which they're giving away!
It's a full 19" tall, perfect for turning into a big, beautiful lamp. Or just display it as is, on a bookshelf or mantle perhaps, even the center of a dining room table. It's a lot of look, let me tell you, and that great decorator object people will notice.
For a chance to win, head over to The Well Appointed House blog, scroll down the right sidebar and click Follow. Then come back, leave me a comment, and you're in! The contest ends at midnight on Thursday the 8th. We'll announce the winner the next day! Good luck, baby!
The well appointed house site is lovely. Lots of beautiful treasures. Have a wonderful fourth.
Great giveaway! Love The Well Appointed House blog — happy to add to my daily reading!
they are lovely!!
I’m a follower! I love everything you do Eddie! Those bird lamps are amazing.
Thanks for the giveaway!
oooh done and done! love this!
Love the way that lamp came out Eddie….
I just signed up for the giveaway…
Thanks for the chance…
Kathy 🙂
Only you could make those birds look wonderful, classy and oh so glamorous! Count me in the give away for that bird!
Last summer, the Southern Living Idea House in Dahlonega had a porcelain cockatoo on the kitchen island and it really made a statement! What a fun giveaway!
I love what you did with the birds. I would have never thought of something like that, loving it! Thanks for such wonderful ideas!! Follower of The Well Appointed House.
love the lamp idea!
I am a follower of there blog! Love the cockatoo and love the idea of turning it into a lamp!
Following, with fingers crossed.
Love this cockatoo!
Eddie, I´m following The Well Appointed House blog and here I am! Sweet the story about Baby, our childhood is always there… I actually would love to have one of those cockatoos (specially as lighting base).
Love , Olympia
That lamp is stunning! So clever the way you did not drill into the porcelain too. Of course, I now NEED to have a ceramic cockatoo so I am off to become a follower of The Well Appointed House!
Great use of those gorgeous birds!
What a clever idea, turning it into a lamp! Absolutely love it—and what a great conversation piece!
LOVE the birds, LOVE the lamps, LOVE everything!!!!
I’m already a follower of The Well Appointed House. Speaking of house, have you seen her new digs? Fancy, fancy. Love the giveaway. Fingers and toes crossed to win.
i love it! it would look great next to my palm
Hello! I’m officially following TWAH blog and leaving a “comment” for my cockatoo entry! Cheers.
Eddie, nobody puts Baby in the corner!
This bird would love to win that!
Flying on over….to enter!
pve
I am a follower now! Great giveaway!! Hope you are having a fabulous week Dear Eddie!!
I’m following The Well Appointed House!
attemptingcreative at hotmail dot com
Eddie –
Love this little cockatoo. Yes, if I won it, I’d definitely make it into a lamp. I think it would go nicely with the 1930’s vibe of my home. I’ve been reading your blog since it’s inception but have never left a comment. Today I thought I might as well and tell you although very late how much I enjoyed your Halloween special on HGTV last year. It was the only good Halloween thing on last year. I hope you have something planned for this year. Come July, I always start thinking about Halloween.
Please check out my blog…
http://www.modvintagelife.com
I am now following, although I am not entirely sure what that means. I am entirely sure I love the cockatoo, though! Thanks for the giveaway!
Love the lamps that you made and that you preserved the figurines in the process!
Following! 🙂
Love this and I love the well appointed house. I have now added you to my google reader — don’t know why you weren’t there before!
The lamps are fabulous!! I now follow Well Appointed House
Okay, please explain this: “I had the cockatoos set on chinoiserie bases…”. WHO did this part??? Shandell’s?
Anyway, the lamp you show looks fabulous, but would love more details.
Many thanks for your inspiring and always cheerful blog.
Love the cute lil’ cockatoo! Pick me!
Oh yes, I’m a follower of The Well Appointed House Blog – and yours too!
Eddie, love the giveaway, but also appreciate all the inspiration I’ve gotten from your blog. Thanks!:-)
Thanks for introducing me to The Well Appointed House.
I love those cockatoos! And your blog!! And the Well Appointed House!!! Growing up, my mom loved birds, and we had several as pets- three cockatiels, a lovebird and two finches over the course of 22 years. I would love to add these two lovelies to my ever-evolving house. This pair would always have a place though…
Already a follower, I would love to turn this into a lamp!
So fab! But please tell me you also picked up those amazing gold embellished glasses on the right of the photo? xoxo, P
Love the bird lamp with the black shade!
Don’t forget to enter to win the $100 Gift Certificate to Blydesign.com!
I’m following the Well Appointed House blog. Happy to have found your site too!
The lamps are wonderful! The black shade really sets it off.
(florida) cracker wanna polly!
well, no, i’m an old brooklyn boy stewing in the gulf coast sun at bradenton, but i’ve been fond of cockatoos for a long time, and i’d love to adopt this one for my (not so) well appointed house. his name is ‘vuvuzela’. love you guys, and especially the gold foil shade you chose to give polly a glow. m
OK I clicked on follow and now here is my comment. I hope I win!!
Is subscribe the same as follow? Oh well, glad to know another blog!
What a perfect match!!! Thanks to the two of you for getting together on this giveaway!
I am now a follower of Melissa’s blog. Your lamp looks sooo good. So glad you shared how they turned out. Hope I win!!! I have THE best spot for a lamp made from the cockatoo.
I went, I saw, I clicked. Now I want to conquer! That means win!
Following…. and LOVING the cockatoo!! Thanks for the giveaway – and for all of the inspiration that you give!
Oh, baby….I WANT the bird! Seriously….the white would pop against my robins’ egg blue bookshelves in my bedroom. Hope he flies home with me!!! xoxo, Elizabeth
Mmm, I’m imagining having an afternoon salsa buffet party with this fellow as the centerpiece. He would be so cute sitting next to a big bowl of mango salsa!
Such a clever post. And lovely finds. Of course!
I used to have an Umbrella Cockatoo in college. He did back talk and he DID bite when he felt neglected. Now I just have a dog with a cockatoo hair cut.
I’m a happy follower of their blog!
what was your reasoning for bad mouthing martha? she made you.
Love the cockatoo and am already a reader of the Well Appointed House blog. Thanks!
Following! What an awesome giveaway!
Gorgeous!!!!!!!!!! Truly stunning!
Wonderful Eddie and Jaithan!! I adore Gabrielle’s site and this beautiful bird!!
I would love it of course!
I hope you will join my designer giveaway from Pillow Mint.
Karena
Art by Karena
Thanks for introducing me to The Well Appointed House. Just started following.
Love the new lamp!
I am in love with those lamps placed on the bold yellow console…perfection!
Love your blog as well as The Well Appointed House. Thank you!
The Well Appointed House is awesome, and I definitely look forward to receiving their feed. This bird is gorgeous. Love it!
i love what you did to the cockatoo… such a cute piece!
Following and hoping to win.
your lamps are amazing! love the idea!
ohh eddie I love this giveaway. I have been looking for a cockatoo for a while now and I have just the place to put it. Thanks!
Just signed on to follow The Well Appointed House. Gotta love those cockatoos and especially the “no squawking.”
Once got a sweet peck from a beautiful cockatoo! These are beauties…despite not being able to peck 🙂
Love the cockatoo and the lamps you’ve had made. Love the Well Appointed House site as well. Thanks for letting us know about them.
i’m a follower of the well-appointed house! that birdie would be a wonderful addition to my all white ceramic collection! inspired by none other than fab you of course!
i love it all, and have enthusiastically checked “yes”! thanks for the fun scoop and opportunity!
Thank you for steering my towards The Well Appointed House. Can’t wait to take a deeper look at the blog.
love this! my first thought was, eew tacky birds, and you made it into a lamp i would admire and buy. i love seeing how the professionals re-envision! i’ll never view thrift store statuary the same.
Oh, thanks for the introduction to this great site. Also, any chance you know/would be willing to share the fabric pattern in your last image. So pretty!
And, I am now following.
Yay…I am a follower! I had no idea that The Well Appointed House had a blog. I am going to add them to my blog roll! xx
Those lamps are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love the cockatoo and a new blog to follow!
Love these and the Well Appointed House site.
Eddie, I love the lamps….so cool!
Cindy
Done and done!
Now I’m off to scour the house for things to turn into lamps. At 10:30 at night. Awesome!
Lovely blog site. I love the retail store. Thank you for the giveaway.
Adore your blog and the Well Appointed House site. Thanks for the chance to win the bird!
The Well Appointed House is a great site with loads of ideas and possibly a bird that won’t bite me!
I’m following, woo hoo!! LOVE the lamps!
Love you, love your designs and LOVE this giveaway!
Just signed onto The Well Appointed House blog — very nice!
I have a cockatoo named Conrad…as in Conrad Birdie…get it?!
Celia Canning
We are excited to be partnering with you on this giveaway and we here at The Well Appointed House love your blog! I love seeing birds in decorating and my last dining room had hand painted Gracie wallpaper filled with beautiful birds. Cockatoos are one of my favorites and I love what you did with the lamp. You have such a creative spirit when it comes to design!
OK, so I realize that after 65 comments on this subject, you probably don’t need an other one; you already know how fab those lamps are, right?!!
Northern Light
OK, here’s what I really admire — I might see the cockatoos and think, “How amazing these would look as lamps!”, but you see them, get them and make it happen in such a way that is beyond the original vision – stunning!
What about that cute 4th of July dog sitting in front of the ice cream soda? Is he coming back this year?
I was a parakeet girl, myself, growing up, but I think these little guys are gorgeous! And I love how you thought outside the box and turned them into lamps ~ really really a creative idea. What fun to find The Well Appointed House, as well! Crossing my fingers…….Thanks for sharing!
xx Suzanne
The lamps you made are just gorgeous! I love cockatoos, and I have some in my collection of California Pottery birds. They are so colorful and beautiful – but those white ones are truly stunning!
This is great fun — love the bird. Good luck to everyone. Thanks Eddie and the Well Appointed House for this giveaway opportunity. Have a great weekend all — Happy 4th of July!
I think those lamps would look fab in my house! Come and check my dining room progress I need your thoughts…Pretty please with a cherry on top!
Cynthia
I love cockatiels both living and decorative ones. Thanks for the giveaway.
Meera
Love them! Happy fourth! xoxo
TWAH seems like a fun blog, and this is a great giveaway!
I am now a follower and so hope I win the bird. However, the blog goodness is prize enough.xoxo
Cool – what a great giveaway! I already follow the Well Appointed House, so please count me in!
– Danielle
other-option AT hotmail DOT com
Great Giveaway! Wish me luck!
Loretta
Love TWAH but now I get to follow you. Thanks for the reminder about Scott’s.
Love the birds and the blog. Hope I win!! H
Love those lamps! Perfect for my Lilliputian cottage on Lake Michigan!
Fingers crossed the Cockatoo will find a new home with me.
well appointed indeed.
pick me
xok
what a fun blog! thanks for the recommendation!
This bird is calling my name and needs to fly home to nest with me!
I love the birdie! *crossing my fingers.*