They’re in season,
May 23, 2025
and the simplest treat ever. Artichokes. Italian vegetable royalty. The pride of Castroville, CA for near 100 years. As a simple Spring lunch or start to a simple supper, preparation could not be easier. Trim the stem and pull off a few of the small tougher leaves at the base. Then, if you’d like, you can trim about an inch from the tip end. Drop them into a large pot of water with a good glug of olive oil. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about an hour. You can check them at about 45 minutes by pulling a petal from the middle of the bud. If it releases easily, good, you can turn off the heat, they are done. If there is still some resistance, continue cooking for and additional 10-15 minutes. While the artichokes are cooking is the time to whip up a little dip, which could be as simple as melted butter. Lately, I’ve been combining equal parts melted butter and mayonnaise with a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of anchovy paste. Enjoy them now while they’re large, meaty and plentiful. In another two weeks it could be too late.
photos: gp
Before there was Cottagecore,
April 30, 2025
Japandi or Maximalist style there was High Tech. It was the 70’s. And architect Joe D’urso was the crown prince of the movement. His loftlike interior projects were a rich elegant statement in minimalism with an industrial edge. Plywood seating platforms wrapped in charcoal industrial carpeting, black rubber Pirelli flooring, stark white walls and the punctuation of a simple black and white photograph were signatures. If an additional piece of furniture was needed a simple piece constructed of commercially used industrial materials was put into play. The D’urso Occasional Table was such a piece. Constructed of steel with a glass top and lower shelf these were equipped with castors to make them easy to use and move around to suit the application. Three sizes, three types of glass and three finishes made them even more flexible for a variety of interior uses as coffee table, side table, occasional table or bedside table. While the red finish had a certain Halston-esque appeal my favorite combination was the stainless base with the wired glass top. I did say it was the seventies and I was loving all things industrial. With Knoll’s recent reissue of this collection you can indulge yourself in that chic 70’s vibe once again. A smart coffee table book, a pot of orchids or a chemistry beaker holding a perfect single tropical is all that you’ll need to add to the mix to recall some of that magic.
photos: knoll
There’s recycled…
April 22, 2025
then there’s RECYCLED! Enter Kartell’s Re-Chair, designed by Antonio Citterio in 2020. Hard to imagine, as you’re sitting on the patio enjoying your morning cup, that your chair was created using recycled Illy coffee capsules. When most people think of recycling they don’t imagine such an elegant and sustainable result. Suitable for use indoors or out, for your residence or office, the Re-chair is stackable six high and is available in black, white, gray and green in packs of two. A little something to consider on this Earth Day.
Photos: Kartell
Blue Skies, Green Grass
April 14, 2025
If Mother Nature is going to hold out, thankfully Heath Ceramics is not. While some of us are still getting snow and ice, Heath Ceramics Summer Seasonal Collection is offering us the Spring and Summer we’ve been longing for. And just in time for Easter. New exclusive glazes like Cyan, Grass, Nimbus and gradients like Tule and Seto will have you feeling like kicking of your shoes and heading outdoors. Explore the entire collection now, it’s only available in these finishes while supplies last. Fair warning.
All Heath Ceramics photos: Heath Ceramics Others: GP
One Day It’s 60
March 31, 2025
And feels like 40. The next it’s 40 yet feels like 25! Isn’t it supposed to be Spring? All I crave on these chilly chilly days is soup. But, I need to switch it up. Inspired by a couple of green peppers in the pantry I thought Stuffed Pepper Soup was in order. Well, a soup version of stuffed peppers simply because I was lazy and hungry now. I knew I could have this in the bowl in under an hour so it was off to the races. This intuitive recipe started with a pound of ground beef nicely browned in your favorite soup pot. Remove from the pot and drain rendered fat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and cook 1/2 of a large onion diced along with 2 ribs of celery chopped and a couple cloves of smashed garlic until translucent. Add the beef back to the pot and salt and pepper the mixture. Cut two green and one half red bell peppers into small chunks and add to the pot along with a 28oz. can of stewed tomatoes that you have broken into smaller bite sized pieces. Top off with approximately six cups of beef stock. Bring the pot to a boil and reduce heat to low and let simmer for approximately thirty minutes. Adjust your seasonings and serve over a nice scoop of cooked white rice. Today I opted out of the rice and added a cup and a half of small cauliflower florets with the rest of the vegetables. You can add some tomato sauce to the soup along with the stewed tomatoes but I preferred a lighter brothy result. OK, now I feel better.
If you have a Chez Panisse bowl from Heath Ceramics to serve it up in, even better. Photo: Heath Ceramics
Top two photos: GP
Just A Little Something
March 17, 2025
WMS & Co. pale ash or ebonized walnut Gathering Pedestals. For a gift or for yourself, to elevate a found object or special bloom, or to simply hold your rings on your night stand or note block on your desk. In 2 finishes and three sizes you’ll find the perfect application even if you set it out only for it’s minimal textural appeal.
Photos: WMS & CO
A New Spin
March 10, 2025
A new spin on an old standard, the swivel chair interpreted by architect Joseph D’Urso. The King of High Tech in the 70’s, he returned to partner with Knoll on a collection of lounge seating in 2008. Maintaining his minimalist aesthetic, these swivel chairs feature a 360 degreed swivel mechanism and an optional height adjusting hydraulic for maximum flexibility. With a dizzying assortment of Knoll textile options and 3 base finishes you’re bound to strike the perfect complimentary note to your interior. While I love these in the playful brights, I’m personally leaning toward a classic black frisee’ upholstery with the polished aluminum base. While swivel lounge chairs are having a moment, this is a great one to consider. All that’s missing is an Old Fashioned.
photos: HiveModern
Look Ma, No Eggs
March 4, 2025
Yes, a simple chocolate cake using no eggs. A Crazy Chocolate Cake to be more accurate. An old recipe from the past when eggs were at a premium, just like today. About the only crazy thing I recognize, other than there are no eggs in this cake, is the fact that I have never had a can of cocoa powder in my kitchen… ever. I have never cooked or baked with it but decided that I needed to give it a try when I saw this recipe. In true simplequietmodern fashion it went together quickly with a bowl and a wooden spoon…no power tools needed. Who’s going to argue with a deep rich chocolate cake made from scratch? The frosting? What do you think? Something white and fluffy like a classic vanilla buttercream or more chocolate like a Sour Cream Ganache? For now I think I’ll go with a little whipped cream and some berries.
photo: The Hungry Mouse
unless noted: photos: gp
Long Ago…
February 26, 2025
and far away. Or at least that’s how it feels. Remembering back to my very first apartment I’ve been trying to recall the specific vibe. Clearly it was simple, quiet and modern executed on literally NO budget. And, of course, as impossibly chic as it could have been for someone just starting out. Something a young Halston could appreciate before all of the RED. Imagine my excitement when I managed a pair of copies of Marcel Breuer Cesca Chairs at a department store warehouse sale for $80.00! My small dining room, came together like magic. I created a table from a Sonotube covered in a remnant of grasscloth painted black and topped with a precut glass top from Pier One. A giant wall treatment/sculpture was fabricated using white styrofoam packing found in a dumpster at work attached to the wall with bank pins. Finally a large round paper lantern was added for more drama and a soft ambient light. Done. The perfect setting for my morning coffee or ending my day with a bowl of $.17 Ramen. Good times.
photos: knoll
I Love A Reissue
February 19, 2025
It makes me wonder why an item was disco’d in the first place. Take this Float Table from Heller. It could not me more simplequietmodern. Originally designed in 2014 by Alan Heller, it is available once again, this time exclusively in white. The two sizes make them applicable in countless ways, their minimalism suitable to any and all design sensibilities. Coffee Table, Bunching Tables, End Tables, Night Tables, Side Table, how would you use yours?
photos: Hive Modern
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