What will be the next “put a bird on it!” decor trend?

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Three Little Birds - Vintage Burwood PlaquesIf you’ve heard of the IFC tv show “Portlandia” (the not always funny but pitch-perfect skewering of West Coast hipsterism), then you’ve likely seen “Put a bird on it.”

This skit impeccably captures the ubiquitous indie-design trend of, well, putting a bird on everything. EVERYTHING. Baby clothes. Ash trays. Pillows. Wedding invitations. EVERYTHING gets a bird.

We’ve seen trends like this before. In the ’90s, anyone remember the celestial trend? Or the sunflowers trend? In the ’80 we had a lot of unicorns. Going back farther, who remembers the owls and mushrooms of the ’70s?

Of course, once the trend has been identified, that means creatives everywhere are already trying to put their finger/fingerprint on the next visual meme.

I have my prediction of what it will be/already is — do you have yours?

I predict tentacles, but Cat says that’s already come and gone. She says crystals and minerals.

So, what’s YOUR prediction? What will be the “putting a bird on it” of 2012?

Comments on What will be the next “put a bird on it!” decor trend?

  1. I actually think the Portlandia ‘Put A Bird On It’ sketch extended the life of the bird trend and made birds cool again.

    I wasn’t a fan of birds until I became a Portlandia fanatic, now I like and want bird items because they remind me of my new favorite show. By mocking birds ,they made birds cool. Now birds mean Portlandia to me.

      • There is something so oddly appealing about them…

        I live and work in a pretty interesting indie/bohemian/etc neighbourhood in Ottawa ON. At the health food store where I work, I have noticed some people with things like fish bone shaped earrings, a wallet, an awesome long flowy skirt with fish bones decorating the bottom… And for some reason they totally caught my fancy! lol

        I suspect my mad kitty love has something to do with my taste for this emerging trend :p I remember playing with little toy cats as a child and fish bones as accessories for them to nom.

  2. Vote 1 CICADAS!!!!
    Their lives ephemeral, like any trend. And their forms varied and strangely fascinating.
    I could also go for fish bones, even tho’ that was a “thing” here ( Melbourne, Australia) in the ’90’s.

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