It’s no wonder…
April 20, 2014
that they were once more valuable than property or gold. What man could even come close to producing anything near the tulip? Some simple…some exquisitely complex, each holds a special delicate beauty that is unrivaled. While white is typically my first choice, after months of gray all Winter long I am opting for a bit of color this Easter. And, lucky me…this bunch of parrots just seemed to evoke the very feeling I was looking for. The eggs? How about let’s leave ’em white?
Just in time…
April 10, 2014
to celebrate. As I was trying to make up my mind on the glaze for my order of a modern cup from Heath, they introduce their new seasonal collection. What perfect timing for not one, but two…in a larger capacity…12 ounces…and the perfect finish…Basalt. The tall modern cup. One for my coffee and the other for a handful of white hyacinths. And, as long as this Spring here has taken a decidedly black and white turn…and I have some simplequietmodern basics covered…some tacky birthday cupcakes with a little neon frosting couldn’t hurt.
tall modern cup photo via http://www.heathceramics.com/catalog/product/view/id/1656/s/tall-modern-cup-pair-basalt/category/3/
Finally.
April 3, 2014
And not minute too soon. The emergence of the first blooms of the season. Witch Hazel…with it’s blossoms like little confetti ribbons unfurled to greet us. Thank you. It was worth the wait.
No Witch Hazel sightings? Then maybe a trip out for an armload of Forsythia, French Pussywillow, Bear Grass and Tulips will hold ya.
Black Fences
March 31, 2014
If “good fences make good neighbors” * what would Robert Frost have written about black fences? Chic neighbors? There is no denying the sophisticated good looks of these black fences or how they elevate the green elements around them to a new level entirely. Picture them running down a property with their long horzontal lines… can you see the forced perspective? Even the simple picket has more appeal when given a modern facelift of a beefier profile and black finish. With an injection of a little drama like this you might even be able to skip using color at all in your garden this year. Just a thought.
photos via http://www.gardenista.com/posts/trend-alert-black-fences
* “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost
Smells Like Fun
March 28, 2014
Commodity Goods… they got it right. From their refreshing collection of fragrances for men and women they offer the perfect sampling options at the best possible price. What a great way to try a little Whiskey or Cloth ( or any of the twenty offerings ) without the lengthy commitment. I worked my way through their men’s “fitting kit” and ended up where I started…with Moss, my simplequietmodern favorite. Cane and Book came in close seconds, but it was the unique freshness of Moss that had me hooked… like the first warm, clear spring day with moss greening in the yard and the last of the ice melting away. I’m waiting for that day to appear. Until it does? I’ll be happy with a spritz of this.
Moss bottle photo via: https://www.commoditygoods.com/
Sometimes, a little order…
March 12, 2014
is all that is needed. Trees in neat rows, simple tight clipped forms, a straightforward place to rest…a small piece of soft turf like a rug anchoring the whole. A simplequietmodern look at a personal oasis contrasted against the naturalized wooded areas beyond this intimate enclosure. And after the winter we’ve had…OK, are still having… who wouldn’t want to come home to this? Mother Nature is clearly giving us the time to prepare for a space like this of our own as it doesn’t look like we will be moving outside to our own yards anytime soon.
first three photos via Gardenista http://www.gardenista.com/posts/landscape-architect-visit-a-london-courtyard-gets-a-grownup-update-del-buono-gazerwitz-landscape-architects
and the allee of locusts and lawn at the Miller House in Columbus, Indiana via http://www.imamuseum.org/visit/miller-house/landscape-architecture
Wise Investment
March 1, 2014
Happiness and good fortune by the bunch. For a couple of bucks you can’t beat an investment like that. Make that a twenty-dollar bill and spread it around to ten others and wait for the return on your investment. I’m guessing you won’t be waiting too long. Daffodils…the birthflower for March. You just can’t beat that shot of yellow, the gentle fragrance only they can provide…their foretelling that Winter is near its end.
Instead of seeing red,
February 9, 2014
I’m starting to see what appears to be a bit of blue peeking out of a darkly clouded sky. Yet more snow again this morning has me focusing on simplequietmodern white inspiration that will take my mind off of the weather for now. And, that little hint of blue, aqua really, might just have me considering a new addition to my completely neutral surroundings. Maybe it’ll help you too.
top to bottom:
This large modern cup in matte aqua glaze from Heath with keep both hands warm as you’re sipping any hot beverage from a simple dark roast to a hot buttered rum. http://www.heathceramics.com/catalog/product/view/id/1005/s/large-modern-cup-5/category/3/#p147
Charles Pollock’s CP1 Lounge Chair marks his first new design release in the U.S. in nearly 50 years. Available in tufted leather or felt on a frame of stainless steel the CP1 captures all of the sex appeal of a classic Jaguar convertible. http://hivemodern.com/pages/product6560/bernhardt-design-charles-pollock-cp1-lounge-chair
If you feel like slowing down a bit, Heath’s vintage modern teapot design of the 1940’s will have you brewing a stylish cup of tea anytime. http://www.heathceramics.com/catalog/product/view/id/969/s/large-teapot/category/3/#p147
Until we’re ready for a shift to Daylight Savings Time there will be plenty of gray days ahead. Arne Jacobsen’s AJ table , wall and floor lamps have been directing light exactly where we’ve needed it since their release in 1957. http://hivemodern.com/pages/product2055/louis-poulsen-arne-jacobsen-table-lamp
Almost as snowy and sparkly as the view outside, this super chunky “Pixie Dust” by Knit Collage Yarns will knit up fast on some giant needles. Maybe a modern textured lap blanket in this wool and mohair blend will keep you cozy till Spring. http://knitcollage.com/collections/yarn/products/pixie-dust#6
A quick tour of the yard with your pruners could provide a branch or two of flowering Quince to force in this bulb vase from Heath. That’ll do nicely until the tulips are up and ready to cut and bring in. http://www.heathceramics.com/catalog/product/view/id/975/s/bulb-vase-8/category/40/#p147
all photos via the privided links
One minute…
January 29, 2014
you feel as if you are living in a black and white photograph. The daylight (or lack of it) looks the same at six A.M. as it does at noon and then again at six P.M. It’s still colder than cold and the snow…well, it’s still coming. Then a day like today greets you with not only its bone chilling temperatures, but skies clear and sun so bright, reflecting off of all that snow, that you have to wonder if you haven’t crossed over. Still, we managed to get through another January, but not without some simplequietmodern help. A few low bowls of forced grass or the freshness and simplicity of a handful of white tulips can bring to mind that there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel we call Winter. Both can be had for just a couple of bucks which is good to know as we head into February.
Round Three
January 5, 2014
Another year over, indeed, completing year two of simplequietmodern. I need to take a minute here to thank all of you who stop by and check things out and those of you that follow. The sheer number of you still amazes me each day, as does the worldwide reach, making it even easier to share what I see, what I do…what I have to say. I have enjoyed every comment, every email, your support, your friendship. As the world gets more complicated and our challenges seem to get more complex I look forward to writing every post, taking every photograph, testing every recipe, and creating every project to help us all enjoy a life that is moresimplemorequietmoremodern. So, moving on to a great year three I think it might be necessary to fortify our spirit with some cake! And yes, some flowers.
Mocha Chocolate Cake with Sour Cream Ganache from the Hungry Mouse…perfect. And, nothing can pull you through a nasty winter snowstorm like a simple vase of cut white hyacinths. ( cake photo: the Hungry Mouse )
http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2010/04/07/mocha-layer-cake-with-sour-cream-ganache/
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