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Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

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    • Books that I have collaborated on, as photographer, with design author Susanna Salk
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    • At Home with Dogs and Their Designers: Sharing a Stylish Life
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    • At Home with Designers and Tastemakers: Creating Beautiful and Personal Interiors
    • Making a House a Home: Designing Your Interiors from the Floor Up
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Architecture

Lalique in a Soho loft bathroom
Architecture, Design, Interior design

Updating a Legacy

Please make the hop and visit me over at Cottage & Gardens, where my latest piece is live. We have… 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

House Beautiful Sally Markham bunks
Architecture, Design, Interior design

The Big Appeal of Little Spaces

Perhaps it’s because I grew up in a cape that I have always loved the nooks and crannies in houses,… Read More

Veranda-July-August-2012-cover
Architecture, Design, Interior design

Nick Olsen Knows It’s All About the Mix

Even before Nick Olsen received official Rising Star status from the IFDA (International Furnishings and Design Association) last fall, he was… Read More

Chris Isles & SHeila Bridges
Architecture, Design, Interior design

ELLE DECOR Presents its New A-List at Baccarat

The beautiful new Baccarat showroom in the D&D Building was the elegant setting Wednesday evening for the third annual ELLE… Read More

Holland-&-Sherry-Bespoke-fireplace-mantel-with-Deyrolle-lobsters
Architecture, Design, Fashion, Gifts, Interior design

Holland & Sherry Bespoke

On a popular street in NYC’s hip Nolita neighborhood, in the most beautiful building on the block, the chicest new… Read More

Lela Rose Fall 2012
Architecture, Fashion

NY Fashion Week Fall 2012: Lela Rose

As soon as I read Lela Rose‘s inspiration in the show package, I had a feeling I was going to… Read More

Antique chaise with pink ticking fabric and homemade quilt
Architecture, Design, Interior design

Living with Color in Connecticut Part II

For any who missed Monday’s post, we are continuing our tour of an amazing Diamond Baratta designed house in Connecticut,… Read More

Antique weathervane collection
Architecture, Design, Interior design

Living with Color in Connecticut

There are some people who live in neutral, some who live in drive and some who live in overdrive. The… Read More

Hugh Henry flat sitting room in Earls Court
Architecture, Design, Entertainment, Fashion, Interior design, Travel

British Style Bonanza

Between the mania for Downton Abbey and the popularity of Will and Kate, it’s clear British style is making a… Read More

Video thumbnail for youtube video lb3oeaemml8
Architecture, Design, Entertainment, Interior design

Dark Shadows

I knew it would happen eventually. With the vampire mania of the last few years, it was just a matter of… Read More

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Charleston has a way of drawing people back again Charleston has a way of drawing people back again and again—and homes like this remind us why.
Tag along as designer @michaelmitchelldesigner welcomes us inside his gracious home, where layers of history, thoughtful collecting, and a deeply personal approach to design make every room a reflection of both its owner and the city itself.
LINK IN PROFILE.
One of my favorite things about setting a table is One of my favorite things about setting a table is that it never has to begin from scratch.

The most beautiful tables are collected over time—mixing old favorites with new discoveries, heirlooms with contemporary pieces, and the things you’ve loved for years with something that brings fresh perspective.

For this table, I’ve paired PeterDunham + Hudson Grace’s (@peterdunhamdesign @hudsongracesf ) beautiful salad and bread plates and napkins with Blue Carnation dinner plates, table linens, glassware, and flatware from my shop, alongside a few favorite pieces from my personal collection.

I hope this table is a reminder that you don’t need everything to match—or come from one place. The magic is in the mix. Every new piece should make you fall in love with the pieces you already own all over again.

That’s the joy of collecting—and the beauty of a table that reflects your own story.

Shop the table through link in profile
Very excited to be returning to @eleishvanbreems o Very excited to be returning to @eleishvanbreems on Nantucket for a 2 day trunk show next Thursday and Friday! If on island, do stop by! There will be many new introductions you will be the first to see!!
Some homes are beautiful. Others tell a story. Th Some homes are beautiful. Others tell a story. 
The Yucatán home of interior designer @laurakirar and architect Richard Frazier @rwf333 is both -  a masterful reflection of its surroundings, where architecture, landscape, light, and craftsmanship come together in perfect harmony.
Tag along for a visit to this extraordinary retreat and discover how years of collecting, collaboration, and creative vision shaped a house that feels deeply connected to its place. LINK IN PROFILE
Wishing everyone a very happy Mother’s Day! 🌸 Flow Wishing everyone a very happy Mother’s Day! 🌸 Flowers from my thoughtful husband - all else from my shop (plates coming soon - DM to be notified).
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