It all comes down to…
October 9, 2013
black. Every room needs a little punctuation and a stroke of black just simply does the trick. That said, it’s important to give it some carefull consideration for the maximum effect. Used sparingly yet scaled generously creates focus and a juxtaposition of styles shows every other piece in the room in a new light. So, if you’re looking to shake things up, you might consider what the exclamation point called black can do for your space.
Top to bottom:
The Charleston mirror by oomph , a great interpretation of a Chippendale classic, will boldly bridge that gap between traditional and modern. http://www.oomphonline.com/charleston-mirror.html
A large-scale painting can fill a wall…create a “view”. If something 2’x3′ seems large enough, take it to 4’x 6′ and see what you get. Really, it’s not that scary.
Beat Light Tall by Tom Dixon looks like it’s plucked directly from the middle of the last century. What could shed light on your newly found mid-century dining table than this? http://hivemodern.com/pages/product6185/tom-dixon-beat-light-tall
An artifact like this Etruscan handled cup strikes an impressive pose when used in a modern environment. After all, at the time, it was modern to them. This one produced in Deruta Italy.
The Eames lcm molded lounge chair provides a sculptural presence when presented in black on black. http://hivemodern.com/pages/product1431/herman-miller-eames-lcmGreat
Great art inspires. Can you imagine how your day would start being greeted by this Frank Girard sculpture spotted on Design Sponge? http://www.designsponge.com/2013/07/a-modern-chicago-home-made-personal-through-design.html
Nature Scatters…
October 6, 2013
…man gathers. And, in this case the man is artist/designer Riley McFerrin. From the shores near his home in the Pacific Northwest he gathers ocean washed limbs and sets forth to transform them into light fixtures of natural abstraction. Using pegs and tenons you would normally expect to see in fine furniture construction the result is like a floating three dimensional “sketch”. Modernist…yes. Naturalist…yes. And, impressively scaled at 24″ to 32 ” around, I can’t think of a better way to yank the outside in and shed some light wherever you might need it.
http://hinterlanddesign.com/collection/scattergather-pendant-light
Five Easy Pieces II
September 30, 2013
Again, a simplequietmodern interior starting with five easy pieces…the armless sofa, 2 armchairs, 1 pair of raffia cubes for a coffee table and the folding screen. A base of pale neutrals anchored with rich peacock-blue, this room could be equally stunning if the blue were switched out for another rich color (aubergine, copper) or pulled back completely with a smoky charcoal. The selection of the French armchairs, the classic shape of the white lamp set on a simple geometric base and the white armless sofa are reminiscent of the elegant interiors the late David Hicks created for the jet-set in the 1960’s. Even in an intimately scaled setting like this , it’s possible to achieve great style and seating for eight with the right selections and a little judicious editing. If you’re lovin’ the “cocktail stools” pictured you might try a pair of these raffia cubes from oomph!
It’s been written…
September 18, 2013
that ” Happiness is pretty simple: someone to love, something to do, something to look forward to”*. With that in mind, and with the first two covered, I’ve recently adjusted my third. It doesn’t get any more simplequietmodern than this.
http://www.rocioromero.com/planLV.html
*Rita Mae Brown, Hiss of Death
Pitch Perfect
September 15, 2013
What’s simplequietmodern and has perfect pitch? It’s gotta be Hans Wegner’s c44 . Designed in 1951, this icon of mid-century modern Danish design is still in production today. The solid wood construction and woven paper seat have an almost Shaker appeal and simplicity, yet it’s the pitch of the back and seat that invite you to sit a while. Available in over two dozen finish and seat combinations it might be hard to decide which will work best in your space. And, to confuse the issue even more, there is an available seat and back cushion with seemingly endless textile options. My mind is made up. I’ll have a pair in white oil on oak with the natural cord seat…hold the upholstery.
http://hivemodern.com/pages/product203/carl-hansen-hans-wegner-ch44
Too Thin ?
September 6, 2013
In the case of this skinny take on the classic Parsons table it couldn’t get any thinner. The original, designed by Jean-Michel Frank in the 1930’s has taken on an almost weightless quality in the hands of Dutch designer Bertjan Pot. The genius of the honeycombed steel sandwich sheathed in veneer brings the near impossible to life in his Slim Table. Available in over thirty wood and colored lacquer finishes with sizes ranging from 50″ square to rectangles up to 110″ there is sure to be one to fill your desire as either a breakfast table, formal dining table or executive desk. There is nothing like anchoring a beautiful interior with a classic silhouette possessing such a stellar pedigree. And, don’t fret about the chair selection…something this simplequietmodern will elevate any chair, stool or bench to another level entirely.
http://hivemodern.com/pages/product6077/arco-bertjan-pot-slim-table
Back to school…
September 3, 2013
back to work or just getting back to it. It’s September. Get up early…when everything is just quieter and the earliest morning sun seems to shed a new type of light on everything…and sneak off to your favorite corner to size up the coming season. A sort of meditation on your upcoming projects and projects still waiting to spring off the starting blocks. Whether they be an interior focus, some gardening attention, the tackling of a new skill set or honing an existing one, each can benefit from a few uninterrupted moments of relaxation and free thought. Before the activities and responsibilities of the day take over, pick your spot , take a deep cleansing breath and see what new inspiration surfaces. And don’t forget, we still have 3 weeks of Summer to enjoy before the chill of Fall is actually upon us.
Break Time
August 4, 2013
How great would it be to sneak off for a break to a little house like this…50 sf , in the woods, screened with a transparent roof AND a suspended mattress?? Grab a stack of inspirational reading , a fresh cup of coffee, or your favorite pillow and head out to meditate…recharge…regroup. Be sure you leave your phone behind and maybe forget to tell anyone where you’re off to.
multi-faceted
July 29, 2013
What do you get when you place a salvaged cedar log in the hands of an artist/designer like Riley Mc Ferrin? Well, simple…you get Little Gem. Looking more like a crystalline mineral formation plucked from the interior of a geode than the tree it started it’s life as, this hand shaped and finished end table could be just the needed punctuation in your simplequietmodern interior. I can’t think of a better choice for placing next to your favorite lounge chair, be it Eames or Saarinen, with just enough space to accommodate a book, your beverage of choice and possibly the remote. And, like the interior space you’ve created specifically for you, no two Little Gems are alike…insured by Mother Nature and Riley’s deft hand.
A watched pot…
July 26, 2013
as they say…never boils. The same could be said of trying too hard to get your spent orchid plants to rebloom. It’s simple really…a couple of ice cubes every week to ten days, some good air circulation, decent light and a cooler night-time temperature. Then go away and leave them alone. In a few months, almost like a little surprise, you’ll notice a shoot, then some buds…and finally the gorgeous blooms that will again last for weeks. I’d say that was a pretty good return on your investment for very little effort.
simplequietmodern 