Stack em up
July 14, 2012
Every now and again you find yourself in need of additional seating at the table. You know, an impromptu birthday bash, your dinner guests had guests in from out-of-town ( do you mind if?) , or…heaven forbid…you’re hosting THANKSGIVING. Time to bring in the reinforcements and the Bellini Chair by Kartel fits the bill perfectly. Lightweight, stackable and most importantly comfortable, these stackable Italian wonders work as beautifully with your collection of modern furnishings as they do complimenting your more traditional pieces. No need to feel guilty about or assaulting your aesthetic sensibilities pulling out those folding chairs that have literally been a pain in the a** for decades. ( You know which ones. ) As a matter of fact, you might find these so appealing that you keep them out all year long, as pull-ups, home office task seating or an extra in the bedroom. Then, when the doorbell rings you’ll be well prepared to have your guests pull up a stylish seat.
Leave it to the French
July 7, 2012
to come up with a new spin on an icon of American design history…the log cabin. In my earliest recollections I have had on my wish list an”inspired” log cabin retreat…rustic yet with a modern turn. I never let my imagination run to this…simplequietmodern at it’s best. The fact that the “whole” has been broken into 2 living sections and that those are lined in one of my favorite materials, plywood, makes it even more perfect. It’s as if someone has been reading my mind.I can’t think of a better place to knock back some Champagne and take a deep relaxing breath.
http://www.busyboo.com/2009/09/24/prefab-house-flake/
All swatched up…
June 26, 2012
and waiting to cast on. I liked the result of the yarn and fiber combination of my California Dreamin blanket so much I’m moving on to California Dreamin 2. While the palette on the first was reminiscent of the sandy beaches or the desert, this combination brings to mind a nighttime drive in the hills around Mulholland Drive… hundreds of points of colored light scattered in the charcoal darkness above Los Angeles and the Valley. Berocco Boboli is responsible for the color and two neutral colorways of Remix add to the dry hand with their recycled blend of fiber. Combined with an assortment of espresso browns, charcoals and black…in yarns of linen, merino, silk, cotton and cashmere, this new blanket will possess same the woven appeal of first. 
https://simplequietmodern.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/and-the-skies-are-gray/
It’s not art…
June 23, 2012
it’s a T.V. Come on people…enough already. What’s with hanging the flat panel television over the fireplace? It’s not a painting. It’s ill-placed for comfortable viewing. So what’s the draw? Unless you like sitting in the first row at the movie theatre I can’t imagine you sitting on your sofa, grabbing your remote and focusing your sights on a picture centered 7o” off the floor. 
Exhibit A…ouch! ( Let’s leave it at the television placement for now.) A better idea is to leave the area above your mantle empty and save yourself a few trips to the chiropractor.
http://misscheekychic.blogspot.com/2011/10/age-old-decorating-question-fireplace.html
96 degrees?
June 20, 2012
Boy, that’s H O T. Sounds like perfect weather for a simple solution…an outdoor shower. What could be more refreshing on a hot summer day than that? More cost-effective and less complicated than a pool, yet plenty of people have those. So, am I the only one who really sees the value in a relaxing shower, in the fresh air…outside? After an afternoon in the yard planting, after a workout or just a long day at work…strip down, go outside, adjust the temperature and….Ahhhhhhhhhhh.
Ready…set…
June 17, 2012
summer! Yard cleaned and planted? Check. Furniture pulled out of storage? Check. Grill in working order? Check. Good. Now that all of the outdoor spring chores are done and you have set up the appropriate areas for outdoor dining, entertaining and relaxing take a good look around. Scope it out. Your spot…to read, plan a menu, have a drink or have a nap. We wait for this all winter, now…enjoy.The sights, the sounds, the tastes…summer.
Hang it up
June 13, 2012
While vertical gardening is making a statement in municipalities on both sides of the pond, you might like to try your hand at it at home. Hung on a back fence or interior courtyard or porch wall these succulent filled panels present themselves like a living, breathing work of art. Seurat had his pointillist dots of paint…you’ll have the small green leaves in their various shades of greens, grays and reds to color your creation. Panels can be hung alone or combined for a truly impressive piece as shown. If you get started now you have the entire summer to experience its developement. Who knows…you may take a liking to gardening “up” and decide to tackle an even more ambitious project.
http://shop.floragrubb.com/vertical-succulent-garden-d-i-y-panel/
5 Easy Pieces, again
June 4, 2012
This space is a bit over accessorized for my taste these days, but it still started with my 5 Easy Pieces.In this project the 5 pieces needed to satisfy the needs of the client and the space were simple: 1) sofa 2) cocktail table 3) folding screen 4) ottoman and 5) lounge chair. They provided plenty of seating with a place to set your drink as well as some dramatic camouflage for an ill placed doorway. Slowly the client’s possessions were edited and added to this bold yet neutral grouping and the result was right where they wanted to be.By switching out some of the art or collections of vintage Murano glass from the 50’s-60’s seasonally keeps things personal and fresh throughout the year.
Buying well and careful planning will ensure your completed project will provide years of enjoyment without that tell-tale ” time stamp”. 
It could happen
June 2, 2012
But, it hasn’t…yet. I’ve had one of these simple fixtures on my wish list for at least 2 decades ( yikes ), when you might be lucky enough to find a vintage piece in an auction catalog to drool over. The works of Serge Mouille~French Mid Century Modern master of lighting design ~ seem to be holding their own in their new state of reissue. I have the perfect spot for either a 3 arm pendant, a pair of double arm sconces or a single arm floor lamp…black or white , either would be stunning. Good things come to those who wait, don’t they?
http://www.sergemouilleusa.com/Serge-Mouille-Two-Straight-Arm-Rotating-Sconce.php
2 steps back…
May 29, 2012
to get you to where you have already been. As I look at this table I can’t help wondering why I am drawn to it’s simple planked design. I then realize that I have used this solution before, in the juxtaposition of three raw pine boards fabricated into a tabletop for a classic Corbusier dining table base. The spaces between the boards were as an important a statement as the unfinished quality of the boards themselves. As seen here, they create an illusion of greater length. There is nothing like a great big table surface…to gather with family and friends or sit down alone to pay a few bills. 
How great would this be here with the C 24’s? https://simplequietmodern.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/c-24/
simplequietmodern 