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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
    • 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
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Interior design

Carolyne Roehm Watercolors at Mecox
Art & Antiques, Interior design

Carolyne Roehm Watercolors at Mecox

Carolyne Roehm has proved herself in the atelier with a fashion collection, at home with beautiful interiors, in the garden, behind… Read More

stag-on-silver-warming-stand-in-christies-sale-1
Holiday, Interior design, Jewelry

Setting a Holiday Table with Christie’s

Designer Alex Papachristidis and I share a love of tabletop so we were delighted when several weeks ago Christie’s asked if… Read More

At Home with Susanna Salk and Mark D. Sikes
Interior design, Travel

At Home with Susanna Salk and Mark D. Sikes

Those of you who follow Mark D. Sikes on his popular blog and Instagram feed know that he is all… Read More

First Peek Holiday House NY 2016
Interior design

First Peek Holiday House NY 2016

It was one of those weeks of best intentions. I had hoped, among other posts, to bring you a fuller… Read More

Rooms with a View 2016
Interior design

Rooms with a View 2016

This weekend marked the 22nd edition of one of Connecticut’s favorite design events with Rooms with a View 2016. Originally conceived by… Read More

At Home with Susanna Salk and Ken Fulk
Art & Antiques, Books, Design, Interior design, Travel

At Home with Susanna Salk and Ken Fulk

Memorable experiences are all about the story and for Ken Fulk, no matter what the project, there’s always a story in… Read More

Dialogues on Design
Interior design

Dialogues on Design

For the past three years, the New York School of Interior Design has offered a series of talks moderated by… Read More

Ralph Lauren Home Spring 2017
Interior design

Ralph Lauren Home Spring 2017

Twice a year, Ralph Lauren Home transforms their expansive Chelsea headquarters into livable vignettes to showcase their latest collections. Last month I visited… Read More

Out and About from Christie’s to Castaing
Art & Antiques, Books, Design, Interior design, Jewelry

Out and About from Christie’s to Castaing

Now in the full throttle of fall, it is always a challenge to visit all the wonderful events, openings and introductions… Read More

Peter Hone Collection at Christie’s Interiors Sale
Art & Antiques, Interior design

Peter Hone Collection at Christie’s Interiors Sale

Of all the auctions this month, none could be more charming than the Christie’s Interiors Sale of the Hone Collection in… Read More

Schumacher x Cabana
Architecture, Design, Interior design, Travel

Schumacher x Cabana

Twice a year design aficionados in the know anxiously await the arrival of the new Cabana Magazine. Not only do… Read More

At Home with Susanna Salk and Katie Ridder and Peter Pennoyer
Architecture, Books, Design, Garden, Interior design

At Home with Susanna Salk and Katie Ridder and Peter Pennoyer

Husband and wife, architect and interior designer, California girl and New York City boy. This combination wouldn’t necessarily bode well for… 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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