BELLAS ARTES

Early astronomers, drawn to Mars's fiery glow in the night sky, named the planet after their god of war. In the centuries since, Mars has captivated humankind as a source of endless speculation and a beacon of hope for its potential habitability. Through six decades of NASA’s pioneering research missions, the mysteries of the red planet have been gradually uncovered, revealing a world not so unlike our own that likely once supported life.

First impressions count, especially in Milano. In this unprecedented photographic journey, editor Karl Kolbitz opens the door to 144 of the city’s most sumptuous entrance halls, captivating in their diversity and splendor. These vibrant Milanese entryways, until now hidden away behind often restrained façades, are revealed as dazzling examples of Italian modernism, mediating public and private space with vivid configurations of color and form, from floors of juxtaposed stones to murals of minimalist geometry. The collection spans buildings from 1920 to 1970 and showcases the work of some of the city’s most illustrious architects and designers, including Giovanni Muzio, Gio Ponti, Piero Portaluppi, and Luigi Caccia Dominioni, as well as non-pedigreed architecture of equal impact and interest. The photographs for the publication were exclusively created by Delfino Sisto Legnani, Paola Pansini, and Matthew Billings, each evoking the entryways with individual sensibility and a stylistic interplay of detail shots―such as stones, door handles, and handrails―with larger architectural views. The images are accompanied by outstanding written contributions from Penny Sparke, Fabrizio Ballabio, Lisa Hockemeyer, Daniel Sherer, Brian Kish, and Grazia Signori, together bringing a wealth of architecture, design, and natural stone expertise to guide the reader through the applied materials and fittings as well as the art-historical and social implications of each of the ingressi. As much an architectural city guide as an aesthetic study, the book provides the exact address and an annotated Milan map for all featured entryways, as well as the architect name and date of construction. In the well-documented realm of 20th-century Italian design, Kolbitz has stepped over the threshold and delivered a brand new area of inquiry in Milanese modernism. With the rigor of its multifaceted research, poised photography, and breadth of its featured hallways, this is an invigorating new reference work and an inside look at the city’s design DNA across high to low architecture.

One of the most original and respected talents in design, Smith is revered for his impeccable taste and style. Informed by a deep understanding of design history and the art world, Smith’s work is the ultimate in elegance and luxury, reflecting an uncommon sense of scale and drama and a deft use of craftsmanship and materials. His interiors have earned him enduring accolades throughout the industry, as well as a devoted following of notable clients, from Hollywood mega talents such as Shonda Rhimes to former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Schestowitz is a strong believer that a home should create a sense of belonging and togetherness. Growing up, she developed an appreciation for harmonizing diverse styles, placing a modern stainless steel island by an old dining area, an African dresser next to an Eames chair. Schestowitz is not a follower of design guidelines; she believes in an intuitive harmony of space, color, and light. The spaces she creates are infused with travel collectibles, art acquisitions, family pieces, and historical patterns. The rich palettes and bold patterns create spaces that feel naturally inviting and intimate, a result of her long-standing exploration of Mediterranean style.

White canvas, boldly colored fabrics in solids, stripes, and jaunty prints, rattan and cane seating, whitewashed or colorfully painted English case furniture, canopied beds, straw matting—these are some of the signature ingredients of an Amanda Lindroth interior. Since she founded her Nassau-based firm in 2010, she has become the go-to designer of island dwellers from Lyford Cay to Antigua, Abaco to Belize, Harbour Island to Palm Beach, and as far north as Great Cranberry Island, Maine. Her airy, relaxed, indoor-outdoor aesthetic is apparent in every one of the twenty-five projects featured here. With photographs by Tria Giovan, herself an island native, and charming illustrations by Aldous Bertram, who decorated Lindroth’s pied-à-terre in Palm Beach with stunning trompe l’oeil renderings, Island Hopping: Amanda Lindroth Design is the visual equivalent of an island getaway.