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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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    • Making a House a Home: Designing Your Interiors from the Floor Up
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Interior design

Spring 2017 Tabletop Market
Design, Food and drink, Gifts, Interior design

Spring 2017 Tabletop Market

While many of the products I am sharing from the Spring 2017 Tabletop Market at 41 Madison won’t be available… Read More

First Peek at Spring Tabletop Market
Interior design

First Peek at Spring Tabletop Market

While it may barely be spring, the Spring 2017 Tabletop Market at 41 Madison is gearing up for fall. Tuesday… 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

A Busy Week in Design
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design

A Busy Week in Design

For those who follow along on Instagram, I had the best intentions of posting the full tour of One Kings… Read More

Flowers Through Art at Bunny Williams Home
Art & Antiques, Interior design

Flowers Through Art at Bunny Williams Home

Deborah Needleman began her Sign of the Times piece in last week’s T Magazine Design issue, “This country is in… Read More

DIFFA Dining by Design 2017
Interior design

DIFFA Dining by Design 2017

On Monday evening Dining by Design 2017 marked the 20th anniversary of DIFFA‘s (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) landmark event,… Read More

Thought for the Day
Design, Interior design

Thought for the Day

After a spring break week of college touring with my youngest (hence my absence here), I returned home, as we… Read More

Architectural Digest Gets a New Look
Design, Interior design

Architectural Digest Gets a New Look

It’s not often that I write about recently published magazines or share new stories (unless I am lucky enough to be… Read More

Signature Spaces by Paolo Moschino & Philip Vergeylen
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Books, Design, Interior design

Signature Spaces by Paolo Moschino & Philip Vergeylen

“Style is a simple way of saying complicated things.” Jean Cocteau’s perceptive aphorism opens Signature Spaces with a taste of what… Read More

Sneak Peek – Soane Spring 2017 Launch
Interior design

Sneak Peek – Soane Spring 2017 Launch

As we all avidly anticipate the arrival of spring, we can also look forward to the hatching of new collections…. Read More

At Home with Susanna Salk and Sara Ruffin Costello
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design, Travel

At Home with Susanna Salk and Sara Ruffin Costello

As the founding Creative Director of the original beloved Domino magazine, Sara Ruffin Costello proved she knew a thing or… Read More

Renovation Inspiration
Architecture, Interior design

Renovation Inspiration

While we all juggle our lives with multiple projects and activities in the works, this was a week particularly full of multitasking so… 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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