Basic Black
July 21, 2025
You can never go wrong with basic black. Or in this case, Obsidian, Heath Ceramics’ new glaze offering. Available on both their Coupe and Plaza dinnerware lines, this black beauty is ready to take the stage alone or play nicely with your more colorful Heath pieces. And if you’re in the mood for a little extra drama you might pair it with Heaths’ Muir flatware in Onyx. Just think of it as an extension of your black on black wardrobe, always simple always quiet always modern.
photos: Heath
Blue Skies, Green Grass
April 14, 2025
If Mother Nature is going to hold out, thankfully Heath Ceramics is not. While some of us are still getting snow and ice, Heath Ceramics Summer Seasonal Collection is offering us the Spring and Summer we’ve been longing for. And just in time for Easter. New exclusive glazes like Cyan, Grass, Nimbus and gradients like Tule and Seto will have you feeling like kicking of your shoes and heading outdoors. Explore the entire collection now, it’s only available in these finishes while supplies last. Fair warning.
All Heath Ceramics photos: Heath Ceramics Others: GP
Everyone Into The Pot
January 26, 2025
A simple soup for bitter cold winter days. No recipe really, but rather a guideline. Start with a protein selection then go through the refrigerator and pantry for any and all vegetables that need to be put to good use. Start chopping and browning when the news comes on and by the time it’s over, you’ve got dinner. Plate it up in a Chez Panisse soup bowl from Heath, add a basket of bread on the side and BOOM!, done and done.
photo: Heath
Today’s pot started with browning 1 lb. of ground beef, breaking it up into larger chunks. Remove from pot and drain off rendered fat. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and cook 1/2 yellow onion chopped and three cloves of garlic sliced. Salt and cook until starting to become translucent. Then add the rest of the veg you have gathered. Today the selection was as follows, each chopped to similar size pieces; 1/4 head of green cabbage, 1/2 medium zucchini, a handful of mini San Marzano tomatoes, can of cut green beans with liquid, 1/2 yellow pepper, 1/2 large carrot, 1/2 package frozen cauliflower. Add these to the pot with the browned meat and 2 quarts of beef stock. Increase heat until pot starts to boil, then and simmer, covered, on lower heat until the firmer veg .like the carrots and cabbage, are tender about 20 mins. Add additional stock if needed and adjust seasoning.
I’ve switched this up using shredded rotisserie chicken with chicken stock and a slightly different assortment of veg and it’s just as simple, just as good.
photos unless otherwise noted: gp
That Was Fast
January 12, 2025
Just how many photos can one take in the course of twelve years? Plenty! Almost too many. And, how many simplequietmodern topics can one cover? Well, let’s just say alot. In celebration of the 13th anniversary of simplequietmodern I thought I would simply present here of few of your favorite posts and pics and a few of mine. Starting with the obligatory champagne toast and ending with a celebratory slice of cake, what follows are just a few highlights of the last 12 years. Here’s to another year of living simple, quiet and modern. I thank you for your interest and your friendship.
photo: Portello Iron Doors
Photo: Gardenista
Photo: Leonardo Finotti via Remash Tumblr
Top to bottom
Well you know me well enough by now to know that if there is a celebration there has got to be something sparking.
Any opportunity for fresh tulips and I’m on it. Like any day of the week really. And, Parrot tulips are a particular favorite.
I love a landscape that ties perfectly with the architecture. Might take a little more thought outside the box but it’s worth the exercise.
Seems most of you can’t get enough of Portello iron door and window frames. Hard not to love, right?
My newest partner in crime is all of your favorite, Buster Porkchop. Looking exactly like his brother Jaxon.
A perfect specimen from a quiet walk just spoke to me.
In Winter, this Blonde Ambition grass still has plenty of interest.
We definitely agree, the gardens of Piet Oudolf look as good in Winter as any other time of year.
I can’t help it. I love me some carnations. White is tied with this pale pink as my go-to.
I have never has a post as popular as the one featuring this gift wrap of recycled newsprint, jute twine and a birch stick foraged in the yard.
I have been collecting vintage Christmas ornaments forever it seems. This assortment in pink from the 40’s to the 60’s have come to be everyone’s favorite.
The Basalt glaze on this Heath Ceramics Tall Modern Cup is the perfect neutral. Seems that it’s in service more often as a vase than a coffee mug. Fine with me.
This 40″ inch diameter slice of fallen tree has been the centerpiece in my living space for over 20 years. It thinks it’s a coffee table. I agree.
The simplest Summertime pleasure, a batch of new dills in an heirloom crock.
Funny how many of you have holiday recollections of this cookie favorite baked up by your Mom, Grandma or a neighbor. Perfection.
Crazy right? An abundance of recycled newsprint and too much time being snowed in resulted in this homespun yarn knit up into a rather interesting swatch. Maybe this is the year it becomes something important.
Sometimes Easter needs a rest from all the cliche’ pastel shades and treatments. Sometimes a simple egg displayed simply is in order.
I’m clearly not the only one who spends time daydreaming about a small lovely modern black cabin in the woods.
Yards and yards of doubled black linen yarn salvaged from a project gone wrong and turned into the most luxurious textured blanket. Nap anyone?
No one needs an excuse for cake and this Crazy Chocolate Cake is perfect for this celebration. White frosting on that? Yes, please.
all photos except where noted: gp
Sounds Like Fun
November 5, 2024
If you happen to be in the Bay area this month you might want to reserve a space at one of the “Hands On Heath” workshops hosted by Heath Ceramics. First up is a ” Making a Bud Vase” workshop, where you will learn all about one of their most iconic designs. then actually get your hands dirty and glaze one yourself. Or, learn how to glaze a Plaza Tray from the clay studio’s master potters before digging in and glazing one of your own design. Plan a skip day with a friend, take a class then treat yourself to a fun lunch. I can’t think of a better way to spend a day before the holiday season fully kicks in.
photos: Heath
And, More Color
October 11, 2024
Clearly I have design friends that are also thinking more color. With their always anticipated Winter Seasonal Collection, Heath and their collaborators are exploring the combination of Deep Sea Blue, Grapefruit and Butterscotch glazes as well as experimental finishes like Ribbon Candy and Nougat. To add a bit of rich color to your collection or to simply satisfy your sweet tooth, take a look at this group soon as it’s only available for a limited time.
photos: Heath
With the change of seasons comes
October 11, 2023
the always anticipated Winter Seasonal Collection from Heath Ceramics. As these pieces are in limited supply, it’s a good idea to snap up your favorites now before the holidays are in full swing. You never want to see ” out of stock” when you’re trying to make some headway with your Christmas shopping list. This years group features matte and shiny glazes in Antique Green, Natural, Tomato, Myrtle Green and a very special Thread technique in Latte. While all of the pieces are equally appealing if I’m selecting for others, my personal favorites are the matte neutrals, which I’ve singled out here. As always with Heath, there are simply no bad choices.
photos: Heath Ceramics
If it’s March,
March 1, 2023
then it’s time for Daffodils. Especially after the last two weeks of ice storms and the grayest of skies. Who couldn’t use a dose of that perfect yellow while they’re available in every grocery store and flower shop. At only a couple of bucks a bunch you could easily pick up a dozen bunches and spread the wealth. While Spring is a few weeks off and we certainly know that we are not out of the woods in terms of ugly weather, a simple handle full of Daffodils might be exactly what’s needed to pull us through. For a simple effective presentation, 2 bunches dropped in a Heath Ceramics Tall Modern Mug is the way to go. No muss, no fuss.
photos: gp
If it’s March…
March 13, 2020
it’s time for Daffodils. The birth flower for March, nothing can make a simple, more cheerful, Spring-like statement like they can. And, while they’re still available, the Heath Ceramics bud vase is perfect for displaying these shots of vibrant color. I’m thinking multiple vases grouped for mass appeal or scattered about to spread the wealth with their electricity and gentle fragrance. Better act fast, this bud vase in Zinc, from the 2019 Heath Winter Seasonal Collection, is only available until the end of this month. Could a handful of Daffs help you or a friend deal with the new uncertainty of dealing with Covid-19? It couldn’t hurt.
Daffodil photos: gp
Heath bud vase photo: https://www.heathceramics.com/collections/winter-seasonal-2019
Time Flies
January 12, 2020
Well, it just does. There is no other explanation for the fact that simplequietmodern has just celebrated it’s eighth anniversary. At this time each year I am always interested in what subjects, products or photos you’ve been drawn to most. Black fences seems to have shot to the top of the list again along with a few of my favorites from Heath Ceramics…their new Muir flatware, classic field tiles and the updated Coupe line of Edith Heath’s iconic dinnerware. The simplicity of Spring flowering bulbs rounds out the top 5. Nice. So, thank you for faithfully checking in and checking things out…for indulging me in inspiring you and for your continued support and friendship.
photos:
Black fence: https://www.gardenista.com/posts/trend-alert-black-fences/
Muir flatware, Coupe Line and Heath Field Tile: https://www.heathceramics.com/
Tulips: gp
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