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
    • Threads of Time and Taste: The Art of Dressing in Pierre Frey
  • Shop
    • Home & Decor
      • Accessories
      • Antiques
      • Art
      • Lighting
      • Trays
    • Tableware
      • Baskets
      • Glassware
      • Linens
      • Flatware
      • Plates
    • Fashion
      • Bags
      • Clothing
      • Jewelry
    • Exclusives
      • Tableware
      • Fashion
      • Home & Decor
    • Peony & Thistle Linen Tea Towels
  • Video
    • Exclusive insider tours visiting top designers and tastemakers at home around the world
      VIEW ALL
    • At Home with John Lyle
    • At Home in Paris with the Hurleys
    • At Home with Veere Grenney in his Extraordinary Gardens in Tangier
    • At Home with Veere Greeney in Tangier, Morocco
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

Luxury lifestyle

Lake Como and Beyond | Italy Redux
Architecture, Design, Garden, Interior design, Travel

Lake Como and Beyond | Italy Redux

There is only so much I can put in a post without it becoming overwhelming and unwieldy. While I hope… Read More

A Day in Venice
Art & Antiques, Fashion, Food and drink, Interior design, Travel

A Day in Venice

Nobody knows how to give good travel recommendations better than a local. And when that local is the head of a… Read More

At Home with Susanna Salk and Laura Slatkin
Gifts, Interior design

At Home with Susanna Salk and Laura Slatkin

Whether at home, at work as founder and CEO of NEST Fragrances or contributing to philanthropic causes of autism and… Read More

A Busy Week in the World of Design
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design, Jewelry

A Busy Week in the World of Design

As December hit, so have a multitude of events in the world of design. In catching up, let me share a… Read More

Video thumbnail for youtube video ej97jt-3xng
Garden, Interior design, Travel

At Home in the Hamptons with Susanna Salk and Alex Papachristidis

It’s impossible to visit Alex Papachristidis at his country home without wanting to move in. And you wouldn’t be alone…. Read More

Veranda Magazine Look Book May/June
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Garden, Interior design, Jewelry

Sneak Peek at What’s New in Veranda Magazine

As the new May/ June Veranda Magazine is about to hit mailboxes and newsstands, I was delighted to recently meet with editor-in-chief… Read More

Antoine Dyre band at gaggenau
Food and drink, Interior design

l’Art de Vivre at Gaggenau

A celebration of luxurious creative collaboration marked the debut of the new Gaggenau showroom and intimate JCB Lounge last week…. Read More

Hock pector push up bars
Design, Interior design

Style in Motion with Hock

Finding motivation to exercise is hard enough. So when German product developer Kristof Hock got tired of working out with… Read More

aerin blue necklace
Beauty, Fashion, Food and drink, Garden, Gifts, Interior design

AERIN | Living the Life and the Label

AERIN is more than merely a label. It’s a lifestyle. And nothing has more credibility, authenticity or appeal than when… Read More

Voce di
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design

Voce di and New Voices

There is a new voice in luxury lifestyle in New York City. Last week I had the opportunity to visit… Read More

Kevin Kleinmann at the Financial Times Luxury Summit
Design, Entertainment, Fashion

Learning From the The Financial Times Business of Luxury Summit

Taking a break from our “regularly scheduled programming,” yesterday I got hooked watching the live twitter stream of the London… Read More

Illustration of camera

Follow

As we start the new year, taking a deep fresh brea As we start the new year, taking a deep fresh breath with inspiration from Spanish designer @ludovicoporta . See how he creates a sense of calm elegance using curated collections and negative space in his magnificent renovated 18th century palacio. Watch the entire house tour on the Quintessence YouTube channel.
Monday blues with an international cadre of artisa Monday blues with an international cadre of artisanal tableware from our @shopqworthy collection. Shop it all through link in profile.
And the winner of the @academia_de_la_mesa table c And the winner of the @academia_de_la_mesa table contest is… (drumroll please!) this extraordinary table by @Monicabardaji!! She entered on the very last day of the competition and completely won us over! With this table, Mónica has managed to create something both modern and classic, using completely unexpected elements. Nothing on the table is unnecessary and yet nothing is missing. The mix of wood and silver is phenomenally chic, the color and size of the flowers are perfect and we found it extremely elegant! It was a tough choice for us judges, as there was strong competition right on her heels!

Mónica is the lucky winner of the best prize we have ever given (what you see in the last photo), consisting of a Limoges porcelain tableware set, Cristóbal Marine, offered by @raynaud_porcelaines; six hand engraved glasses from @artel_glass; six embroidered placemats with their napkins from @noel_lingedemaison_paris; and six Tokyo Noir cutlery sets from @alain_saint_joanis.

All the finalists’ tables were wonderful, each with something that made it extraordinary, and we can only congratulate you on your creativity and craftsmanship!

Congratulations to Mónica as the winner, but also to all the other participants—each of you, with your tables, makes this possible! Over the coming days we will be raffling off the remaining prizes!!

Heartfelt thanks to the “usual” jury (@azarraluqui @amarosanchezdemoya @bea_satrustegui @carmencarooneill @paz_qb @raulromeropress and @vanessacraccoliving) and to our guest stars @bonadeaofficial @casa__lopez @quintessence (honored to be included) and @vioscooking — it has been a fantastic edition! ♥️
In this snowy January weather, see how @timothycor In this snowy January weather, see how @timothycorrigan uses a plethora of @benjaminmoore whites to full advantage in his elegant Paris apartment. Full home tour on the Quintessence YouTube channel!
Quiet breakfast on this snowy morning. I cross sti Quiet breakfast on this snowy morning. I cross stitched these placemats for my mother YEARS ago when I was living in Switzerland. They have recently come full circle back to me and on this holiday are a lovely reminder of both her and my time spent there. Grounding tablecloth from @heathertaylorhome  @latuilealoup aptware and mini baskets. Flatware from @alain_saint_joanis in my shop and last, but certainly not least, my spectacular handpainted pitcher and glassware set by the talented @margotlar (available by special order through the shop).
© 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.