Movies to Celebrate and Start the New Year

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Stacey Bewkes   •   4 Comments

Movies to Celebrate and Start the New Year

Traditionally, I have posted New Year’s movie suggestions before the calendar turns its last page but with this year’s mid week holiday, lounging still seems to be on many people’s agenda, so I thought this weekend might just make for prime viewing. This compilation includes some favorites from the past and some new ones to start the new year off right!


One of my favorites that I seem to include every year is George Cukor’s 1938 classic, Holiday. Though not as well known as their other comedic collaborations such as Philadelphia Story and Bringing Up Baby, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant star in what is a winning romantic comedy with a great cast, witty repartee and mindful message, not to mention fabulous setting and elegant wardrobe.…

Read More »

Posted in At the Movies, entertainment, film, holiday | Tagged , , | 4 Comments  

Giving Design a Voice – A Look Back and Ahead

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Stacey Bewkes   •   34 Comments

Giving Design a Voice – A Look Back and Ahead

Welcome to 2019! As we all are celebrating the new year and thinking of what has passed and what is in store, I, along with my video partner Susanna Salk, want to thank all of you who have joined us on our design journeys around the world! Giving design a voice is our passion and we couldn’t bring you our video series without the generosity of all the hosts who have opened their doors to us thus far and those who are welcoming us in 2019. So to start off the new year in style, we have prepared a little overview that takes a look back and a peek ahead.…

Read More »

Posted in architecture, art, At Home with, garden, interior design, Quintessence video series, Stylish Shopping, video | Tagged , , , , | 34 Comments  

Quintessential Guide to Champagne 2018

Posted on December 30, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes   •   14 Comments

Quintessential Guide to Champagne 2018

As tomorrow is (shockingly) the last day of December, the time has come for the Quintessential Guide to Champagne 2018 edition. In my book, any time is ripe for champagne, but New Year’s Eve in particular inevitably beckons some bubbly. And while I encourage all to imbibe responsibly, perhaps F. Scott Fitzgerald got it right when he said, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right.”

Clearly Dali and Bardot got the message! And while the elegant Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant may have used champagne to calm their nerves in Notorious,

Betty Davis knew “There comes a time in every woman’s life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne.”…

Read More »

Posted in food and drink, gifts, holiday, wine | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments  

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 25, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes   •   5 Comments

Merry Christmas!

I meant for this to arrive in your inboxes this morning but with the excitement of having everyone home, guests arriving, last minute wrapping and the extenuating commotion that is Christmas Eve it somehow never made it. But that now affords me the opportunity to wish all of you who celebrate, a very Merry Christmas!

Holiday tables are one of my great creative joys and this year I went with a chalet-ish theme, starting with the über charming Pierre Frey Montana fabric. A longtime favorite, it seemed the perfect pick to partner with my handsome new Christopher Spitzmiller marbleized plates.

In considering fabrics for coordinated napkins, another favorite, le Manach Plumettes, proved to be an ideal foil for adding an additional layer of nature-related pattern to the mix.…

Read More »

Posted in entertainment, holiday, interior design | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments  

Setting the Table in the Hamptons with Alex Papachristidis

Posted on December 16, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes   •   8 Comments

Setting the Table in the Hamptons with Alex Papachristidis

Staying in the Hamptons with Alex Papachristidis is like being transported to an exclusive five star hotel owned by your best friend, where you are the only guests. Known for his elegant interiors, Alex’s country home is sophisticated yet intimately welcoming, formal in style and yet casual in how he and his family live within. And his approach to entertaining is the same, echoing his passion for beauty in every aspect of the table and his life. Tag along as Susanna Salk and I visit Alex in the Hamptons as he shares his joie de vivre and tips for collecting blue and white, setting the table and nature in the decorative arts.…

Read More »

Posted in interior design, Quintessence video series, Setting the Table, Stylish Shopping, video | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments  

New Soho Design Destinations – One Kings Lane

Posted on December 9, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes   •   1 Comment

New Soho Design Destinations – One Kings Lane

My how things have changed in Soho! During the 10 years I lived there, it was primarily art-focused with galleries and a handful of restaurants predominating. Since then, the retail scene has exploded. So last month I hopped downtown to check out a couple new design destinations in the neighborhood.

After the success of their first brick and mortar store in Southampton, One Kings Lane has now opened a flagship shop in the center of Soho. In an early 19th century building with modern glass and steel annex attached,

it echoes their signature mix of vintage and contemporary furnishings, bringing their concept of residential retail to the urban market.…

Read More »

Posted in art, design, furniture, gifts, interior design | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment  

At Home in Bellport with Thomas O’Brien

Posted on December 2, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes   •   8 Comments

At Home in Bellport with Thomas O’Brien

If ever there was an understated self portrait, it would be designer Thomas O’Brien’s description of himself as “basically a shopkeeper and a homemaker.” As the founder and President of Aero Studios, Aero, the iconic home emporium, Copper Beach, his and husband Dan Fink‘s charming Long Island general store, as well as a multitude of collaborations and licensed collections, O’Brien has been a leading proponent of modern American design since 1992. And nowhere does his aesthetic shine more, than in his two Long Island houses, the most recent chronicled in his new book, Library House. Tag along with Susanna Salk and me for a behind the scenes visit with Thomas in his Bellport, NY home.…

Read More »

Posted in architecture, art, At Home with, books, design, furniture, garden, interior design, Quintessence video series, Stylish Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments  

Alex Papachristidis Trunk Show at Moda Operandi

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes   •   4 Comments

Alex Papachristidis Trunk Show at Moda Operandi

Designer Alex Papachristidis is known not only for his elegant interiors but his layered and luxurious entertaining style. Incorporating collections and decorative art onto his tables, Alex’s settings are colorful and creative works of art. So it came as no surprise that he created a glamorous new home collection for Moda Operandi.

As you may remember from Susanna Salk’s and my Setting the Table video with Alex at his chic New York City apartment, purple is a neutral in his book, which has extended into the covetable new collection. Above his Le Jardin Chinois dinnerware in a plum hand painted floral that is casual enough for every day but easily dressed up for more formal affairs.…

Read More »

Posted in design, gifts, interior design | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments  

Jessica McCormack at Moda Operandi

Posted on November 25, 2018 by Stacey Bewkes   •   1 Comment

Jessica McCormack at Moda Operandi

Originally founded as the exclusive online destination to preorder runway collections, Moda Operandi has, since its inception, branched out to also include in-person private trunkshows. In the past few weeks, I attended two chic events that introduced new collections to Moda’s New York and a limited-time online audience. In the crowded luxury jewelry category, Jessica McCormack has already made a name for herself in London, where she shows her exquisite diamond collection in a gorgeous Mayfair townhouse setting.

 Inspired by the past but designed for today’s modern woman, Jessica’s collection is imminently wearable and distinct. “Like the eras and genres that inspire them, I design collections that can be effortlessly mixed and sit well together.”…

Read More »

Posted in fashion, gifts, interior design, jewelry | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment  

Happy Thanksgiving

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

Happy Thanksgiving

While I am always aware at this season how much I have to be thankful for, this year is a little bittersweet as it’s the first Thanksgiving I don’t have all my family home for the holiday. Anticipating this, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try a slightly different venue.

With the smaller group, I decided to move Thanksgiving to the kitchen table with a slightly more contemporary feel. While there are many ready made table linens on the market, I think people sometimes forget other options for creating a bespoke table setting that is different and unique.…

Read More »

Posted in holiday, interior design | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments