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Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

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Antiques

At Home with Laura Kirar and Richard Frazier in Yucatan, Mexico
Architecture, Interior design, Video

At Home with Laura Kirar and Richard Frazier in Yucatan, Mexico

There are certain homes that feel inseparable from their surroundings, places that could exist nowhere else. The Yucatán home of… Read More

At Home with Robert Couturier & Sebastian Trujillo in their historic Harlem Brownstone
Antiques, Art & Antiques, Interior design, Video

At Home with Robert Couturier & Sebastian Trujillo in their historic Harlem Brownstone

Renowned interior designer Robert Couturier, long known for his refined and historically informed projects, is known for interiors of extraordinary… Read More

The Winter Show 2026
Antiques, Art & Antiques, Decorative Arts, Interior design

The Winter Show 2026

As winter continues to unfurl on New York’s Upper East Side, The Winter Show 2026 returned to the hallowed halls of… Read More

At Home with Luis Puerta at his 18th century palazzo in the Spanish countryside
Video

At Home with Luis Puerta at his 18th century palazzo in the Spanish countryside

Tag along to Tendilla, Spain, a small town about an hour outside of Madrid for a behind the scenes visit… Read More

At Home in Milan with Eric Egan
Antiques, Art & Antiques, Decorative Arts, Interior design, Video

At Home in Milan with Eric Egan

Join us in Milan where we step inside the richly layered world of interior designer Eric Egan. Nestled in the… Read More

At Home in Paris with the Hurleys
Antiques, Architecture, Decorative Arts, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Paris with the Hurleys

When Chilean born designer Micky Hurley and wife Malu decided to split their time between New York and Europe, they… Read More

The Winter Show 2025
Antiques, Art & Antiques, Decorative Arts, Interior design

The Winter Show 2025

Always one of the early highlights of the arts season in New York, The Winter Show opened last night at… Read More

At Home with Peter Copping and Rambert Rigaud at La Carlière
Antiques, Architecture, Art & Antiques, Decorative Arts, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home with Peter Copping and Rambert Rigaud at La Carlière

Tag along to Normandy, France for a behind the scenes visit with Peter Copping and Rambert Rigaud at their 15th… Read More

Nantucket by Design 2023
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Decorative Arts, Design, Garden, Interior design, Jewelry, Nantucket, Style, Travel

Nantucket by Design 2023

I am honored to again co-chair, with Olivia Charney, Nantucket by Design, the premier summer fundraiser for the island’s largest… Read More

At Home with Caleb Anderson and DeAndre DeVane in their Elegant Manhattan Apartment
Art & Antiques, Interior design, Video

At Home with Caleb Anderson and DeAndre DeVane in their Elegant Manhattan Apartment

When designer Caleb Anderson of DRAKE/ANDERSON purchased his 1926 Manhattan apartment, it hadn’t been touched in years. Belonging to the… Read More

At Home in Paris with Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani
Antiques, Architecture, Art & Antiques, Decorative Arts, Design, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Paris with Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani

Jamie Creel and partner Marco Scarani are men of sophistication and refinement, whose world travels and global collections inform their… Read More

At Home with Sophie Sutton in her Manhattan Townhouse
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design, Video

At Home with Sophie Sutton in her Manhattan Townhouse

When designer Sophie Sutton and her husband purchased their 19th century Manhattan townhouse around six years ago, it was in… 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.

Several 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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