Ducks in a Row
December 6, 2014
I’m not quite ready to start decorating for the holidays but it’s the perfect time to get those ducks in a row. While I generally sort and display my vintage ornaments by color, I always play them against white flowers…preferably white tulips of any variety. The time is now to get them ordered and start setting out the white Amaryllis and Paperwhites if I want them in bloom for Christmas or New Years Eve. I might even add to my collection of ornaments this great box of assorted miniatures from Terrain. The colors are amazing… and, any random combination of 9 creates for you a great vintage modern Christmas palette. Picture it…LA in the sixties… a big ‘ol flocked tree in cotton candy pink or peacock dressed in any of the combinations found in this little box of magic. Maybe use one box as is on the coffee table as an accessory, or even a group of them running down the Christmas dinner table for a mod Christmas interpretation. A lot of simplequietmodern fun for a 20 dollar bill.
Photos of balls by Terrain and available here: http://www.shopterrain.com/holiday-tree-ornaments/miniature-bulb-set Tulip and vintage ornament photos: gp
That was easy.
December 3, 2014
You showed me your “ugly” and, well…boo hoo for you. All of the pics I received looked pretty good. And, trust me, I’ve seen some”ugly”. The random entry I’ll be addressing here is lovely. Even though the homeowner sees this space as a “catch-all” after a cross-country move, it is full of beautiful furnishings, art and comforting neutrals. The one item that seemed out-of-place to me was the rug. While seagrass is a great choice, the size is not … it’s too small. Here’s an opportunity to play off the graphic placement of the framed pieces with a bold anchoring base. Enter Flor. A larger area rug made of tiles in their Modern Mix recycled carpet could just be the thing to breathe new life into this familiar collection. Continuing to keep things neutral with the gray or taupe mix is one safe direction…but choosing a bold sweep of color, like the red , will most definitely ring in the holidays with style. Complimenting the bowl of glass orbs with a single large sphere of spicy carnations will add some unexpected panache. By ordering online you’ll be laying this down in plenty of time for your holiday entertaining. That was easy… so, who’s mixing up the Brandy Stingers?
If the modern check isn’t a fit, perhaps bold hoizontal stripes in an oyster white and espresso brown? All available options can be seen here.http://www.flor.com/splitsearch/index?order=relevance&dir=desc&q=modern+mix&search_submit=Search
Red too traditional for you? This orb of carnation heads would be simple quiet and modern if done in snowy white.
Top two photos: the homeowner, bottom two photos:gp
Santa ?
November 30, 2014
OK , I thought I’d get this in early while everyone else was busy with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Until I find the time to knit ’em up myself, I could love to receive either of these this Christmas. And, it goes without saying…but I’m saying it anyway…I’ve been very good.
It doesn’t get much more simplequietmodern than these charcoal cashmere sweatpants or this sweaterknit blazer, does it?
photos: http://www.jamesperse.com/
47,335,389
November 27, 2014
47,335,389 minutes adds up to ninety years. And, ninety years adds up to one special life. First a daughter and sister…then a wife and mother…and on to grandmother and great-grandmother. Ninety years of loving life, loving children, loving animals…all the while raising a family and working as an RN, early on in the nursery and later in your career in surgery. Add Breast Cancer Survivor to the list and well…what else is there to say? We are all very thankful for you, particularly on this Thanksgiving, which is your 90th birthday. I think 47,335,389 minutes deserves at least 48,000 stitches…each one a different combination of color…coming together in this modern knit to warm you as you plan for your next milestone…100! With more love than you can imagine coming to you today, Happy Birthday Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma. It’s time for some “bubbly”.
photos:gp
To cut…or not to cut.
November 18, 2014
Could this be the year for a living Christmas tree? I know it always sounds like a good idea and your “green” intentions are always good, but somehow in the crush of it all, those good intentions take a back seat to the easiest, last-minute option. Well, take a some time to think about it now and I’ll get ya on the right path…avoiding that 11th hour visit to the tree lot or a pre-lit artificial produced in China. Many local garden centers in your area are offering potted spruce, pines and firs specifically sized for use indoors. After you’ve made your selection you need to ascertain the final planting location and pre-dig the hole before the ground freezes. My nursery suggested no more than 14 days use indoors, with gentle watering every other day, keeping the tree in a temperate location and using only cooler mini lights or LED s for illumination. Planting your tree on New Years day might even start another new tradition. While that row of perfect firs is gorgeous, my choice…Eastern White Pine. That was simple.
You might pay a visit here for additional information.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/2017.html
A gift a day…
November 14, 2014
might just take the edge off the burden of shopping this holiday for those larger, more impressive items. When you see what an impact the gifting of a small item has, you’ll be able to put some newfound perspective on the task. More thoughtful, more meaningful, less stressful, more genuine. It could be as simple a gift as a bit of your time…a piece of chocolate…a cup of coffee. Try it for the next month and watch the rewards, after the initial grateful smile, come back to you multiplied.
Night Shift
November 7, 2014
Still adjusting to “falling back” with the Autumn shift to Daylight Savings Time? It’s hard to believe how dark it is once you arrive home after a full day. And yet, there is still a lot of evening left, and plenty to do before hitting the hay. You’re halfway there if you can tackle some reading, work up some holiday to-do lists or do a little online shopping while propped comfortably in bed. Add the perfect over the shoulder bedside lighting and you are good to go. My pick ?…either of these beautiful mid-century pieces by master of lighting design, Serge Mouille.
Top photo: http://www.sergemouilleusa.com/Serge-Mouille-One-Arm-Double-Swivel-Sconce.php
Bottom photo: http://cabbagerose.tumblr.com/page/9
Show Me Your “Ugly”
November 2, 2014
Less than a month until Thanksgiving and Christmas right on its heels. Still, you have no idea how to handle your ugliest interior design dilemma before the crush of holiday revelers start popping in. Well, help is here. Take a quick snap of an area in your home or garden that could benefit from a new set of eyes and send* it to me. I’ll select one submission at random, come up with a plan and post the simplequietmodern resolution. There’s no time like now…I spotted my first installation of Holiday lights only yesterday.
Keeps the pics to a few… add any detail that might help… and get them to me by midnight November 8, 2014 at gpettyint@comcast.net with SQM in the subject line. Your place looks great but your holiday cooking or entertaining skills have you in a knot? I’ll take that submission as well. Let’s get started.
Artful Departure
October 29, 2014
Halloween. I don’t get the fascination. ” Christmas ” lights in purple and orange, tacky decorations and even tackier costumes all based on the annual preoccupation with death and dying and all things “spooky”. The Dia de los Muertos is something else completely…honoring and celebrating the lives of those who have passed and staring death straight in the face. I’m all for that. It wouldn’t hurt to have an exit strategy in place before it’s your turn to shuffle off and save yourself from being interred in a location of someone elses choosing in a recepticle that is, well, lacking. A little preplanning can insure your artful departure.
A couple of simplequietmodern options to consider to put the final puntuation on a life well lived:
Tom Kundig’s ” Final Turn” blackened steel funerary urn http://lundgrenmonuments.com
Space burial via Conastoga: http://www.celestis.com/conestogaFlight.asp
Now that it’s Fall…
October 5, 2014
what’s inspiring you?
top to bottom:
The scale of this burlap weave gives some indication of how tiny this found nest actually is. What might you discover on a walk around your yard or neighborhood? And, if you have an idea as to what small bird called this home, let me know.
The local farm stands are loaded with the seasons bounty. Skip the crowds at the cider mill and pick up an armload of beets, take ’em home and roast ’em up or turn them into a soup for the week ahead.
A chill in the air calls for wool…maybe a cap…maybe in hand dyed Autumn reds.
Starting to collect and recycle packaging materials now will save you from picking up a few tacky rolls of gift wrap closer to the holidays. I’m thinking this expanded kraft paper is going to be the perfect addition to my classic crisp white tissue. It’s looking pretty modern to me.
This Lingham stone always seems to move to a more visible location in the Fall so that I can better enjoy it’s unique natural colorations. A quick spin and edit of your interior accessories will have everything looking new as you start to spend more time inside.
A Coffee Break rose, left to dry to a new kind of beautiful, will continue to add interest throughout the Fall, into Thanksgiving…possibly even Christmas. Start by enjoying then drying them now and they’ll be ready to put into service again when the time comes.
all photos: gp
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