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Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

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    • Books that I have collaborated on, as photographer, with design author Susanna Salk
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    • At Home with Dogs and Their Designers: Sharing a Stylish Life
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ELLE Decor

The Sorcerer’s Apprentices Work Their Magic in Milan
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design

The Sorcerer’s Apprentices Work Their Magic in Milan

It is a special treat whenever a new project from the extraordinary Studio Peregalli is unveiled. And when it is… Read More

Sneak Peek – ELLE DECOR Global Style Issue
Architecture, Interior design, Travel

Sneak Peek – ELLE DECOR Global Style Issue

Each year, ELLE DECOR assembles stories from the best of their international editions for their Global Style issue. A perennial favorite,… Read More

2015 International Show Sneak Peek with Michael Boodro
Art & Antiques, Interior design

2015 International Show Sneak Peek with Michael Boodro

This Thursday marks the 27th Annual Opening Night of the 2015 International Show (formerly known as The Preview Party for the… Read More

Catching Up Out and About
Architecture, Interior design, Nantucket

Catching Up Out and About

When you have young children, May is always the busiest month with year end performances, sports championships and exams. And it… Read More

Glamour Goes Bold in an ELLE DECOR Sneak Peek
Design, Interior design

Glamour Goes Bold in an ELLE DECOR Sneak Peek

This photo of designer Megan Winters says it all. With an infectious joie de vivre, love of gold, glamour and graphic design,… Read More

Penny Morrison Then and Now
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design

Penny Morrison Then and Now

Several years ago I wrote a piece about Guy and Penny Morrison’s charming house in Wales, below. Since then, I… Read More

More Additions for Your Design Library
Books, Interior design

More Additions for Your Design Library

Since there is never enough time to catch up on all the new fall design titles, I thought this week,… Read More

Video thumbnail for youtube video e9_yvlsdmz8
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

At Home on the Hudson with Marian McEvoy

Whoever coined the phrase “it’s all in the mix,” must have had the creative and effervescent Marian McEvoy in mind. With a… Read More

Alessandra Branca Designer Visions
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

Alessandra Branca Designer Visions Bedrooms

At an enviable 4,800 square feet with three bedrooms, the Alessandra Branca Designer Visions duplex would have been a game… Read More

decoupage mushroom chair
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design

Alessandra Branca for ELLE DECOR at Hearst Designer Visions

In her Designer Visions apartment, Alessandra Branca is all about contrasting combinations – of old and new, of elegance and… Read More

Thom Filicia girl’s bedroom
Design, Interior design

1st Peek | Thom Filicia Does Greenwich in ELLE DECOR

The June ELLE DECOR is all about getting inspired. And as Memorial Day approaches, it becomes for many, focussed on… Read More

02-Julia-Reed-house-ELLE-DECOR-09-12-lgn
Interior design

Thank you ELLE DECOR

A big thank you to ELLE DECOR for including me in their year end round up. Over 30 of us… 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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