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Quintessence

Quintessence

Lifestyle blog | Living Well with Style and Substance

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Quintessence provides exclusive insider access to top designers and tastemakers at home around the world. Tag along with Quintessence founder Stacey Bewkes and series host Susanna Salk for the most inspiring interiors, design and style. You'll feel like you're right there with us! Subscribe so you never miss a thing!
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At Home with Peter Copping and Rambert Rigaud at La Carlière
Antiques, Architecture, Art & Antiques, Decorative Arts, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home with Peter Copping and Rambert Rigaud at La Carlière

Tag along to Normandy, France for a behind the scenes visit with Peter Copping and Rambert Rigaud at their 15th… Read More

At Home in Madrid with Casa Josephine
Architecture, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Madrid with Casa Josephine

A former priests’ dorm from the 18th century might not be everyone’s concept of a dream home, but it was… Read More

At Home with Sara Story in her Gramercy Park Brownstone
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design, Video

At Home with Sara Story in her Gramercy Park Brownstone

When seven months pregnant with her first child and apartment hunting in New York City, designer Sara Story received a… Read More

At Home in Madrid with Lorenzo Castillo
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Madrid with Lorenzo Castillo

When renowned Spanish interior designer Lorenzo Castillo found his current home, over 20 years ago, it was a neglected theater… Read More

At Home with WILLIAMSBURG Designer in Residence Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Art & Antiques, Design, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home with WILLIAMSBURG Designer in Residence Heather Chadduck Hillegas

As the second ever WILLIAMSBURG Designer in Residence, interior designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas was tasked with transforming the interiors of… Read More

At Home in Seattle with Ted Kennedy Watson and Ted Sive
Entertaining, Gifts, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Seattle with Ted Kennedy Watson and Ted Sive

Inspired by an article they read, shop owner and author Ted Kennedy Watson and partner Ted Sive read, they decided… Read More

At Home in Paris with Bambi Sloan
Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Paris with Bambi Sloan

It’s hard to imagine a decorator who embraces irreverent interiors more than designer Bambi Sloan. Whether reimagining a hotel or… Read More

At Home with Ashley Stark Kenner in her Manhattan Townhouse
Interior design, Video

At Home with Ashley Stark Kenner in her Manhattan Townhouse

Ashley Stark Kenner The Creative Director of STARK, the legendary carpet and textile company founded by her grandparents, has design… Read More

Virtual Postcard Egypt
Travel, Video, Virtual Postcard

Virtual Postcard Egypt

In our latest Virtual Postcard, join Susanna Salk as she visits Egypt, a multidimensional country that celebrates both the ancient… Read More

At Home in Paris with Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani
Antiques, Architecture, Art & Antiques, Decorative Arts, Design, Interior design, Travel, Video

At Home in Paris with Jamie Creel and Marco Scarani

Jamie Creel and partner Marco Scarani are men of sophistication and refinement, whose world travels and global collections inform their… Read More

At Home with Fawn Galli in her 1810 Brooklyn Brownstone
Architecture, Art & Antiques, Interior design, Video

At Home with Fawn Galli in her 1810 Brooklyn Brownstone

While interior designer Fawn Galli’s previous home was only a few blocks away (see our video visit there), she couldn’t… Read More

Virtual Postcard: The Amalfi Coast
Style, Travel, Video

Virtual Postcard: The Amalfi Coast

In our first official episode of Virtual Postcard, join Susanna Salk as she explores Italy’s Amalfi Coast by boat and… Read More

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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!!
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