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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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Art & Antiques

Dark Glamour at the 2017 Kips Bay Show House
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

Dark Glamour at the 2017 Kips Bay Show House

Within the classic Charles Platt house of the 2017 Kips Bay Show House, not all the rooms are airy architectural gems. A… Read More

NYBG Antique Garden Furniture Fair
Art & Antiques, Garden, Interior design

NYBG Antique Garden Furniture Fair

In a busy week of art and design events, another stands out as a must-visit this weekend. The NYBG Antique… Read More

TEFAF New York Spring 2017 Art Fair
Art & Antiques, Design

TEFAF New York Spring 2017 Art Fair

TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair), established in Maastricht in 1988, is widely regarded as the crème de la crème of… Read More

The Art of the Story at the 2017 Kips Bay Show House
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

The Art of the Story at the 2017 Kips Bay Show House

The most successful interiors effectively tell the stories of their owners. But at a show house with no client is when the art… Read More

Global Chic at the 2017 Kips Bay Decorator Show House
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

Global Chic at the 2017 Kips Bay Decorator Show House

Continuing our look at the 2017 Kips Bay Decorator Show House, we go upstairs to Nick Olsen‘s stylish Salon du Beau… Read More

First Look 45th Kips Bay Decorator Show House
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design

First Look 45th Kips Bay Decorator Show House

Opening on May 2, the 45th Kips Bay Decorator Show House brings the creativity of eighteen top designers and architects to… Read More

Setting the Table with Marian McEvoy – A New Video Series
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design, Video

Setting the Table with Marian McEvoy – A New Video Series

Regular readers know my longstanding love of tabletop so I am especially thrilled to announce the debut of a new… Read More

Cabana Magazine for Paperless Post
Art & Antiques, Design

Cabana Magazine for Paperless Post

Martina Mondadori, founder and editor-in-chief of Cabana Magazine has been very busy. Immediately on the heels of the magazine’s creative collaboration with Caesarstone… Read More

Where Art Tells the Story
Art & Antiques, Travel

Where Art Tells the Story

When writing the art of trompe l’oeil piece last week, my research took me full circle to a firm I have been… Read More

At Home with Susanna Salk and Hunt Slonem
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

At Home with Susanna Salk and Hunt Slonem

There are few places where inspiration and art are so fluidly connected as in the former Chelsea loft of Hunt… Read More

The Art of Trompe l’Oeil in Sicily
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

The Art of Trompe l’Oeil in Sicily

In the May Architectural Digest, Mitch Owens’ engaging story on the Sicilian Palazzo di Lorenzo Castelluccio details the remarkable lengths the… Read More

One Kings Lane Connecticut House
Art & Antiques, Design, Food and drink, Interior design

One Kings Lane Connecticut House

Welcome to a refreshing new notion in residential retail. Taking the show house concept to the next level, the One Kings Lane Connecticut… 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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