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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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Design

Currey and Co Quintessa chandelier detail
Interior design

Introducing Quintessa

It’s a busy week in the design world. I spent the day yesterday previewing new tabletop introductions at Forty One… Read More

CetraRuddy overhead
Design, Food and drink, Holiday, Interior design

Bilotta and Bernardaud At the Table

Last week Bilotta Kitchens and Bernardaud, the 5th generation French porcelain company, co-sponsored the second annual Art of the Table… Read More

de Gournay Willow
Design, Interior design, Travel

De Gournay at Home in New York

The mere mention of the name de Gournay instantly conjures up images of timeless elegance, of exquisite hand painted wall… Read More

The Shops at Target
Design, Fashion, Interior design

Made in the U.S.A. Cachet

For those of you who are as enamored of the Wall Street Journal’s Off Duty Saturday section as I, you… Read More

wall of champions
Design, Interior design

Fun Design Finds for the Younger Set

Due to some technical difficulties, my post planned for today didn’t come together, so instead I thought I would share… Read More

YHuh.SheanOct’11_JMH9304
Architecture, Design, Interior design

A New Old Kitchen by Young Huh in House Beautiful

One of my favorite sections in House Beautiful is the Kitchen of the Month. So when I heard a project… Read More

Gil Schafer collage
Architecture, Books, Design, Interior design

Gil Schafer The Great American House

Writing about architect Gil Schafer is always a pleasure. The occasion is frequently because I’ve spied a new project on his… Read More

Kensett Piper House girl’s vignette
Architecture, Design, Interior design

Lynn Morgan Design at Kensett Part Two

The second model house Lynn Morgan Design decorated at Kensett, Piper, is created for more formal entertaining. With a proper… Read More

Girl’s-bedroom-in-Norwood-Kensett-unit
Architecture, Design, Interior design

Lynn Morgan at Kensett

When I heard that designer Lynn Morgan had decorated the model homes at Kensett, a new local luxury condo development,… Read More

Ambiente-Club
Design, Travel

Italo | Chic Train Travel in Italy

Train travel is not what it used to be here in the states. When I was little, my mother, sister… Read More

Trove-walllpapers-
Design, Interior design

Trove Wallpaper Collection for KnollTextiles

Trove wallpaper has been on my radar for quite some time. Founders Jee Levin and Randall Buck’s creative and innovative wallcovering… Read More

umbrella & silver house trap
Fashion, Gifts, Jewelry

Simon Teakle | A Gem of a Jewel Box

Simon Teakle‘s new shop is truly a gem of a jewel box. On one of Greenwich, CT’s tiniest charming side streets,… 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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