Skip to content
  • Articles
    • Design
      • Architecture
      • Art & Antiques
      • Books
      • Garden
      • Gifts
      • Interior design
    • Entertainment
      • Entertaining
      • Food and drink
      • Holiday
      • Tabletop
    • Style
      • Fashion
      • Jewelry
    • Travel
      • Nantucket
    • Threads of Time and Taste: The Art of Dressing in Pierre Frey
  • Shop
    • Home & Decor
      • Accessories
      • Antiques
      • Art
      • Lighting
      • Trays
    • Tableware
      • Baskets
      • Glassware
      • Linens
      • Flatware
      • Plates
    • Fashion
      • Bags
      • Clothing
      • Jewelry
    • Exclusives
      • Tableware
      • Fashion
      • Home & Decor
    • Peony & Thistle Linen Tea Towels
  • Video
    • Exclusive insider tours visiting top designers and tastemakers at home around the world
      VIEW ALL
    • At Home with John Lyle
    • At Home in Paris with the Hurleys
    • At Home with Veere Grenney in his Extraordinary Gardens in Tangier
    • At Home with Veere Greeney in Tangier, Morocco
Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

  • Books
    • Books that I have collaborated on, as photographer, with design author Susanna Salk
      VIEW ALL
    • At Home with Dogs and Their Designers: Sharing a Stylish Life
    • At Home in the English Countryside: Designers and Their Dogs
    • At Home with Designers and Tastemakers: Creating Beautiful and Personal Interiors
    • Making a House a Home: Designing Your Interiors from the Floor Up
  • About
  • Articles
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Books
  • About

Month: July 2012

Patrick-Lönn-equestrian-study
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

2012 Hampton Designer Showhouse Study

Equestrian chic may be a popular theme these days, but it doesn’t get any more authentic or elegant than Patrick… Read More

Tilton Fenwick House Beautiful Instant Room
Design, Interior design

House Beautiful Instant Room with Tilton Fenwick

Many times, especially for city dwellers, it is difficult to devote an entire room to a dedicated work space. And… Read More

New Ravenna custom mosaic backsplash
Design, Interior design

2012 Hampton Designer Showhouse Kitchen

As you would expect, the showhouse included a large bright modern kitchen with tons of storage, tailored Caged Lanterns from… Read More

Pearson guest suite at Hampton Designer Showhouse
Design, Interior design

2012 Hampton Designer Showhouse Guest Suite

Clearly the Hamptons’ natural environment made an impression on all the designers. What is so interesting is how each interpreted… Read More

Kate-Singer-details-in-her-2012-Hampton-Designer-Showhouse-den
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

2012 Hampton Designer Showhouse Den

Tucked between two larger rooms on the main floor is a lovely den. While most of us envision such rooms… Read More

Mabley Handler dining room in 2012 Hampton Designer Showhouse
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

2012 Hampton Designer Showhouse Dining Room

Through the elegant entry to the right you can glimpse a sea of color. Segueing from the refined aqua of… Read More

Hampton Designer Showhouse 2012 entry detail
Design, Garden

2012 Hampton Designer Showhouse First Look

Saturday evening, Traditional Home magazine hosted several bloggers to get a sneak peek at their Hampton Designer Showhouse. What a treat!… Read More

Kitchen-of-the-Year-fireplace-wall-with-Ann-Sacks-tile
Design, Interior design

House Beautiful 2012 Kitchen of the Year Finale

One of the most important considerations in any kitchen is storage and Mick De Giulio offered some beautiful solutions in… Read More

Whirlpool white ice applainces
Books

House Beautiful Mick De Giulio Kitchen of the Year

Mick De Giulio has been designing kitchens for over 40 years and his wealth of experience shows in his Kitchen… Read More

Mick De Giulio
Architecture, Design, Food and drink, Interior design

House Beautiful 2012 Kitchen of the Year

As our lifestyles have evolved over the last few decades, there’s no doubt that the kitchen has become the hub… Read More

Video thumbnail for vimeo video 45793199
Architecture, Design, Entertainment, Interior design

Design is One: The Vignellis at the Architecture & Design Film Festival

As the internet and social media have made the world infinitely smaller, it seems that the world of design has… Read More

Hofmann-Landscaping
Art & Antiques, Design, Fashion, Garden, Gifts, Interior design

Gardens by Design at the Bartlett Arboretum Finale

Upstairs at the Bartlett Homestead, the rooms represented a variety of talent. Mark and Susan Bijleveld of Finished in Fabric… Read More

Posts navigation

Older Posts Older Posts
Illustration of camera

Follow

Quiet breakfast on this snowy morning. I cross sti Quiet breakfast on this snowy morning. I cross stitched these placemats for my mother YEARS ago when I was living in Switzerland. They have recently come full circle back to me and on this holiday are a lovely reminder of both her and my time spent there. Grounding tablecloth from @heathertaylorhome  @latuilealoup aptware and mini baskets. Flatware from @alain_saint_joanis in my shop and last, but certainly not least, my spectacular handpainted pitcher and glassware set by the talented @margotlar (available by special order).
Let the family festivities begin. All four chicks Let the family festivities begin. All four chicks are in the nest, the table is set, the tree is decorated. A Merry Christmas Eve to all from our Nantucket home to yours!
.
.
And don’t forget to enter your table in the @academia_de_la_mesa table contest. There are amazing prizes to enhance your tabletop repertoire
The Christmas Tablesetting Contest starts now!! Fr The Christmas Tablesetting Contest starts now!! From this moment until midnight on January 7, 2026 you can post photos of your tables to win the contest and a myriad of incredible prizes. To take part you need:

1. To post photos on a public IG account
2. ⁠To tag in the picture of your post @Academia_de_la_mesa & mention you are taking part in the Contest 
3. You can publish as many photos of your table as fit in a single POST (no reels, no stories, no videos please). We need to see AT LEAST 2 pictures of your table showing the entire table and one placesetting.
4. ⁠You can take part a maximum of 3 times, with 3 different tables (one single post for each)
That’s it!! Winners will be announced in January. Please post pictures of your own tables at home, no event or magazine pictures 🙏🏻 (and no AI). 

The winner will receive a wonderful prize of the best of the best that there is in tableware kindly donated by @alain_saint_joanis @artel_glass @noel_lingedemaison_paris and @raynaud_porcelaines AND just for taking part you will be eligible for 7 additional magnificent  prizes by @aquazzuracasa (in conjunction with @incasastudio) @elalmacendeloza @erbavoglio.milano @gordiola_vidrios @palmira_decoracion @staub.es and @thetablelove (see stories for details). (NB: unless otherwise stated by the donors all prizes will be delivered in Spain but we can help winners arrange shipping) 

We can’t wait to see your tables! Happy tablesetting with love from the jury, made up of: 
@amarosanchezdemoya @azarraluqui @bea_satrustegui @bonadeaofficial @carmencarooneill @casa__lopez @paz_qb @quintessence @raulromeropress @vanessacraccoliving and @vioscooking
Our latest video visit is here! Join me and @susan Our latest video visit is here! Join me and @susannasalk at the welcoming Connecticut retreat of designer @tamara_meadow_interiors where lake views and meaningful furnishings distinguish this stylish custom built home! LINK IN PROFILE (latest video).
While much of my tabletop arsenal is still in stor While much of my tabletop arsenal is still in storage, I managed to pull together a simple table for a small family dinner to give thanks on this special day. Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!
© 2025 Quintessence Design LLC
Site design by The Beaux Arts Digital
FAQ & Shipping Terms of Use Privacy Policy
X Illustration of hand
Never Miss A Post
Get insider access to the most inspiring and informative design stories straight to your inbox. Satisfy your style curiosity, quench your sophisticated shopping thirst and scratch your discerning need-to-know itch - sign up so you never miss a thing.