Just in time…
April 10, 2014
to celebrate. As I was trying to make up my mind on the glaze for my order of a modern cup from Heath, they introduce their new seasonal collection. What perfect timing for not one, but two…in a larger capacity…12 ounces…and the perfect finish…Basalt. The tall modern cup. One for my coffee and the other for a handful of white hyacinths. And, as long as this Spring here has taken a decidedly black and white turn…and I have some simplequietmodern basics covered…some tacky birthday cupcakes with a little neon frosting couldn’t hurt.
tall modern cup photo via http://www.heathceramics.com/catalog/product/view/id/1656/s/tall-modern-cup-pair-basalt/category/3/
Heads it’s black…
April 6, 2014
tails it’s white. You might have to flip a coin to make this decision. After fifty plus years as an icon of modern interior furnishings, the Saarinen table is now available for outdoor use. As the white top/white base configuration of the 1957 original has been my all time favorite, I can’t see changing things up now…or can I ?
photos via http://hivemodern.com/pages/product7267/eero-saarinen-outdoor-dining-table-knoll
Finally.
April 3, 2014
And not minute too soon. The emergence of the first blooms of the season. Witch Hazel…with it’s blossoms like little confetti ribbons unfurled to greet us. Thank you. It was worth the wait.
No Witch Hazel sightings? Then maybe a trip out for an armload of Forsythia, French Pussywillow, Bear Grass and Tulips will hold ya.
Black Fences
March 31, 2014
If “good fences make good neighbors” * what would Robert Frost have written about black fences? Chic neighbors? There is no denying the sophisticated good looks of these black fences or how they elevate the green elements around them to a new level entirely. Picture them running down a property with their long horzontal lines… can you see the forced perspective? Even the simple picket has more appeal when given a modern facelift of a beefier profile and black finish. With an injection of a little drama like this you might even be able to skip using color at all in your garden this year. Just a thought.
photos via http://www.gardenista.com/posts/trend-alert-black-fences
* “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost
Smells Like Fun
March 28, 2014
Commodity Goods… they got it right. From their refreshing collection of fragrances for men and women they offer the perfect sampling options at the best possible price. What a great way to try a little Whiskey or Cloth ( or any of the twenty offerings ) without the lengthy commitment. I worked my way through their men’s “fitting kit” and ended up where I started…with Moss, my simplequietmodern favorite. Cane and Book came in close seconds, but it was the unique freshness of Moss that had me hooked… like the first warm, clear spring day with moss greening in the yard and the last of the ice melting away. I’m waiting for that day to appear. Until it does? I’ll be happy with a spritz of this.
Moss bottle photo via: https://www.commoditygoods.com/
Liquid Harvest
March 25, 2014
A uniquely North American experience…the tapping of maple trees…is now in full swing. If we remembered that a fresh harvest of maple syrup was the reward after a hard cold Winter, well, I for one would be a little less cranky as Winter seemed to drag on and on. To celebrate I plan on incorporating that amber sweetness into everything possible starting with this Maple Walnut Fudge. In true simplequietmodern fashion,it takes just a few ingredients that you probably have on hand and no power equipment is needed.
I added a cup of rough chopped toasted walnuts to this recipe…that was simple enough.http://www.canadianliving.com/food/baking_and_desserts/maple_fudge.php
Still,
March 22, 2014
she continues to inspire. Modern then…modern now. Agnes Martin
images via tumblr
It’s been said that no news…
March 19, 2014
is good news. Which, in fact , should leave us with a surplus of blank newsprint. Combine a few sheets of that with a couple of “snow” days, a McGuyver rigged spindle and some scissors and you have got yourself a great way to ” get away”…get out of your own head for a bit. The result? Newsprint yarn, a relaxed constitution and perhaps a solution to some problem that’s been needing attention. Is “spinning” like yoga? Could be. At the very least it provides some peace and quiet, gentle rhythm and some time to think.
Not…
March 15, 2014
funny. Really…I’m serious.
Sometimes, a little order…
March 12, 2014
is all that is needed. Trees in neat rows, simple tight clipped forms, a straightforward place to rest…a small piece of soft turf like a rug anchoring the whole. A simplequietmodern look at a personal oasis contrasted against the naturalized wooded areas beyond this intimate enclosure. And after the winter we’ve had…OK, are still having… who wouldn’t want to come home to this? Mother Nature is clearly giving us the time to prepare for a space like this of our own as it doesn’t look like we will be moving outside to our own yards anytime soon.
first three photos via Gardenista http://www.gardenista.com/posts/landscape-architect-visit-a-london-courtyard-gets-a-grownup-update-del-buono-gazerwitz-landscape-architects
and the allee of locusts and lawn at the Miller House in Columbus, Indiana via http://www.imamuseum.org/visit/miller-house/landscape-architecture
simplequietmodern 