Quintessence

Happy Memorial Day

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes • 7 Comments

Wishing everyone a very happy Memorial Day! While this weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, it was also a bittersweet personal moment as my youngest graduated from high school.

The whole crew flew in to celebrate and it was great to acknowledge this landmark moment (our final day – after 16 years – at the school all my kids attended) together as a family.

And while we celebrate commencements and the coming season, let us also recognize who this holiday commemorates and take a moment to remember those who sacrificed their lives serving our country.

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72 Hours in France!

Posted on May 20, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes • 10 Comments

As mentioned in my last post, I spent 72 hours in France this week with Susanna Salk, filming two new video episodes. We were so incredibly lucky with the weather – a little rain on one day and the rest was what we all imagine as the proverbial springtime in Paris! Our home away from home for the week, and the subject for one of our upcoming videos, was designer Timothy Corrigan‘s stylish Paris apartment – the view from my bedroom, below.

On our first day, we all made an outing to the Picasso museum to see the latest exhibits.…

Posted in architecture, art, furniture, garden, interior design, travel | Tagged France, French Chateaux, interior design, Paris, Timothy Corrigan, Travel | 10 Comments

Catching Up Out and About

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes • 11 Comments

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind and while I am just about on my way to Paris (more about that in a minute), I wanted to spend a moment catching up a bit. I’m sure many of you have been watching the record breaking Rockefeller auction at Christie’s. The incredible sales total of $832.6 million set 22 world auction records in all including the highest total for a private collection in history, and the most significant charitable auction ever held. Every single item sold. (You can see my tour of the auction preview with Susanna here.)

Some of the individual records were – the highest ever for a Matisse – $80,750,000 for the Odalisque, above and the record for a Monet – $84,687,500 for the Nymphéas en fleur, below.…

Posted in art, auctions, Christie's, interior design | Tagged auctions, Christie's, interior design, Peggy and David Rockefeller collection | 11 Comments

At Home and at RW Guild with Roman and Williams

Posted on May 6, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes • 9 Comments

It’s challenging to describe the style of Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch – the celebrated design duo behind Roman and Williams. Their work encompasses everything from set design (where they met, on the production team for Michael Tolkin’s “The New Age” in 1992) to high end residential interiors for such notable clients as Ben Stiller and Gwyneth Paltrow to a myriad of stylish hotels and restaurants as well as the new British Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum opening next year. And now there is Roman and Williams Guild, their first brick and mortar venture – a lifestyle adventure thoughtfully conceived and curated by the couple.…

Posted in art, At Home with, design, furniture, interior design, Stylish Shopping, video | Tagged At Home with, home tour, interior design, Lalique, Roman and Williams, Romand and Williams Guild, RW Guild, Video | 9 Comments

Bow Wow Blitz

Posted on May 5, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes • 3 Comments

For all of you in the Boston area, Susanna and I will be participating in a fun event at the Boston Design Center this Wednesday, May 9th. As part of the design center’s Spring Showcase, the Bow Wow Blitz is a dog extravaganza benefitting Second Chance, a local no-kill animal shelter.

We will be speaking at 4 pm in the Ann Sacks showroom, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the making of At Home with Dogs and Their Designers: Sharing a Stylish Life.

Below, Susanna subbing in for Kelly Wearstler’s rescue dog Willie as I planned the shot

and the final with Willie in place.…

Posted in books, design, interior design | Tagged At home with Dogs and Their Designers, Boston Design Center, Bow Wow Blitz, dogs and their designers, interior design, Peter Fasano | 3 Comments

Final Look – 2018 Kips Bay Show House

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes • 7 Comments

Today we start our final look at the 2018 Kips Bay Show House on the fourth floor with Alexa Hampton‘s living room, aptly titled Olympia’s Folly. It’s no secret that Alexa has a long standing love for the classics from Greco Roman antiquities to neoclassic art and architecture (watch At Home with Alexa Hampton for more evidence). Here she references the tradition of campaign tents, collaborating with Chuck Fischer and De Gournay on a faux draped ceiling and walls.

The most brilliant conceit is on the opposite wall where faux painted drapes are pulled back by ropes to reveal a scene of Greek temples, an idealized Acropolis of Alexa’s dreams.…

Posted in art, design, furniture, interior design | Tagged interior design, Kips Bay, Kips Bay decorator show house, Kips Bay Show house | 7 Comments

Kips Bay Decorator Show House 2018 – Part II

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes • 11 Comments

Walk up to the second floor of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House 2018 edition and you are met with designer Sasha Bikoff‘s smashingly ebullient staircase. With a color and pattern fantasy inspired by Ettore Sottsass’ Memphis movement, the combination of custom Rug Company carpets with friend George Venson’s Voutsa wallpapers is a mind boggling act of masterful coordination.

Not only did Sasha further prove her design chops by completing all her pattern picks in a single day, but dedicated her “technicolor dream” to the kids of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club who she hoped would appreciate the creative energy her space emanates.…

Posted in art, design, furniture, interior design | Tagged designer show house, interior design, Kips Bay decorator show house, Kips Bay Show house | 11 Comments

First Look – 2018 Kips Bay Decorator Show House

Posted on April 29, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes • 8 Comments

Tomorrow marks the opening of the 2018 Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Now in its 46th year, the annual event benefits the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, a wonderful organization which provides after school and enrichment programs for New York City children. This year, the show house is an inspiring mix of 22 returning and new designers.

Michael Herold‘s stylish foyer is a transportive welcome, anchored by a lush Iksel wallcovering played against a crisp black and white Schumacher stripe to keep it fresh.

It was the perfect segue into Dan Fink‘s handsome stair hall space. With the beautiful wrought iron balustrade as inspiration, he worked with Gracie on a graphic wall treatment that walks the line between classic and modern.…

Posted in architecture, art, interior design | Tagged interior design, Kips Bay, Kips Bay decorator show house, Kips Bay Show house | 8 Comments

Housing Works 2018 Design on a Dime

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes • 8 Comments

The 2018 Design on a Dime, one of the most popular design events in the New York community, opens tonight. Benefiting Housing Works‘ programs for homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, the annual event features more than 50 designers who create rooms with donated merchandise, then sold for 50- 70% off retail.

Last night I attended the Groundbreaker Awards dinner, honoring Robert Chavez, President and CEO of Hermès USA (who received the Hearst Design Group’s Heart of Design Award), actor, singer, activist Javier Muñoz and Bunny Williams. It was a moving evening with speakers eliciting sentiment, humor and gratitude – below, founding chair James Huniford during his talk.…

Posted in art, furniture, interior design | Tagged charity events, Design On A Dime, Design on a Dime 2018, Housing Works, interior design | 8 Comments

An Invite and What’s on the Agenda!

Posted on April 22, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes • 9 Comments

This is a very busy time of the year for design, with tons of events and lots on the agenda. Firstly, for all designers in the area, you are invited to the spring To the Trade Only Market Day at the Wakefield Design Center right here in Connecticut. I’ll be chatting with Charlotte Moss all about her new book and how setting the table is everyday decorating. You can RSVP here. And for a preview, you can watch Susanna’s and my recent video with Charlotte.

This week holds much in store with previews and events on almost every day of this week, including a first look at the Rockefeller auction at Christie’s and the Kips Bay Showhouse.…

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged charlotte moss, floors, interior design, Scalloped edge, Stenciled floors, tile floors, To the Trade Day, Wakefield Design Center | 9 Comments

Happy Memorial Day

72 Hours in France!

Catching Up Out and About

At Home and at RW Guild with Roman and Williams

Bow Wow Blitz

Final Look – 2018 Kips Bay Show House

Kips Bay Decorator Show House 2018 – Part II

First Look – 2018 Kips Bay Decorator Show House

Housing Works 2018 Design on a Dime

An Invite and What’s on the Agenda!

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