Skip to content
  • Articles
    • Design
      • Architecture
      • Art & Antiques
      • Books
      • Garden
      • Gifts
      • Interior design
    • Entertainment
      • Entertaining
      • Food and drink
      • Holiday
      • Tabletop
    • Style
      • Fashion
      • Jewelry
    • Travel
      • Nantucket
    • At Home on Paros with Ceramic Artist Todd Marshard
  • Shop
    • Home & Decor
      • Accessories
      • Antiques
      • Art
      • Lighting
      • Trays
    • Tableware
      • Baskets
      • Glassware
      • Linens
      • Flatware
      • Plates
    • Fashion
      • Bags
      • Clothing
      • Jewelry
    • Exclusives
      • Tableware
      • Fashion
      • Home & Decor
    • Cupola Placemat – Marigold
  • Video
    • Exclusive insider tours visiting top designers and tastemakers at home around the world
      VIEW ALL
    • At Home on Paros with Ceramic Artist Todd Marshard
    • At Home in Charleston with Michael Mitchell
    • At Home with Laura Kirar and Richard Frazier in Yucatan, Mexico
    • At Home with designer Pierre Gonalons in his jewelbox Paris apartment
Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

  • Books
    • Books that I have collaborated on, as photographer, with design author Susanna Salk
      VIEW ALL
    • 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
  • About
  • Articles
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Books
  • About

Design

Video thumbnail for youtube video lb3oeaemml8
Architecture, Design, Entertainment, Interior design

Dark Shadows

I knew it would happen eventually. With the vampire mania of the last few years, it was just a matter of… Read More

Studio Peregalli home on Lake maggiore
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Books, Design, Interior design

The Invention of the Past

I received many beautiful design and coffee table books for Christmas this year (a few admittedly from me to me)…. Read More

Walton Ford print at Peter Fasano’s house
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design, Travel

Road Trip: Peter Fasano

I have long been a fan of Peter Fasano‘s appealing fabrics and wallpapers, so when designer friend Mally Skok (below)… Read More

Gilliard Fendant wine
Design, Fashion, Food and drink, Travel

Fancy Some Fondue?

It’s been a slow reentry after the holidays here. I’d become accustomed to the kids’ schedule – late nights playing… Read More

William Yeoward Bunny Champagne Flute
Food and drink, Gifts, Holiday, Interior design

Coupe or Flute?

This is the age old champagne dilemma – coupe, flute or tulip! Last year I wrote about Seth Box, director… Read More

Quintessence blog Christmas table
Design, Entertainment, Holiday, Interior design

Merry Christmas

As some of you know, I’ve been obsessing over tartan this fall and I am thrilled that I finally have… Read More

Dale May’s X-Ray Trooper Lightbox in his Lego Star Wars show at the Samuel Owen gallery in Greenwich, CT
Art & Antiques

Dale May: Lego Star Wars at Samuel Owen

It’s no secret here that I love Legos. And clearly so does photographer Dale May. What a fun evening I… Read More

paris-apartment-design-ideas-deniot-0511-01
Architecture, Interior design

Thank You Elle Decor – My Favorite Space

Yesterday Elle Decor featured 30 design insiders’ picks for their favorite ELLE Decor Rooms of 2011. I was thrilled to… Read More

Verdura Lily Bracelet
Books, Fashion, Gifts, Holiday, Jewelry

Verdura Splendor

Only a handful of jewelry companies today can claim a legacy rich in history and design. Verdura is among them… Read More

Grande Singerie by Christophe Huet in the Petit Chateau at Chantilly
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Design, Fashion, Interior design

Exotic Taste

It is almost impossible to have an interest in interiors and the decorative arts and not be fascinated by Chinoiserie… Read More

Books, Design, Gifts, Holiday, Travel

Traveler’s Tips and Treats Redux

I didn’t get a chance to finish the post I had planned for today so I am reissuing some handy… Read More

Irene Neuwirth Jewelry
Design, Fashion, Jewelry

Neuwirth’s Natural Beauty

Irene Neuwirth‘s statement jewelry has major IT girl appeal. Ever since college when she started dabbling with beaded jewelry as… Read More

Posts navigation

Older Posts Older Posts
Newer Posts Newer Posts
Illustration of camera

Follow

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.
August, stay a while. August, stay a while.
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.
© 2026 Quintessence Design LLC
Site design by The Beaux Arts Digital
FAQ & Shipping Terms of Use Privacy Policy
X Illustration of hand
Never Miss A Post
Get insider access to the most inspiring and informative design stories straight to your inbox. Satisfy your style curiosity, quench your sophisticated shopping thirst and scratch your discerning need-to-know itch - sign up so you never miss a thing.