One Kings Lane Connecticut House

Posted on April 2, 2017 by Stacey Bewkes   •   7 Comments

One Kings Lane Connecticut House

Welcome to a refreshing new notion in residential retail. Taking the show house concept to the next level, the One Kings Lane Connecticut House is not only shoppable but happens to be the actual New Canaan, CT home of OKL president Debbie Propst.  Nicole Fisher of the brand’s in-house design division, The Studio at One Kings Lane, worked with Debbie to update the house with a great mix of vintage finds and over 175 products from the site.

Combining Debbie’s personal style with the practical needs of a young family of four, they also included pieces from the One Kings Lane Collection, such as the Ramona Secretary Desk, below.…

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A Busy Week in Design

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Stacey Bewkes   •   2 Comments

A Busy Week in Design

For those who follow along on Instagram, I had the best intentions of posting the full tour of One Kings Lane President Debbie Propst’s lovely New Canaan, CT home today but with this being an incredible busy week in design, with one more full day to go as I write, there just wasn’t a second to spare. So today, enjoy a quick overview of what I’ve seen and I promise to be back with the new OKL piece ASAP!

Tuesday marked the opening of Bunny Williams Home’s beautiful Flowers Through Art show which you can read about here if you missed.…

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Flowers Through Art at Bunny Williams Home

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Stacey Bewkes   •   10 Comments

Flowers Through Art at Bunny Williams Home

Deborah Needleman began her Sign of the Times piece in last week’s T Magazine Design issue, “This country is in the midst of a floral revolution.” And while she was referring to the new natural sensibility in flower arrangements (see my piece on Foraged Flora), it also applies to a wider range of artistic endeavors. Florals in fashion is certainly not new but this season in particular saw a plethora of designers embracing the concept.

all photos via vogue.com

From (l to r) Alessandro Michele’s maximalist vision at Gucci to Carolina Herrera’s modern feminine classics to the florals-meet-sportswear collection from new Ferragamo designer Fulvio Rigoni, or the floral motifs within relaxed silhouettes at Victoria Beckham, florals covered the runway!…

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NYBG 2017 Orchid Show

Posted on March 26, 2017 by Stacey Bewkes   •   8 Comments

NYBG 2017 Orchid Show

This spring, the 2017 Orchid Show celebrates its 15th year at the New York Botanical Garden with a focus on the the culture, history and of course orchids of Thailand. This southeast Asian country is home to more than 1,200 orchid species, one of the largest and most diverse in the world.

With its warm and humid climate spanning many ecological zones, a wide variety of orchids have evolved to survive in each region, although most prolific in the cool mountain forests in the north.

The center dome of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory features the crowning element of the exhibition, a large arched Thai style pavilion covered with hundreds of cascading orchids, shown from front and back above.…

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The Orchid Show – Thailand

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Stacey Bewkes   •   3 Comments

The Orchid Show – Thailand

I’ve just returned from a marvelous evening at the NYBG Orchid Show – Thailand. I’ll be back with more about the show and additional photos, but in the meantime, enjoy a peek at the lush and exotic splendor of this annual event.

photos by Stacey Bewkes for Quintessence
…

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DIFFA Dining by Design 2017

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Stacey Bewkes   •   9 Comments

DIFFA Dining by Design 2017

On Monday evening Dining by Design 2017 marked the 20th anniversary of DIFFA‘s (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) landmark event, bringing together brands and designers to help raise awareness, support and funds for the fight against HIV/AIDS. It’s always inspiring to see the inventive installations created for this special evening. Ralph Lauren is one of this year’s sponsors who has supported Dining by Design almost from its inception in 1984, along with Crate and Barrel, Benjamin Moore, The New York Design Center and the Rockwell Group.

Inspired by their Spring 2017 Grand Plage collection, Ralph Lauren Home’s installation recalled the retro chic of classic French resorts.…

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The Stickwork of Patrick Dougherty

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Stacey Bewkes   •   8 Comments

The Stickwork of Patrick Dougherty

Travel always yields delightful discoveries and my trip last week was no exception. An unseasonable cold spell in Virginia and North Carolina made our spring-like last day even more enjoyable. Inspired to take a brief walk after arriving early on the beautiful Duke University campus, I ambled across the bridge overlooking the South Lawn. There in the meadow of the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, I was instantly mesmerized by a group of enormous structures, resembling a Stonehenge-like statement in woven twigs. I’m not sure how the amazing work of sculptor Patrick Dougherty had escaped me until then, but happily, a volunteer gardener who was weeding nearby enlightened me.…

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Thought for the Day

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Stacey Bewkes   •   10 Comments

Thought for the Day

After a spring break week of college touring with my youngest (hence my absence here), I returned home, as we all do from travels near and far, with a somewhat refreshed and inspired eye (somewhat in that my daily sites were primarily academic institutions). In catching up here at home, I had many ideas that didn’t necessarily merit in-depth posts so I am thinking I may institute a short new weekly piece, Thought for the Day. This is not intended to be profound or radically thought provoking, rather merely a notion I feel captures the essence of something in the air.…

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Architectural Digest Gets a New Look

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Stacey Bewkes   •   14 Comments

Architectural Digest Gets a New Look

It’s not often that I write about recently published magazines or share new stories (unless I am lucky enough to be offered a sneak peek), but the fresh new redesign of Architectural Digest appearing in the April issue is worthy to note.

The past several months have seen a fresh breeze sweep through the pages, with the introduction of stylish new fonts and airy layouts. But this month Architectural Digest takes on a new face with the  launch of AD as the official moniker.

 photo: Douglas Friedman

The cover, like many of the stories in this issue traditionally filled with designers’ own homes, is fresh and unapologetically idiosyncratic.…

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Signature Spaces by Paolo Moschino & Philip Vergeylen

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Stacey Bewkes   •   8 Comments

Signature Spaces by Paolo Moschino & Philip Vergeylen

“Style is a simple way of saying complicated things.” Jean Cocteau’s perceptive aphorism opens Signature Spaces with a taste of what it is to come. Among the beautiful images of Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen‘s work and inspiration, the designers/authors have let the wit and wisdom of past luminaries shed light on their concepts, ideals and process of beauty, interiors and the well lived life.

The subtitle, “Well-Traveled Interiors” refers not only to their projects around the globe with a “United Nations” client list, but their international backgrounds (Paolo is Italian and Philip, Belgian), love of travel and how it all comes together in their varied and sophisticated spaces.…

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