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

Interior design

de Gournay Willow
Design, Interior design, Travel

De Gournay at Home in New York

The mere mention of the name de Gournay instantly conjures up images of timeless elegance, of exquisite hand painted wall… Read More

Gil Schafer collage
Architecture, Books, Design, Interior design

Gil Schafer The Great American House

Writing about architect Gil Schafer is always a pleasure. The occasion is frequently because I’ve spied a new project on his… Read More

Kensett Piper House girl’s vignette
Architecture, Design, Interior design

Lynn Morgan Design at Kensett Part Two

The second model house Lynn Morgan Design decorated at Kensett, Piper, is created for more formal entertaining. With a proper… Read More

Girl’s-bedroom-in-Norwood-Kensett-unit
Architecture, Design, Interior design

Lynn Morgan at Kensett

When I heard that designer Lynn Morgan had decorated the model homes at Kensett, a new local luxury condo development,… Read More

Trove-walllpapers-
Design, Interior design

Trove Wallpaper Collection for KnollTextiles

Trove wallpaper has been on my radar for quite some time. Founders Jee Levin and Randall Buck’s creative and innovative wallcovering… Read More

Video thumbnail for vimeo video 48943065
Design, Interior design

DwellStudio Modern Color Theory for Robert Allen Design

DwellStudio is already over a decade old – it’s hard to believe! Originally focussed on bedding, the company, founded in… Read More

Verdura customer cards
Architecture, Design, Fashion, Gifts, Interior design, Jewelry

New York Style at Verdura

At a recent visit to the beautiful Verdura boutique, I had the opportunity to see some highlights from the new… Read More

Masseria Castellini
Architecture, Design, Interior design, Travel

At Home in Italy

As many of us are celebrating the long weekend here in the States, perhaps some are still on vacation, enjoying… Read More

Thomasville-Reinventions-and-Cottage-collections
Design, Fashion, Interior design

High Point Happenings

Although I still can’t believe today is the first of September, this month will surely fly by. While there are… Read More

Monique Ogilvie Les Papillons placemat
Design, Gifts, Interior design

New York Gift Fair Hard Core Tabletop

I was delighted to see that the New York Gift Fair featured hardboard placemats. Not only are they classic and… Read More

Julian Mejia coral napkin rings
Design, Gifts, Interior design

The New York Gift Fair Tabletop Temptation

I’m afraid my obsession for all things tabletop is no secret. The tiny butler’s pantry in our current abode was… Read More

Bright and bold
Design, Interior design

Bold, Bright and Beautiful at the New York Gift Fair

Come make the jump and read my latest piece over at Cottages and Gardens, where I highlight the continuing trend… Read More

Posts navigation

Older Posts Older Posts
Newer Posts Newer Posts
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.