Finally
October 15, 2021
I know. Sometimes getting some things done for yourself gets pushed to the back burner while you put out someone else’s fire. That has been the case here with this vintage midcentury table by Brit designer T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings. While I have collected a nice group of pieces from those manufactured by Witticomb by this designer, they all came in pretty much pristine condition (for their age). This table, not so much. While I knew the issue was primarily the drying and flaking of the original varnish, it wasn’t something I wanted to tackle. So, as a treat to myself, I finally took it in for a little facelift. The end result was just what I had hoped for after a light sand, minimal color correction and new finish. If I’m lucky enough to find a mate for this table, trust me, I won’t be waiting nearly as long to put it’s best face forward.
photos: gp
What’s For Lunch?
October 11, 2021
If the cool rainy Fall days are having you craving a bowl of soup, well, you are not alone. I whipped this up on the fly with what I had in the pantry. Perfect, because I was not interested in running out for a single ingredient. A good handful of small Yukon Gold potatoes, an onion, a few cloves of garlic, some chicken stock and a bag of baby arugula and you are good to go.
Start by chopping the onion and sautéing it in in a glug of olive oil until translucent. Add a couple, 3 cloves of garlic peeled…smashed with the side of a knife and cook for a minute. Cube the scrubbed potatoes with the skins on into quarters and add to the pot with an additional glug of olive oil and toss around for 3-4 minutes until some of the starch has leached out and a nice potato fond has developed on the bottom of the pan. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Add approximately 6 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to medium low and cook until the potatoes are cooked. Stir in a bag of pre-washed baby arugula, cover and remove from heat. When the arugula is wilted, blitz it up with an immersion blender to a rough puree. Top it off with a scattering of roasted pepitas. Done. Under 1/2 hour start to finish. If you are lucky enough to own a Heath Ceramic Chez Panisse Soup Bowl for serving…well, even better.
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- photos: gp
Pull Up A Seat
October 8, 2021
I have never been a fan of barstools. At least tall barstools. I’ve always felt more comfortable in a chair. However, more often than not , I slip off to my office to check an email or pay a bill while I’m in the middle of preparing dinner only to come back to the stove to disaster. This could have been easily averted had I chosen to not only use a mobile device, but, if I had a counter height stool on which to perch….one eye on the pot. I’ve got no excuse to finding a counter height stool that meets my design sensibility as there are now countless modern options available…be they new introductions or adjustments to their original midcentury incarnations. Below are five of my simplequietmodern favorites.
from the top:
A midcentury classic. The Saarinen Executive chair realized in a counter height, available in Knoll Textile or leather cover. photo: https://www.knoll.com/product/saarinen-executive-stool-counter-height
The perfect modern take on a three legged stool, this tall stool in ebonized black walnut by Sawkille Furniture photo: https://www.sawkille.com/seating-/drink-stool
This is a jewel indeed. Ethan Allen’s Jewel Counter Stool available in both textile and leather with the base in oil rubbed bronze or brass. photo: https://www.ethanallen.com/en_US/shop-furniture-dining-room-bar-counter-stools/jewel-metal-base-counter-stool/132513.html
Another midcentury classic, the Bertoia counter height stool, this time in a full leather cover. photo: https://www.knoll.com/product/bertoia-leather-covered-barstool
An early 50’s modern take on the classic 3 legged stool, this time from midcentury Danish master Arne Jacobsen, produced by Fritz Hansen. Photo: https://hivemodern.com/pages/product13015/high-dot-stool-arne-jacobsen-fritz-hansen
And, just like that…
October 4, 2021
it’s feeling like Fall. Bright foliage changes to lift our mood set against unpredictable gray skies. Lot’s of inspiration to be had around every corner as we prepare again to move indoors. I recently wove a box of manzanita wood into this sizable assembly that would be as striking in the garden as over this vintage Florence Knoll credenza from 1948. Or, it could be used in place of a large painting or photograph, hung on a wall covered in Grasscloth for additional drama and texture. I’m loving it so much I may just need to spend some time gathering branching for another.
from the top: first 2 photos: gp, Credenza photo: via https://plastolux.tumblr.com/ Grasscloth photo: https://www.yorkwallcoverings.com/collections/grasscloth-wallpaper/products/ywd-b65-multi-grass-wallpape
simplequietmodern 