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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

Voce di
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

Voce di and New Voices

There is a new voice in luxury lifestyle in New York City. Last week I had the opportunity to visit… Read More

Video thumbnail for vimeo video 44220199
Art & Antiques, Design, Gifts, Interior design

Celebrating Local Talent at Pimlico

I am lucky to live in an area where so much talent abounds. Last week New Canaan, CT shop Pimlico… Read More

Veranda-July-August-2012-cover
Architecture, Design, Interior design

Nick Olsen Knows It’s All About the Mix

Even before Nick Olsen received official Rising Star status from the IFDA (International Furnishings and Design Association) last fall, he was… Read More

Mrs. John Strong luxury stationery
Design, Gifts

Mrs. John Strong – Continuing the Legacy

In 1929, Flora Strong opened her eponymous stationery business that was to become the preferred source of luxury papers to such… Read More

In the Garden by Stacy Bass
Books, Design, Garden

In the Garden with Stacy Bass

If you are a reader of such local upscale Connecticut magazines as athome, Greenwich or Westport Magazines, or national publications… Read More

Chris Isles & SHeila Bridges
Architecture, Design, Interior design

ELLE DECOR Presents its New A-List at Baccarat

The beautiful new Baccarat showroom in the D&D Building was the elegant setting Wednesday evening for the third annual ELLE… Read More

Axor Bouroullec combinations
Design, Interior design

Feel Free to Compose: Axor Bouroullec

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are not your average designers. In Anniina Koivu’s monograph on the French design team, she compares… Read More

Christopher Coleman master bedroom
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

Thank you ELLE DECOR: My Pick from The Modern Life Concept House

Thank you to ELLE DECOR for including me in their “Great Ideas from the Modern Life Concept House” piece online…. Read More

Pauline de Rothschild by Louise Dahl-Wolfe
Art & Antiques, Fashion, Interior design

Style Knows No Age: Iris Apfel at Sotheby’s

If ever there was an example of the value of staying true to one’s vision, Iris Apfel is certainly it!… Read More

Kevin Kleinmann at the Financial Times Luxury Summit
Design, Entertainment, Fashion

Learning From the The Financial Times Business of Luxury Summit

Taking a break from our “regularly scheduled programming,” yesterday I got hooked watching the live twitter stream of the London… Read More

Ken Fulk bathrooms in his Provincetown, MA house
Design, Interior design

Sprucing up a Summer Space

Now that Memorial Day has officially passed, many will be making the weekly Friday night trek to weekend homes and… Read More

Haus Interiors vignette at Elle Decor Modern Life Concept House
Design, Interior design

Bringing it Home from Blogfest

What a wild style ride the last few weeks have been. While there is much to report, there are a… 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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