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Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

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Quintessence provides exclusive insider access to top designers and tastemakers at home around the world. Tag along with Quintessence founder Stacey Bewkes and series host Susanna Salk for the most inspiring interiors, design and style. You'll feel like you're right there with us! Subscribe so you never miss a thing!
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At Home in Los Angeles with Richard Shapiro
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Garden, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Los Angeles with Richard Shapiro

Enter Richard Shapiro‘s extraordinary home and it’s difficult to believe you are in the center of Los Angeles. Created with… Read More

At Home in Connecticut with One Kings Lane President Debbie Propst
Interior design, Video

At Home in Connecticut with One Kings Lane President Debbie Propst

One Kings Lane President Debbie Propst walks the walk. During the day she works to make OKL a desired design… Read More

At Home on Nantucket with Gary McBournie
Art & Antiques, Interior design, Nantucket, Travel, Video

At Home on Nantucket with Gary McBournie

Drive up to designer Gary McBournie‘s charming Nantucket home and you are greeted by an enormous green privet hedge punctuated… Read More

Arriving in Style with Quintessence
Interior design, Video

Arriving in Style with Quintessence

Over the course of the year, Susanna and I are always busy filming design friends across the country and around… Read More

At Home in New York City with Frank de Biasi
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design, Video

At Home in New York City with Frank de Biasi

In a bland box of a lower Park Avenue pre-war, designer Frank de Biasi and partner, fashion and textile designer… Read More

At Home and at RW Guild with Roman and Williams
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design, Video

At Home and at RW Guild with Roman and Williams

It’s challenging to describe the style of Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch – the celebrated design duo behind Roman and… Read More

End of an Era – Madeline Weinrib is Closing Shop
Interior design, Video

End of an Era – Madeline Weinrib is Closing Shop

So many of us involved in the world of design were saddened to learn that Madeline Weinrib is closing shop…. Read More

Setting the Table with Charlotte Moss
Books, Entertaining, Gifts, Interior design, Tabletop, Video

Setting the Table with Charlotte Moss

Charlotte Moss is not only a celebrated decorator and prolific author but a consummate and creative hostess. And although the… Read More

At Home in Los Angeles With Lulu Powers
Design, Food and drink, Garden, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Los Angeles With Lulu Powers

While celebrity chef and author Lulu Powers is primarily known for her entertaining expertise, her creativity known no bounds. With… Read More

At Home and in the Office with Miles Redd
Design, Interior design, Video

At Home and in the Office with Miles Redd

With a love of timeless style from fashion to film, a deep knowledge of design and decorative arts and an… Read More

Setting the Table with Bunny Williams
Garden, Interior design, Video

Setting the Table with Bunny Williams

Celebrated interior designer Bunny Williams is known not only for her stunning interiors but refreshing and authentic approach to gracious living…. Read More

At Home in the Country with Gil Schafer Video
Architecture, Garden, Interior design, Video

At Home in the Country with Gil Schafer Video

I first became familiar with architect Gil Schafer when his own country home in upstate New York, Middlefield, was published… Read More

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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.
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!!
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