All you need is love
February 8, 2015
Valentines Day on the 14th will have you seeing red all week. Not such a bad thing considering most of the country is up to their eyeballs in white.
A few of my simplequietmodern favorites that just happen to work their magic beautifully in red.
top to bottom:
A pair of Heath budvases in red suede and ruby. photo:http://www.heathceramics.com/
Classic: Florence Knoll 1954 three seat sofa…still the best. photo:Hive http://hivemodern.com/pages/product1164/knoll-florence-knoll-sofa
Always simple quiet and modern…the Elsa Peretti redlacquer “donut” bangle for Tiffany & Co. photo: http://www.tiffany.com
Luxurious handspun wool, “Cast Away” in Strawberry Sparkle from Knit Collage Yarn. Thick and thin saturated color with a thread of metallic for a mid-60’s vibe. A blanket for the arm of that FK sofa perhaps? photo: http://www.nobleknits.com/knit-collage-cast-away-yarn/
Making a statement since its introduction in 1961, Cato from Knoll Textiles. Wool and rayon never looked sexier than it does here in Fire Red. photo:http://www.knoll.com/knolltextileproductdetail/Cato
“Firecracker” jatropha curcas. What can I say? Not your garden variety Valentine offering. photo:gp
One, two, four or more…the Executive Side Chair with metal legs designed by Eero Saarinen in 1957. Produced by Knoll in the USA. photo: http://hivemodern.com/pages/product1265/knoll-eero-saarinen-executive-side-chair-metal/
Phil or no Phil…
February 1, 2015
shadow or no shadow…the official first day of Spring is still the 20th of March. Mother Nature has her own schedule and if past Winters have taught us anything, there is no point in forcing the issue. You can, however use the next six weeks to get a jump on any new design plan , changes or additions you’ve been contemplating for your yard and garden. To soften Winters grip right now, arm yourself with a pair of pruners, head out and gather up an armful of Forsythia or Quince branches to force into bloom indoors.
photos:gp
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
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