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Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

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Design video

At Home in the Kitchen with Preppy Kitchen
Food and drink, Interior design, Video

At Home in the Kitchen with Preppy Kitchen

Over the years, many of you readers and viewers have requested to see more kitchens in the homes featured in… Read More

At Home in San Patrignano
Art & Antiques, Design, Fashion, Food and drink, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in San Patrignano

It’s not often that a casual conversation on social media leads to discovering a remarkable community where the art of fine… 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

A Major Milestone – One Million Views!
Style

A Major Milestone – One Million Views!

For those of you not on social media, I am thrilled to share that Susanna’s and my video series has… Read More

Nina Campbell Does New Preston Redux
Gifts, Holiday, Interior design

Nina Campbell Does New Preston Redux

I really felt I was ahead of schedule this year, but yet again, Christmas has snuck up leaving not nearly enough… Read More

At Home in the Hudson Valley with Ted Kennedy Watson
Art & Antiques, Books, Food and drink, Gifts, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in the Hudson Valley with Ted Kennedy Watson

Since 1998 Ted Kennedy Watson has been helping customers make their homes and lives more beautiful through his two popular Watson Kennedy shops… Read More

At Home with Susanna Salk and Mark D. Sikes
Interior design, Travel

At Home with Susanna Salk and Mark D. Sikes

Those of you who follow Mark D. Sikes on his popular blog and Instagram feed know that he is all… Read More

At Home With Susanna Salk and Brian McCarthy
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Design, Garden, Interior design

At Home With Susanna Salk and Brian McCarthy

At the venerable Parish-Hadley firm, interior designer Brian McCarthy learned from the best of the best. An Architectural Digest AD100 and… Read More

At Home with Susanna Salk and Christopher Spitzmiller
Architecture, Garden, Interior design

At Home with Susanna Salk and Christopher Spitzmiller

During the week, gifted ceramicist and lamp designer Christopher Spitzmiller is in his New York City studio, busy creating the exquisite lamps, plates… Read More

At Home with Liz Lange at Grey Gardens
Architecture, Interior design, Travel

At Home with Liz Lange at Grey Gardens

Few homes elicit the same obsessive intrigue as Grey Gardens. Made famous by the late David and Albert Maysles’ 1975 documentary, the house was subsequently featured… Read More

At Home with Susanna Salk and Brooke & Steve Giannetti on Patina Farm
Architecture, Garden, Interior design, Travel

At Home with Susanna Salk and Brooke & Steve Giannetti on Patina Farm

Patina Farm is the realization of a dream that many only fantasize about. Living on a small lot in suburban Santa Monica, California,… Read More

At Home with Susanna Salk and Lela Rose
Books, Design, Fashion, Food and drink, Holiday, Interior design

At Home with Susanna Salk and Lela Rose

Lela Rose is not only an acclaimed fashion designer, with eponymous ready-to-wear and bridal collections, but, as seen in her new book, Prêt-à-Party, a passionate… Read More

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A magical retreat on Paros. There’s something so c A magical retreat on Paros. There’s something so compelling about the home of an artist and collector and @toddmarshard’s is as distinctive and personal as his work @Marshard.Paros . The ceramic artist has filled his stunning home with art and collections gathered over a lifetime. Our latest At Home With is now live - LINK IN PROFILE

Architecture: ALONI | Architects — Elena Terzi @iaveria & Dimitris Popotas
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
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