Modern Takes on Marble | In the world of interiors, no material exudes elegance quite like marble. Prized for its varied colorways and unique veining, marble elevates an interior to luxury status. It’s no wonder the natural stone has graced the palaces and temples of kings and emperors for centuries. “Marble has been used in the most noble homes for flooring and decoration since the beginning of time, and using it in any interior perpetuates this legacy,” says Rome-based architect and designer Achille Salvagni. “Because there are so many types of marble, it is an easy way to play with color and pattern.”

Brutalism Evolves | Stark and unadorned, Brutalist architecture is a touchstone of postmodernism. And although the style has detractors, it’s getting a lot of attention from modern audiences.

Social-media apps like Instagram have united Brutalism fans, and accounts posting photos of landmarks in the style have tens of thousands of followers. Books on the subject abound as well, from the exhaustive Atlas of Brutalist Architecture, which made The New York Times list of best art books in 2018, to art historian Chris van Uffelen’s Massive, Expressive, Sculptural: Brutalism Now and Then.

The New Private Clubs | Private social clubs, traditional bastions of upper-class decorum, are reinventing themselves as democratic gathering spots for a diverse, younger generation of members.

The old clubs are easing membership rules, dress codes, and even fees, while new clubs like the one being planned by David Beckham and Guy Ritchie in West London’s Notting Hill are catering to the chic sneakers-and-cellphone crowd.

Mexico City has long been a center for the arts, but it has recently grown into a global destination for culture. For the past decade, the city’s contemporary art scene has rivaled the rigorous programming and sophistication of European and North American destinations, says Anna Di Stasi, director of Sotheby’s Latin American art department.

Bulgari recently opened a state-of-theart Shanghai hotel, a new addition in its stable of seven properties that have helped expand the high-end jewelry company’s footprint. But Bulgari isn’t the only luxury brand getting into the hospitality business. Baccarat, Armani, and Versace all have hotels with their names on them. And prepare yourself to see more: Bulgari reportedly has plans for another 15 additions—with future outposts in Moscow, Tokyo, and Paris—joining a list of locations that includes Dubai, Bali, and London in addition to the original Milan hotel.

It happens every time I wind my way up the magical driveway to Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa, in Cambridge, Ontario. I experience equal parts excitement and relief. Or a physical reaction that is the opposite of an adrenaline rush. That, and the anticipation I’m about to enjoy a food experience that rivals those I’ve had in gastro-centres in Paris, London, Rome, Burgundy and San Sebastián.

From a modern Thai restaurant in Hong Kong to a New York favorite with a new home in Los Angeles, here are some of the fall's most-anticipated openings around the world.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ life with the president is often compared to the legendary court and castle, Camelot. But she’s also tied to some spectacular real-life homes—some of which could be considered castles, of sorts—where she rode through the hills on horseback, met the man she would marry, and then started anew.

Primary colors have a from-the-crayon-box quality that appeals to the kid within. Bright bold blue, red, and yellow often seem best left for rainbows or pop art. But when used strategically, and with the right hues, they can liven up your home in the best possible way.

Vertical gardens, which transform plain walls into lush landscapes, are being employed as signature architectural features in interior and exterior spaces. “Luxury clients, especially, perceive them as a differentiator, a status art piece,” says Irina Kim Sang, managing partner of Miami Vertical Garden.

You have your home theater, and you’ve got your game room, your bar room, your home office, and now all you want is a little peace and quiet. What you need is a Zen room—a calming space to relax and recharge. “People are very much affected by the surroundings they’re in—their mood, their wellness,” says Rina Okawa of ZEN Associates, a landscape- and interior-design firm with offices in Boston and Washington, D.C. She describes a Zen room as “a personal and private space surrounded by beauty that can lift your spirits up, refresh your mind, and revive your five senses.” “Especially with all that chatter out in the world,” says New York–based interior designer Charles Pavarini III, “we need a space where we can realign our thoughts, our energies.”

There’s more to a quality home wet bar than an extensive liquor collection. Having on hand the right sleek, smart-looking gadgets to dispense and mix your drinks, and keep them ice cold, will make entertaining guests even easier. These devices will have you and your guests drinking in high style.

To understand the latest trends in art, architecture, and design, you have to go back to the time when objects were handcrafted, bricks were hand-molded and every element in the house was a work of art. Rediscovered and burnished by a new generation, these old ideals are setting a new style.