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Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

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Architecture

Nantucket by Design 2023
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Decorative Arts, Design, Garden, Interior design, Jewelry, Nantucket, Style, Travel

Nantucket by Design 2023

I am honored to again co-chair, with Olivia Charney, Nantucket by Design, the premier summer fundraiser for the island’s largest… Read More

At Home in Paris with Pierre Sauvage
Architecture, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Paris with Pierre Sauvage

While designer, shop owner and author Pierre Sauvage was only vaguely considering moving to a new apartment in Paris, little… Read More

At Home in Paris with Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani
Antiques, Architecture, Art & Antiques, Decorative Arts, Design, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Paris with Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani

Jamie Creel and partner Marco Scarani are men of sophistication and refinement, whose world travels and global collections inform their… Read More

At Home with Sophie Sutton in her Manhattan Townhouse
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design, Video

At Home with Sophie Sutton in her Manhattan Townhouse

When designer Sophie Sutton and her husband purchased their 19th century Manhattan townhouse around six years ago, it was in… Read More

At Home with Fawn Galli in her 1810 Brooklyn Brownstone
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design, Video

At Home with Fawn Galli in her 1810 Brooklyn Brownstone

While interior designer Fawn Galli’s previous home was only a few blocks away (see our video visit there), she couldn’t… Read More

At Home in Milan with Nicolo Castellini Baldissera
Architecture, Books, Design, Interior design, Style, Travel, Video

At Home in Milan with Nicolo Castellini Baldissera

Three years ago, after decades living in London, Paris, Switzerland, the United States and Tangier, designer Nicolo Castellini Baldissera finally… Read More

Introducing Virtual Postcard
Architecture, Food and drink, Style, Travel, Video

Introducing Virtual Postcard

We are excited to announce a new video series, Virtual Postcard. So many of you viewers have said you love… Read More

At Home in Connecticut with Bruce Glickman and Wilson Henley
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design, Video

At Home in Connecticut with Bruce Glickman and Wilson Henley

For years, Bruce Glickman and Wilson Henley owned Duane, the well respected Tribeca outpost specializing in mid century furniture, escaping… Read More

At Home in San Miguel de Allende with Jeffry Weisman and Andrew Fisher
Architecture, Garden, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in San Miguel de Allende with Jeffry Weisman and Andrew Fisher

When San Francisco based designers Jeffry Weisman and Andrew Fisher first came to San Miguel de Allende in 2011, they… Read More

At Home in Millbrook with Darren Henault
Architecture, Books, Garden, Interior design, Style, Video

At Home in Millbrook with Darren Henault

When designer Darren Henault and husband Michael Bassett went in search of a weekend house for their family, they knew… Read More

At Home in Scotland with Katharine Pooley
Architecture, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Scotland with Katharine Pooley

Renowned British interior designer Katharine Pooley is not one to shy away from a challenge. She is an intrepid explorer,… Read More

At Home with Designers and Tastemakers
Architecture, Books, Interior design

At Home with Designers and Tastemakers

Little did we know, when Susanna Salk and I first embarked on our video collaboration nine years ago, where and… Read More

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40 years ❤️ 40 years ❤️
A magical retreat on Paros. There’s something so c A magical retreat on Paros. There’s something so compelling about the home of an artist and collector and @toddmarshard’s is as distinctive and personal as his work @Marshard.Paros . The ceramic artist has filled his stunning home with art and collections gathered over a lifetime. Our latest At Home With is now live - LINK IN PROFILE

Architecture: ALONI | Architects — Elena Terzi @iaveria & Dimitris Popotas
Nantucket baskets are suddenly everywhere this sum Nantucket baskets are suddenly everywhere this summer — filling Instagram feeds, appearing in the pages of The New York Times and garnering attention in publications around the world. Coveted by collectors and a whole new generation of enthusiasts, these iconic baskets are having an undeniable moment. Yet behind all the current excitement is a fascinating story of history, tradition, ingenuity and exceptional craftsmanship.

Five years ago, I had the privilege of making this film with @Mary_emery_design, Director of Heritage Craft for the @nantuckethistoricalassociation , exploring the history and evolution of Nantucket lightship baskets through the people who know them best. We visited master basket makers Karl and Susan Ottison, Tim Parsons and Nap Plank, and heard about legendary maker José Reyes from his son-in-law, Maurice Gibbs. We also spent time with Nantucket scrimshander Michael Vienneau, whose work illustrates another chapter in the continuing evolution of the basket.

The film was made at the time the Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum became affiliated with the Nantucket Historical Association, bringing its extraordinary collection — and the stories and traditions it represents — into the care of the NHA.

With Nantucket baskets now capturing the attention of an entirely new audience, it seemed the perfect time to revisit the film and celebrate the remarkable makers, history and craftsmanship behind this enduring Nantucket tradition.

Watch the full film at the link in bio.
August, stay a while. August, stay a while.
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.
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