There’s no time like now,
January 27, 2015
to zero in on a new pair of sunglasses. Or, more accurately, eye protection. Could they get any more simplequietmodern that this? Handsome wood frames in ebonized cherry…black polarized lenses offering 100% UV protection…made to order…and, made in the USA. San Francisco based Capital Eyewear has covered all the important bases here with Alex.
Little by Little
January 24, 2015
It all started for me with a meatless Monday… easy enough. As time went on it seemed that the less meat I ate , the less I craved and I had developed an arsenal of meatless recipes that kept me satisfied. Now I’ve added wheatless Wednesday to my schedule…maybe not so easy? Bread and bread products are everywhere as well as numerous pasta variations. Hmmm. Enter chickpea flour and this simple, simple, SIMPLE recipe for Socca, a flatbread or pancake favored in the south of France and Italy, as well as variations in India. After the first test I was hooked. On their own with a sprinkle of coarse salt and pepper, using them as flour tortilla replacements in quesadillas or topping them with a bit of butter and jam with your morning coffee might just hook you as well.
Did I mention that chickpea flour is packed with protein and dietary fiber? With that bonus more experimenting was in order. Up next?….oh yes I did.
Another five easy pieces, and…
January 19, 2015
it’s not your mother’s dining room. With the holidays behind us and life moving back to ” business as usual” it’s clear that the new dining room is put to great use every day, not just Thanksgiving and Christmas. And, more comfortable with an eclectic mix of personality rather than the stuffy suite of mahogany stained boredom. It’s this simple: 1) a dining table, 2) a chair selection, 3) a long bench 4) a buffet height storage cabinet 5) a statement sized piece of art. It’s all in the quiet mix of old and new…polished and raw… that give this room it’s simplequietmodern edge. With enough seating for a group or room for one to spread out that special project, your end result is sure to earn its keep every day of the year.
Top to bottom:
The Joseph Paul D’urso “Supper” table for Donghia Furniture ( discontinued ) is the key player in this dining space, complemented beautifully by the vintage modern sideboard and Hans Wegner Wishbone chairs. The simple plank bench provides additional seating for four. photo:http://blueberrymodern.tumblr.com/
An alternative chair selection could be this ch47 chair, also by Wegner, designed in 1965. Photo:
http://hivemodern.com/pages/product493/carl-hansen-hans-wegner-ch47-chair
It doesn’t get more dramatic than the grand scale of this Lisa Spindler photograph. Photo: gp
When the real thing is hard to find, there are plenty of mid-century inspired quality pieces available, like this Atlantico sideboard. Available in classic modern woods and finishes, it has plenty of space to store dishes, serving pieces and linens as well as home office supplies. Photo: http://hivemodern.com/pages/product1397/de-la-espada-atlantico-006-sideboard
All together now.
January 15, 2015
50 years apart
January 11, 2015
From the colorful velvet by Wolf Bauer, produced by Knoll Textiles in 1966, to the Alexander McQueen inspired sprayed and scrunched velvet in the Knoll Luxe Collection, it’s clear that great design inspiration can come from anywhere. The streets, fashion and art always play a part. The Bauer pattern might remind you of a tissue paper collage you attempted as a child. The McQueen inspired textile was extracted right from the runway…where robotic arms sprayed the garment while on the moving model. Genius on both levels. And, both can make a statement and hold their own whether keeping it neutral or popping up the brights.
An anchoring “palate cleanser” of neutral texture like Knoll Textiles North Island (shown in Wind) http://www.knoll.com/knolltextileproductdetail/North+Island ,complement both the vintage and the new patterns perfectly.
Mc Queen inspired Arezzo ( shown in Squid Ink ): photos: Knoll http://www.knoll.com/knolltextileproductdetail/Arezzo
Wolf Bauer velvet photo: gp
What’s a floppy?
January 8, 2015
It was cutting edge at the time and I splurged to get this, the higher end of the two models introduced…a Sony Mavica digital camera. And, it shot stills and video directly onto floppy disc (stop laughing). I’ve been using it right along and it has carried me through years of design projects and now this site. It might now be a modern dinosaur of technology but I love it. As I look forward to what will need capturing in this new year I can’t help thinking it might be a good time to step it up a bit. Enter the Sony Smartphone Partner. So small, it’s like a picture-taking monocle for your smart phone. What to do. One hand reminds me that if ” it ain’t broke”…while the other says “go for it”. While I try to decide, I wouldn’t say no if Sony offered one up for a test drive and review.
From the top down, Sony Mavica and floppy pic: gp
Sony Smartphone Partner photos: http://store.sony.com/smartphone-partner/cat-27-catid-All-Cyber-shot-Q-Series-Cameras;pgid=miN.qHJHECFSRpjhGcG.2zob0000h1yHsa0Z;sid=ullqe-l0OnZWe73ZiOMLf9l-djpUmCUXhLr6NkGt
It goes without saying…
January 5, 2015
there’s gonna be cake.What celebration would be complete without it? And today, on the occasion of simplequietmodern completing its third year, this Walnut Variation, found on Food 52, seems to be the perfect combination of cake and dacquoise. A toast to you today as well…my readers, followers and friends…who take the time to stop by, get inspired, leave a comment and inspire me. I’m always surprised by what articles or photographs have been the most popular and favored by you each year. In 2014 it looks like you’ve surprised me again with black fences, quinoa kale and pear salad and baby Jaxon. So with a pop of the cork let’s see what year four has in store.
Walnut Variation: A Cake : photo and recipe via Food52 http://food52.com/recipes/28118-the-walnut-variation-a-cake
Black Fences photo: via Gardenista. revisit the post here:https://simplequietmodern.com/?s=black+fences
Quinoa , Kale and Pear Salad photo: gp Revisit the recipe here:https://simplequietmodern.com/?s=pear+and+quinoa+salad
baby Jaxon photo: gp
Black and White…
January 2, 2015
or bright, bright, bright? Whatever palette your simplequietmodern style is anchored in you could easily add a splash of bold winter checks with one of these. Architect and designer Alexander Girard designed these blankets in 1956 as part of a complete style and brand overhaul for Braniff Airlines. Those were the days when modern air travel was not only convenient, but stylish. Reissued by Herman Miller and made by Pendleton in virgin wool and cotton, they’re ready to add that lost panache to your next jaunt…whether a cross-country flight or weekend road trip.
http://hivemodern.com/pages/product8085/alexander-girard-throw-herman-miller
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