If you’re lucky,
October 18, 2012
while out for a country ” color tour” this month you might just happen upon some of these. What appears at first glance to be the remnants of a tennis ball “spill” along the roadside turns out to be one of my Fall fovorites…the Osage Orange. I look forward each year to collecting them for use as a seasonal decoration, filling bowls or vases with their bright chartreuse color and appealing texture. In a temperate interior they can easily last for 2-3 months providing not only a great burst of color but naturally repelling spiders in the process.
It’s not too early
October 15, 2012
to get those holiday plans committed to paper. Lists for invitations, cards to be sent, ingredients to be purchased or projects around the house to complete…it’s all easier to accomplish once you have committed it to paper. That makes it real, do-able…and you have a punch list to strike off as each task is complete. By the time December 1st comes you’ll be so far ahead of the game you can easily roll with the punches of a changed plan, or relax with a smart cocktail as you await the magic. 
Thinking outside the box…
October 12, 2012
can really only be achieved effectively when one is completely proficient at thinking inside the box.
Commitment issues?
October 9, 2012
No need…even if the seasonal forecast is eye-popping. When planning a living space keep it simple by choosing pieces you love and working the “givens” in such a way as to amplify their appeal. This floor for instance…classic walnut herringbone. Old, worn, patinaed…a perfect backdrop for the classic Eames shell chairs around a simple planked table lit with another mid-century classic, the PH4/3 designed in 1966 by Poul Henningsen. Important here is the selection of finishes…pale, clean, neutral…whites and mixed tonal woods…just waiting to be punctuated with a selection from the Pantone Fashion colors for Fall 2012. Add any one shade for a time…in the form of accessory. A bowl of gold ornaments and large brown pinecones, some lavender glassware…maybe a hot pink runner or napkins…all can add the fashion spark temporarily and cost-effectively…freeing you from any expensive long-term color commitment. When I see this pink it brings to mind the words of fashion icon Diana Vreelend. ” I love this pink. It’s the navy blue of India.” Which of these ten colors will you be adding…and how?
http://hivemodern.com/pages/product3603/herman-miller-eames-dsw
http://www.youaretheriver.com/
Back to basics
October 3, 2012
From the earliest beatniks to Andy Warhol and James Bond….nothing worked a guy’s wardrobe like a basic black turtleneck. As things cool down we start thinking about layering pieces that can keep us comfortable from a simple crisp chill in the air to full throttle COLD. Layered under a suit, paired with a pair of dress slacks or topping off your most favored pair of jeans this stylish workhorse is always a great choice…chic, modern and even with jeans, never under dressed. While the luxury of a cashmere turtleneck is hard to beat, I find it too hot to wear indoors most days. My choice is always fine gauge Merino wool. It’s refined polished appearance and weight will keep you looking simplequietmodern until the warmest days next spring. Keep your pairings tonal…in black, dark charcoal and darkest navy, and you can’t miss being the best turned-out guy in the room.
It’s not orange,
September 30, 2012
but it still says Fall to me. For years I have opted for a Hubbard squash as a fall season decorative object. They are large in scale so you can easily get by with one and make a statement, and, they are interesting…really… the color, the texture, the matte finish… they present themselves more like an elegant clay sculpture than vegetation. You can’t go wrong with them grouped with your planted containers at the front door or set in the middle of your dining room table with the addition of some fruit, like these chartreuse Gingergold apples. A beautiful way to usher in Autumn…the fact that it will also end up as dinner, well, that’s just added value.
And,there was light…
September 27, 2012
and another light and another..and yes…another. While I can appreciate the trend of multiple pendants over a kitchen work surface I have to wonder how these trends continue. Sure, the repetition can be pleasing to the eye,but fixtures that are hung this low over your prep area are only workable if your kitchen posts a warning, ” Must be under 5 feet tall to work at this counter”. I love most everything about this kitchen; the simplicity, the material and finish selections, the 1955 Arne Jacobsen stools in warm tan belting leather and the restraint in accessories. At 6’4″ I would, however, have to make a change and replace the assembled drops with something like my simplequietmodern staple; the white porcelain socket. Add the bulb of your choice and you will have provided adequate illumination of quiet style without the obvious obstruction. What a great space to pull up a stool, pour yourself a cup and check some e-mail…or….do I smell pie?
http://charmingtrinity.com/2012/08/page/2/
http://hivemodern.com/pages/product1634/fritz-hansen-series-7-stool
Halfway Home
September 24, 2012
Ninety thousand stitches in…ninety thousand more to go. As my friend C reminded me, this project is a marathon, not a sprint. No fatigue, no cramping…no wall in site. 
Summer, looking back
September 21, 2012
OK, now it’s official…the solstice is upon us and we are moving into Fall. I tried to stretch this summer out as long as I could , so that I could enjoy more simple pleasures and not forget some special simple moments. As I look back I am grateful for each juicy bite, each bright ray, each conversation, each quiet walk, each project…each gentle nudge and nuzzle. I will welcome Fall differently now…more simply, more quietly. Let’s see what it brings.
It’s simple. It’s soup.
September 18, 2012
Like my “Five Easy Pieces” formula for designing a room…these five simple ingredients will keep you warm and satisfied at mealtime during the cooler months ahead. I wanted to incorpoate my favorite superfood, Arugula, into a simple hot dish that could be made on the quick…like soup. After scouting several recipes, editing,tweaking and adjusting.., my Potato White Bean and Arugula soup is the result. In less than an hour you can turn this out and feed a group with minimal effort using 5 items you most likely have on hand; chicken stock, white beans, potatoes, garlic and arugula. Ok, you might need to run out for the greens, but they go in last, so you have the opportunity to pick up a great loaf of bread and some figs for dessert to round out your meal while the soup is simmering. After a bowl of this you’ll be wondering why you don’t make soup more often.
This soup could only be better served up in this simplequietmodern soup plate from the Chez Pannise collection produced by Heath Ceramics….don’t you think?
http://www.heathceramics.com/cook-dine.html?heath_collection=226
simplequietmodern 