What is captivating America’s most interesting design minds right now? We asked some of our Anthologists, including Lori Weitzner, William Cullum and Steven Gambrel, to share the places, events, objects and ideas currently occupying their thoughts. Taken together, their answers offer a snapshot of what’s bubbling through the US design zeitgeist right now, from the culturally significant to the wonderfully specific.

'There’s something wonderful about a garden seat – a fixation of mine that has grown over the last decade. Rich glazes, extraordinary patterns, fantastical shapes: from elegant Chinese barrels to kitschy Egyptian Revival princesses, their appeal is as broad as it is specific. They possess an ephemeral quality. It’s easy to imagine a garden party gone awry and, before you know it, your yellow Minton stool is in pieces and someone is being summoned to staple it back together. Yet that very fragility is part of what I find so appealing. There is something remarkable about an object made for such polite utility – relatively delicate, all things considered – that has nevertheless survived. I’m not the only one drawn to them. Madeleine Castaing used Victorian stools in her interiors; Cecil Beaton kept Chinese stools in his conservatory; Joan Stacke Graham even built floor-to-ceiling bookcases in her apartment to display hers. Today, artists such as Reinaldo Sanguino continue the tradition, making fantastical graffiti and luster-glazed stools. In our Chelsea studio, we have seven, from a pair of 18th-century Chinese stools to 1830s Mason’s Ironstone and Victorian majolica. I don’t believe in limitations. Some might think you can’t have more than one – or in my case seven – in a room, but I’m here to prove them wrong, alongside clients who share my passion and are invariably thrilled when an email arrives with the subject line: "The perfect garden seat".'

'The Getty Villa in Los Angeles is truly transportative in both place and time, taking you to a vast Roman residence in its heyday, with a view of what could easily be the glittering Mediterranean in the distance and the scent of pine trees and ancient herbs in the air. Fountains play among classical bronze figures in gardens that sweep up to the museum itself, a marvel of recreated classical architecture housing a world-class collection of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian sculptures and artefacts. It always seems peaceful and never too crowded, due to being overshadowed by the more famous and flashier Getty Center. In practical terms there is an excellent cafe and shop. A wonderful half day can be spent in the galleries and gardens, finding some time to sit on a bench and imagine oneself taking the sea air in the foothills of Mount Vesuvius.'

'This traditional Chinese tile game has been embraced recently as a popular pastime as well as an aesthetic movement. Interest in the game now cuts across age, gender, and geographic lines, creating a community with a unique shared passion that stands out in this era of technological isolation. I like that the gathering of participants and the ritual of the game hearken back to an era in which we socialized around game tables – and took our fun rather seriously. Mahjong sets are now offered in an enormous array of styles and colors, with major design houses producing high-end and bespoke kits. You can now coordinate and integrate mahjong sets into your decor. Beyond that, some devotees are even creating dedicated spaces in their homes for mahjong. I am just learning to play the game and wonder if there is a correlation between winning more and loving the synergy between the mahjong set’s design and the interior where I am playing it.'

'Revisiting Villa Necchi Campiglio always makes me feel like I am in a great Fellini movie, dressed for the part. In fact, that is what the strongest memories of a week of Salone conjure: being dressed and enveloped by endlessly beautiful environments, both ancient and new. The streets are pure theater; unique installations appear unexpectedly in aged squares, abandoned hospitals, and glamorous apartments, offering unparalleled delight that comes from layers of patina mixed with modern-day materials of artistic intervention. I am swept away by 20th-century lobbies, fabled restaurants, and unrivalled hospitality'

'When we moved from New York to Chicago some 20 years ago, our oldest daughter, 12 at the time, came kicking and screaming. For years she held this move against us. She now visits quite often and I see this as an affirmation that she thinks Chicago has become, well, cool. Chicago is a city of distinct neighborhoods – from Andersonville, with its Swedish heritage, charming restaurants, and antique shops, to Pilsen, the Mexican neighborhood, where you can explore 18th Street with its vibrant nightlife, to the Gold Coast, with its tree-lined streets and splendid homes. And it’s a gift for admirers of great design and architecture. Visit the campus of the Obama Center, launched in June 2026, and tour this controversial Tod Williams Billie Tsien building – what does it reveal about the former president’s view of himself, and of history, race, place, democracy, and America’s future? The Riverwalk, the architectural boat tours celebrating this diverse collection of American skyscrapers, the Frank Lloyd Wright houses, the Gehry bandshell, the Renzo Piano Modern Wing, the Mies towers, the Piet Oudolf gardens: these are the standard stops for design aficionados visiting the city. But my tip is to explore further: the workshop of Simes Studios, a guild headed by Jorge and Cindy Simes who work in the decorative and applied arts; tour the foundry at West Supply, founded by Angie West, where makers produce heirloom-quality metal and cast-glass furniture and sculpture. And book an appointment at Right | Proper, a trove of carefully curated, globally sourced, one-of-a-kind finds.'

Ellen Hamilton: The Ticking Tent

'There are so few bricks and mortar antiques shops remaining in New York that we are forced to look elsewhere for well-curated objects for our projects. The Ticking Tent is a show packed full of beautiful things from all parts of the globe. I know I will discover something unexpected there, whether it’s a hand-painted ceramic piece, a rare textile, a future heirloom, or the finishing touch for a client’s home. This return to experiential shopping is what I am seeking and the impact extends far beyond the event itself. Yes, designers like myself source pieces for clients, but shop owners also discover new makers, and brands build lasting industry relationships.'

Marco Credendino, Artemest: Byblos Art Hotel, Verona

'When people ask me where to escape for a weekend, they will always expect me to say Portofino or Lake Como. I tell them Verona and I watch them pause. An hour from Milan, unconventional by definition, and at its heart sits the place I keep returning to: Byblos Art Hotel. Housed in a 16th-century Venetian villa, Byblos is essentially a private museum you sleep inside. You walk into the lobby and just sit down, surrounded by works that stop you mid-sentence. Vanessa Beecroft’s nudes stare back at you from the walls, Damien Hirst and Alessandro Mendini are around every corner, and postmodern design objects fill every room – Gaetano Pesce chairs, Ron Arad shelves, where craftsmanship and provocation share the same air. One night here and you understand what it feels like to actually live inside art. At a moment when design culture is craving depth over aesthetics and experience over spectacle, Byblos delivers all of it, without the noise. My most unconventional recommendation and my most personal one.'

Mood of the Moment

'What feels decidedly over is the performance of following trends, the exhausting compulsion to ensure your home reflects whatever aesthetic is currently having its moment. Emerging in its place is something far more interesting: courage – the desire to be different, to be specific, to develop your own eye with independence and authenticity. That might mean an emerald accent chair, a wallpapered ceiling, a ceramic lamp you found at auction and can’t quite explain but can’t stop thinking about. Small, considered acts of self-expression that cost relatively little but change everything about how a room feels.'

Zoë Feldman: Palazzo Avino, Ravello

'Palazzo Avino in Ravello is one of those places I find myself returning to again and again. Perched nearly 1,000 feet above the Mediterranean, it has all the beauty of the Amalfi Coast without the crowds and energy of Positano and Amalfi. The views, architecture, and interiors have all stayed with me since I first visited: the Gothic arches, marble mosaic floors, and design are classic Italian Riviera. These are the elements I find myself referencing in my work. While I always imagine going to new places, I’m ultimately pulled back to destinations that have a classic riviera resort vibe. Ravello attracts artists and craftspeople, and there’s a creative spirit that lingers. Great design isn’t necessarily about novelty, but about creating places with enough character to stay with you long after you’ve left.'

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