Like a deep cleansing breath…
October 27, 2013
…the guest room. Isn’t that what it should be? A place to relax…regroup…recharge. If you are daunted by the idea of pulling together a space to house holiday visitors…well, relax. Take a simplequietmodern cue from the room illustrated. Simple furnishings…intentionally spare…warm relaxed color. A bed, a chair and side table are all the basics you’ll need and a weekend project provides a fresh coat of paint. Add a luxurious natural linen bed cover and pillowcases and, well, you are pretty much done. It’s important to remember that when keeping things this simple each piece needs to be the best it can be…make the investment in good linens and make the furniture selections something you would use or sit on yourself everyday. Now, while you’re waiting for those guests to arrive, take it for a test run … you know, just to exhale and celebrate a job well done.
From the top:
Photo via http://remash.tumblr.com/
Donghia Textiles Mummy’s Cloth, 100% linen weave
Another weekend adventure might produce a vintage Robsjohn-Gibbings walnut end table…which will be a stunner after a bit of finish attention. Nicely proportioned to use as a night table and easily moved for double duty next to a chair.
I’ll take Manhattan
October 15, 2013
If it worked for Ralph Lauren in the Manhattan apartment Angelo Donghia designed for him and his family back in the 80’s…just think what this re-issued classic will do for you no matter where you live. When I first saw these pieces I thought they were simplequietmodern perfection. Clean lined and generously proportioned, the chaise, armless section and ottoman in Donghia Furnitures Manhattan group have been designed to provide endless seating combinations. Add the mind-blowing collection of Donghia Textiles into the mix and the options are staggering. My personal choice is very close to the original…a simple solid ground…creating the perfect baseline for any room no matter what style direction it takes.
http://www.donghia.com/collections/upholstery vintage photo courtesy of Donghia
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!
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.
Take a deep breath.
April 7, 2013
You can smell it. Spring …the Earth waking up.Time for a big stretch and to clear out Winter’s congestion…first in your environment which will precipitate a release of your physical congestion. It’s time for some fresh air…a fresh approach…a fresh project…a fresh outlook.
Photo above by Theodora Wayte via Gardenista
Purl Soho’s modern knit blanket in white…photo by Purl http://www.purlbee.com/bulky-knitt-pixie-dust-blanket/
Donghia Textiles Espadrille stripehttp://www.donghia.com/collections/textiles
What’s new at Brentano Fabrics…Tempo http://www.brentanofabrics.com/whatsnew/nw_201302.aspx
Leaves scan thanks to Anat Rodan at http://anatrodanblog.blogspot.com/
Brentano Fabrics Wool Epingle http://www.brentanofabrics.com/fabrics/
There’s linen…
July 20, 2012
then there’s linen. All from flax fiber, but distinctly different. Thick, thin, crisp or rumpled, there is nothing else like it. This Shimmer drapery fabric and paperbacked wallcovering from Donghia Textiles takes linen for a fresh modern spin. In silver or soft gold fused to the linen itself, the effect is like the sun reflected off the ripples on a lake, either in the cool of the morning or the warmth of the light at sunset. I can’t think of a better backdrop for your collection of classic mid-century treasures. Wrap a room in it and, well…..simplequietstunning.
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”. 
simplequietmodern 