By the bunch
March 7, 2013
Even though it’s been said that the giving of a bunch of Daffodils will ensure happiness and good fortune, it’s a pretty fair bet that they will ensure a sweet smile or a big hug. Not bad for a $2 investment. Yet another reason to welcome March.
A little on the side
March 5, 2013
Occasionally there arises a need for, um….an occasional table. Something that is sized perfectly to place beside a chair or sofa, with just enough room to accommodate a cocktail, a cup of coffee or a book. A table that can be placed in a variety of places depending on the need while still feeling at home in each spot, as if it were its permanent home. With its 18″ height and near 16″ diameter, this classic by Warren Platner could be the perfect choice. The sculptural steel rod frame with its varied available surface options has been gracing the most sophisticated interiors since 1966. Deciding if this piece is right for you is the easy part. Pairing the nickel or bronze finished base with any of the wood, marble or glass tops…well, that might take a while. The good news is there is simply no bad choice.
http://hivemodern.com/pages/product2485/knoll-warren-platner-bronze-side-table
Slowly awakening
March 2, 2013
Once I’ve made it through January and February I can breathe a little easier. There may still be a bit of Winter to deal with, but once March rolls in we can see the promise of Spring…like the light at the end of Winter’s long dark tunnel. Even before we get into the forcing of flowery branches we have the option of bringing indoors the earliest signs of the earth waking back up. Bits of moss and lichen seem the first to emerge as the snow melts off, bright spears of dogwood follow, reminding us that yes, things will be green again. And, their appeal could not be more simplequietmodern. If you are lucky enough to gather them locally, great. If not, Terrain offers both of these branch selections, harvested from the Pacific Northwest, by post.
http://www.shopterrain.com/stems-branches/
C’mon…bring it.
February 26, 2013
Imagine coming home after a day of fighting traffic during the latest of winter storms only to find your mailbox has been catapulted into the neighboring property in an explosive shower of cedar shards and shredded envelopes. That snowplow must have been really gunning for my old standby who had been quietly receiving snail mail and parcels for decades. I now found myself in the market for a NEW mailbox…something with style that suits the mid-century sensibility of my home… while at the same time being able to stand up to the bullies behind the wheel or those out for a joyride wielding an aluminum bat. Jonathan Duke at Steel House Mfg. in Austin, Texas got it right with both the MB1 and MB2. simplequietmodern solutions that almost whisper…”You want some of this?”
Images by Steel House Mfg.
The apple doesn’t fall…
February 17, 2013
too far from the tree, which is pretty apparent in this Eero Saarinen Armchair. Designed in 1957 at the same time the design and construction was taking place on the iconic TWA Flight Center at New York’s Idywild Airport, the influences between the two are unmistakable. Originally designed as an executive office chair, this groundbreaking seating , with its use of a fully upholstered flexible fiberglass frame, offers comfort that is equally at home in any residential setting requiring a modern note. As time has passed, Idylwild was renamed JFK International, TWA has ceased to exist, and the simplequietmodern days of early elegant air travel has given way to…well, you know. The good news is that this chair is still available, in multiple variations, to satisfy your need for comfortable seating with a light touch… and, this magnificent building has undergone a recent multi-million dollar renovation and is now a National Landmark.
http://nyc-architecture.com/BKN/BKN002.htm
Chemex…modern then,
February 6, 2013
modern now. The simplequietmodern way to a great cup (or two if you have the time).You love it when they offer you a “pour over” at Starbucks…well, Chemex has been offering that tasty option since it’s introduction in1942.Included in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art and the Smithsonian, the Chemex Coffee Maker has found its permanent home in the annals of modern and industrial design. Why a Keurig when this can do the trick at a fraction of the price and without the landfill waste that comes along with it… plastic pods, cardboard packaging, etc? So go grab yourself a bag of beans…it might just be time to revisit this timeless symbol of gracious living and brew yourself a cup.
The Homies 2013
February 4, 2013
Apartment Therapy’s 5th Annual Homies…and simplequietmodern has been nominated in the category of “Best Home Design And Inspiration Blog”. It’s pretty exciting. The voting will continue until February 8, 2013. For those of you that follow and have voted…a big Thank You. If you’d like to cast you vote now, please do and feel free to share sqm with your friends and associates. There’s always something new here, and as I like to say…simplequietmodern… read it, learn it, live it
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/best-home-design-inspiration-blog-the-homies-2013-183531#nominate
Rack ’em up…
January 31, 2013
stack ’em up. What a perfect simplequietmodern solution to storing your firewood , keeping it close at hand, and making a major statement in the process. Any room with a fireplace, no matter what style inclination, can benefit from the look of the clean steel frame that will present your timber in a neatly organized vertical “installation”. Designed by Franz Mauer, the stand alone Woodtower not only solves the problem of keeping your split logs conveniently located, but it does so very elegantly.
http://www.connox.com/categories/furniture/wood-storage/raumgestalt-woodtower.html
In eight short weeks…Spring
January 25, 2013
It’s not too early to start thinking about getting back outside, spending the warm Spring and Summer months in the yard. In fact, in order to have what you want…when you want it…now is the perfect time to set your plan into motion. Maybe it’s a new piece of furniture or two you’re desiring. Confirming availability, lead times and shipping now can have you ordering things up and having them in your possession at precisely the right time. It’s possible to enjoy a balmy 70 degree day early in April. How nice would it be to have a place to sit, sip and watch the garden you worked so hard putting to bed last fall slowly waking up? And,what a better spot to do it from than this simplequietmodern favorite. The Split Seat Bench from Henrybuilt, in teak , placed in the entry courtyard, on your porch or outdoor dining area could hit just the right simplequietmodern note. If it’s needed inside… at the foot of a bed, in an entrance hall or flanking a dining table…you can select from the extensive wood options, like the quartersawn walnut pictured, to enhance any interior location.
Bowled Over
January 22, 2013
I was recently put to the task of finding for a client something made of wood for the center of their Saarinen dining table. In keeping with the classic mid-century aesthetic of the home I immediately thought of a Dansk bowl or tray of some type because of the classic modern lines that Dansk produced in wood…particulary in the 60’s and 70’s. I thought I knew exactly what I was going to find until I stumbled upon this piece…I had never seen it before. In this beautiful pale finish it would complement the pale wood veneered walls of the dining area as well as the Calacatta marble top on the table, with its pale tan and gray variegation. The softly sculpted sloping shoulder on the thick wall of the bowl created an object that was elevated far above “salad bowl” status while mimicking the shape of the George Nelson Bubble Lamp hanging above it. Even though it was designed and produced to serve up a mean Caesar, I love the way it looks empty.That was simple.
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