Skip to content
  • Articles
    • Design
      • Architecture
      • Art & Antiques
      • Books
      • Garden
      • Gifts
      • Interior design
    • Entertainment
      • Entertaining
      • Food and drink
      • Holiday
      • Tabletop
    • Style
      • Fashion
      • Jewelry
    • Travel
      • Nantucket
    • At Home in Charleston with Michael Mitchell
  • Shop
    • Home & Decor
      • Accessories
      • Antiques
      • Art
      • Lighting
      • Trays
    • Tableware
      • Baskets
      • Glassware
      • Linens
      • Flatware
      • Plates
    • Fashion
      • Bags
      • Clothing
      • Jewelry
    • Exclusives
      • Tableware
      • Fashion
      • Home & Decor
    • Cartouche Embroidered Placemat
  • Video
    • Exclusive insider tours visiting top designers and tastemakers at home around the world
      VIEW ALL
    • At Home in Charleston with Michael Mitchell
    • At Home with Laura Kirar and Richard Frazier in Yucatan, Mexico
    • At Home with designer Pierre Gonalons in his jewelbox Paris apartment
    • At Home with Young Huh in her historic Hudson Valley home
Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

  • Books
    • Books that I have collaborated on, as photographer, with design author Susanna Salk
      VIEW ALL
    • At Home with Dogs and Their Designers: Sharing a Stylish Life
    • At Home in the English Countryside: Designers and Their Dogs
    • At Home with Designers and Tastemakers: Creating Beautiful and Personal Interiors
    • Making a House a Home: Designing Your Interiors from the Floor Up
  • About
  • Articles
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Books
  • About

Designer furniture

At Home in Connecticut with John Robshaw
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design, Video

At Home in Connecticut with John Robshaw

With a background in fine arts and painting, John Robshaw caught the textiles bug when traveling to India in the… Read More

Sneak Peek – Soane Fall 2017
Design, Interior design

Sneak Peek – Soane Fall 2017

The French have a great expression for this time of year – la rentrée, signaling the re-entry to regularly scheduled… Read More

RH Modern and Milo Baughman
Design, Interior design

RH Modern and Milo Baughman

When RH Modern was launched about a year and a half ago, with its collection of curated modern furnishings, it… Read More

A Flagship for Bunny Williams Home
Art & Antiques, Interior design

A Flagship for Bunny Williams Home

Bunny Williams has long had tempting outposts to purchase her chic products and finds. Whether shopping for Bunny Williams Home… Read More

Luxe Minimalism at Christian Liaigre
Books, Design, Interior design

Luxe Minimalism at Christian Liaigre

Christian Liaigre has been busy. Several months ago I stopped by the stunning NYC showroom to see the new spring collection. In… Read More

Greetings From Lecco, Italy
Design, Interior design, Travel

Greetings From Lecco, Italy

Greetings from Lecco, Italy! This charming town on the shores of beautiful Lake Como is where Susanna and I are calling… Read More

Jonathan Adler Venom coasters
Design, Gifts, Interior design

Jonathan Adler Going for the Gold at NY Now

After spending much of the day at NY Now, it was clear that brass and gold finishes are a continuing theme for… Read More

High Point spring 2014 collage
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

High Point Preview

Did I even mention that I was headed to High Point this weekend for the semiannual market? It’s been a… Read More

Jacques Garcia Chateau de Bataille
Architecture, Design, Interior design

High Point Picks | Jacques Garcia Collection for Baker

One of the most talked about events at High Point this fall market was the unveiling of the new Jacques… Read More

Wesley Hall Margot Dining Chair
Design, Interior design

High Point Fall Market Coming Soon

It’s hard to believe that this year’s High Point Fall Market is less than two weeks away. I am delighted… Read More

Illustration of camera

Follow

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
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!!
© 2026 Quintessence Design LLC
Site design by The Beaux Arts Digital
FAQ & Shipping Terms of Use Privacy Policy
X Illustration of hand
Never Miss A Post
Get insider access to the most inspiring and informative design stories straight to your inbox. Satisfy your style curiosity, quench your sophisticated shopping thirst and scratch your discerning need-to-know itch - sign up so you never miss a thing.