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Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

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Tabletop

AERIN Fall 2015 Accessories
Design, Fashion, Gifts, Interior design

AERIN Fall 2015 Accessories

Previewing fall is always a challenge. Finally ecstatic to have spring in our back pockets,   we are ready to move… Read More

New York Design Center at DIFFA Dining by Design 2015
Design, Interior design

New York Design Center at DIFFA Dining by Design 2015

This year’s DIFFA Dining by Design was held at Pier 92, a short yet brisk walk from the AD Home… Read More

Spring Entertaining
Gifts, Interior design

Spring Entertaining

Since we finally have had signs of warmth and sun, we can start looking forward to time outdoors and spring entertaining. Products… Read More

Dodie Thayer for Tory Burch
Art & Antiques, Gifts, Interior design

Dodie Thayer for Tory Burch

In the Slim Aarons era of Palm Beach life, potter Dodie Thayer was a name known to all fashionable hostesses. Self taught… Read More

Stylish Entertaining at the NYBG Orchid Dinner
Entertaining, Style, Tabletop

Stylish Entertaining at the NYBG Orchid Dinner

The tables at the Veranda NYBG Orchid Dinner were amazing in their diversity and creativity. Some designers focused on the… Read More

New York Botanical Garden Orchid Dinner 2015
Garden, Interior design

New York Botanical Garden Orchid Dinner 2015

Tuesday night at the Mandarin Oriental in New York marked the New York Botanical Garden‘s Orchid Dinner 2015. One of my… Read More

Springing into Color at NY Now 2015
Gifts, Interior design

Springing into Color at NY Now 2015

With the wild winter weather this week, it was encouraging to get a glimpse of spring at this edition of… Read More

Black and White at NY Now
Design, Gifts, Interior design

Black and White at NY Now

While there was certainly quite a bit of color to be found at NY Now (we’ll get to that soon),… Read More

Christmas Eve Tidings
Holiday

Christmas Eve Tidings

Every year Christmas Eve somehow sneaks up on me, reminding me somehow of Carl Sandburg’s fog. And this year, it has… Read More

gifting and entertaining preview
Holiday, Interior design

Tabletop Gifting and Entertaining Preview

It’s that time of year when hints of THE season start to permeate our thoughts. This week is tabletop market so I spent… Read More

At Ease | Labor Day
Food and drink, Gifts, Interior design

At Ease | Labor Day Lounging

It has been a glorious summer here in the northeast. Although it’s hard to believe, September is upon us. So… Read More

monogrammed bag from Best Monogram
Design, Gifts, Interior design

Best Monogram in Washington Depot, CT

While we’ll return to Nantucket next week, today we amble back to Connecticut for a peek at Best Monogram in the tiny… Read More

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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!!
Some homes are beautiful. Others tell a story. Th Some homes are beautiful. Others tell a story. 
The Yucatán home of interior designer @laurakirar and architect Richard Frazier @rwf333 is both -  a masterful reflection of its surroundings, where architecture, landscape, light, and craftsmanship come together in perfect harmony.
Tag along for a visit to this extraordinary retreat and discover how years of collecting, collaboration, and creative vision shaped a house that feels deeply connected to its place. LINK IN PROFILE
Wishing everyone a very happy Mother’s Day! 🌸 Flow Wishing everyone a very happy Mother’s Day! 🌸 Flowers from my thoughtful husband - all else from my shop (plates coming soon - DM to be notified).
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