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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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Design

Pouenat
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design, Travel

The Art of Iron at Pouenat

Established in 1880 as a ferronnier, Pouenat has continued to stay relevant and thrive by embracing their heritage while collaborating… Read More

Marie Christophe, Guerlain and Cour des Senteurs
Art & Antiques, Beauty, Gifts, Interior design, Travel

Marie Christophe, Guerlain and Cour des Senteurs

As Paris is only two weeks away, I thought it was an opportune time to write about the amazing confluence… Read More

Tilton Fenwick Sissy
Design, Interior design

Tilton Fenwick for Duralee Fabrics

I have known the Tilton Fenwick design team of Suysel DePedro Cunningham and Anne Maxwell Foster almost since the beginning of… Read More

paris in snow
Books, Travel

This Year, Change Your Mind

Illustration by Valero Doval for the NY Times Now that it is a fresh new year, many are thinking of… Read More

Video thumbnail for youtube video 2sk2kbi3ymi
Interior design

Dogs and Their Designers Video

When Susanna and I thought we might like to do a year end video celebrating dogs and their designers (as… Read More

aerin lauder new year’s lunch
Food and drink, Holiday, Interior design

Rustic Chic New Year’s Lunch with Aerin Lauder

Attending elaborate parties thrown by her legendary grandmother, Estée Lauder, certainly influenced Aerin Lauder’s entertaining style. And tempered by her… Read More

Stephen Sills Decoration
Art & Antiques, Books, Design, Holiday, Interior design

Design Books Round Up

Although I started this fall with the best intentions, I somehow never managed to finish writing about the overwhelming number… Read More

JAR books
Art & Antiques, Fashion, Jewelry

JAR at the Met

Not only is the JAR exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum the first US retrospective of jewelry designer Joel A. Rosenthal’s… Read More

Oberkampf Fleurs Tropicales et Palmiers
Art & Antiques, Interior design

Interwoven Globe and JAR at the Met

As many of you head into the city for a holiday visit, I would encourage you to make a stop… Read More

P1180606
Art & Antiques, Holiday, Interior design

Art at the 2013 Holiday House Finale

As the snow was falling yesterday, I was reminded of designer Darrin Varden‘s chic Winter Solstice lounge at the 2013… Read More

Peter Drayton Coffee Table
Art & Antiques, Interior design

Art at Holiday House NYC Continued

Proving that small spaces can have big impact, Patrick Hamilton imbued his tiny Holiday House NYC room with mansion-sized luxe… Read More

Mindy Shapero
Art & Antiques, Design, Holiday, Interior design

Holiday House Art Continued

Inspiration can sprout from surprising places. The spark for Susanna Salk‘s Holiday House room was triggered by stylist Caroline Sieber’s… Read More

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Some people never seem to run out of ideas. Design Some people never seem to run out of ideas. Designer @maxsinsteden is one of them!

Tag along with me and @susannasalk as we visit Max at his wonderfully inventive Rhode Island cottage.
From clever custom details and ingenious decorating solutions to extraordinary collections and plenty of personality, Max has created a house that’s as elegant as it is relaxed. And he’s wonderfully generous about sharing the thinking behind it all.

Trust me, there are plenty of ideas worth stealing!
Watch the full episode on Quintessence and YouTube. LINK IN PROFILE.
Bridging the seasons with soft pink and amber, a b Bridging the seasons with soft pink and amber, a bevy of dahlias and beautiful hand blown Brume de Verre glasses from @ascherparis
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.
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