They say a watched pot…
July 16, 2014
never boils. The same can be applied to getting your orchid plants to bloom . There is plenty of information out there…if you can Google, you can drown in it. Or, you can do what I do and extract the few simple points that are pertinent and don’t over complicate things. Some good indirect light, a light watering using the ice-cube technique once a week, some cooler nighttime temperatures, a bit of air movement and patience…that’s it. And when you least expect it…the best surprise ever. I’m serious. It doesn’t get any more simplequietmodern than that.
Look Up
July 13, 2014
So, you’re lazing around at the shore and someone brings up a project that you have been meaning to tackle for some time now. It could be your Master Bedroom…it could be your uninviting Entry…it doesn’t matter. You need to start somewhere and you need to start taking action now because the winter holidays will be here before you know it. Look up… the sky might provide some needed inspiration. Dark clouds rolling in over the water with bits of clear blue peaking through or, maybe a glance down to the piece of driftwood underfoot will trigger something. Enter oomph…specifically their Easton Chest. A traditional three drawer chest pared down to its simplequietmodern essence in one of the new wood finishes like Storm or Slate. You’re almost done. The tassel pulls shown in sky blue add a fresh note, but I might reel it back to the gray, keeping it tonal. So there you have it…project started.
Easton chest photo (shown in Storm) via: http://www.oomphonline.com/easton-chest-large.html
Quality, clean simplicity, function…and, made in the USA. Does it get better than that?
Dog Days
July 10, 2014
The dog days are upon us and there is nothing like this kind of simplequietmodern reward after a productive day working in the yard…or, maybe just rinsing off a full day of Summer fun. Can it be that a bit of sun, a gentle breeze, some water and a bar of soap can be transformative? I think it can.
shower photo via:http://remash.tumblr.com/
Add in a bar of Neutrogena Original Formula Transparent and Trader Joe’s Ginger Almond Oatmeal Exfoliant and you’re covered head-to-toe.
Blurring the Lines
July 6, 2014
With Summer here our natural inclination is to spend as much time as we can outdoors, bringing the indoors out with us for the duration of the season. In a slight reversal I like to blur the lines a little and bring some of what’s going on outside… in. Plucked straight from the pond, I float a few clusters of Water Hyacinths in large glass cylinder vases filled to the brim. Their other-worldly shapes and delicate roots show themselves off more as organic sculpture than water garden staple when presented in this simplequietmodern manner. If you’re lucky, with the right amount of light, they might even grace you with a bloom or two.
“…that among these are
July 4, 2014
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” *
*the Declaration of Independence 1776
Some sun,
June 28, 2014
a little water, a great view. What else could you want from a holiday weekend get-a-way? Key…check. Duffle…check. Provisions…check. Jaxon…check. All set to roll. Where are you spending the 4th?
cabin photos via:http://remash.tumblr.com/
Gray Gardens
June 25, 2014
It’s a simplequietmodern fact that I am not a fan of annual flowering plants or the annual trek to garden centers large and small to search them out. Even when designed and installed by ” professionals “, most annual flowering plant combinations are the visual equivalent of nails on a blackboard. The selection tedious, the colors jarring and most combinations ill-conceived. I’m serious. Do you really expect me to subscribe to the idea that the orchidy blue-pink shade actually works with the mercurochrome orangey-red of the same Impatiens? Then add to the mix some red Geraniums and a shot of any of the many gaudy varieties of Marigold …then perhaps a little sprinkle of something in a lavender blue, like Ageratum. Congratulations. You have successfully convinced me that most people turn to Coney Island for their color inspiration. My suggestion…reel it in. Make a clean modern statement with a simply shaped pot filled with a single plant variety. If given a few minutes of thought and planning , you may not see a single bloom among them. A variety of perennial grasses can provide easy care texture and movement as well as continued interest come Fall and Winter…colorful groundcovers like Lysimachia can add a spot of texture and bright color. If blooms are a must, a judicious selection planted en masse will make a strong yet simple statement if you choose one…just one. As for containers, any of the following would be the perfect place to start.
top to bottom:
The simple modern shape of this Ibarra planter from Crate & Barrel is available in two sizes and one great concrete-like finish. http://www.crateandbarrel.com/ibarra-ficonstone-13-planter/s570443
The slick dark blades of Mondo grass would fill any of these containers with easy care drama. Photo via: Better Homes and Gardens
Bright Lysimachia gets even brighter in good sunny conditions. A pot filled simply with this one specimen with provide a modern splash a Chartreuse.
Again from Crate & Barrel, this Saabira low planter provides a simple modernist shape in coal-black Fiberstone.http://www.crateandbarrel.com/saabira-fiberstone-short-planter/s544752 Picture it filled with the large velvet gray of the non-blooming Lambs Ear below.
Stachys Byzantina ” Helena Von Stein” ” Big Ears”…a large non-flowering lambs ear that never fails with its silvery softness and easy care.
Mexican Feather Grass ” Pony Tails” will keep your containers animated with even the slightest Summer breeze. Photo via: ornamentalgrass.com.uk
Leymus arenarius, Blue Dune Grass, planted in vintage modern concrete bowls comes up faithfully year after year.
Just a little something
June 22, 2014
You can’t put your finger on it, but your environs this summer need just a little something. Does your weekend cottage need a little lift? It could be a place to perch, a place to put your feet up… a place to set your drink. Or, maybe you’re thinking you’d just like a little something new without making a major commitment. Here are just a few sun bleached possibilities.
Top to bottom:
Ample accommodations with the 24″ square crocheted Lexie pouf from Crate & Barrel. Great neutral color and texture…you couldn’t crochet one yourself for the price. http://www.crateandbarrel.com/lexie-pouf/s214515?
A modern take on faux bois from Terrain. A simple concrete-like fibreclay garden stool with great wood grain texture. http://www.shopterrain.com/outdoor-chairs/woodgrain-garden-stool/
Nothing says summer like a little weathered teak and this trestle bench, also from Terrain, is sure to earn its keep this season…and the next. http://www.shopterrain.com/outdoor-chairs/preserved-teak-trestle-bench/
Even happily ever after….
June 19, 2014
has its moments when only a boatload of peanut M&M’s …a quart of quacamole…or simply a big ‘ol mess of smashed potatoes will do. And, ready to hold the solutions to all life has to dish up, the Heath Large Serving Bowl, from the Chez Panisse Line. simplequietmodern…especially in opaque white…even when empty. If you’re needing a gift for a wedding, birthday or any other special occasion this summer, you might consider this.
http://www.heathceramics.com/catalog/product/view/id/962/s/large-serving-bowl-16/category/3/#p149
A little inspiration,
June 13, 2014
a little yarn and a little time. The Inspiration?… this modern 1926 textile design by Anni Albers. The yarn?… Berroco’s Modern Cotton. The time?…unbelievably, about 10 days…cast on to bind off. And the result? Exactly as planned…a modern baby blanket that was intentionally “un-pink”.
simplequietmodern 