The Grammar of Ornament

A monthly guide to the new events and unmissable exhibitions on Cabana's Radar: a global cultural bulletin and a must-read for anyone looking to keep their finger on the pulse of art, fashion design. Read on to discover our February highlights.

A teenage romance led antique dealer Johan Van Dijck and artist Kaat Van Doren towards a shared life shaped by objects, history, and attention. In their 16th-century guild house in Mechelen, Belgium, five floors unfold as the record of a life spent looking. Emma Becque and Isabel Bronts take a tour.

Although it ought to be forbidden to use the word odyssey when writing about Greece, certain journeys do seem to resist any other term, finds writer and photographer Sam Parkes. He travels to Mani for "a pilgrimage of sorts", on the trail of Patrick Leigh Fermor, who first visited the Southern Greek peninsula in the 1950s while, researching his book Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese.

In a former casa di ringhiera in Milan’s Cinque Vie, textile designer Idarica Gazzoni has created a nomadic, memory layered interior shaped by ikat silks, antique campaign furniture and hand painted walls. Founder of fabric house Arjumand’s World, she reflects on movement, freedom and the emotional power of rooms that evolve with life.

"If you want to discover an East European city, which is still a little under-the-radar, I highly recommend a stop in Plovdiv," says photographer Joanna Maclennan who's long been captivated by Bulgaria's rich cultural history and photogenic painted houses. She shares beautiful images and a tips-filled postcard from Plovdiv.

A former Christie’s specialist turned trusted presence on Lillie Road, antique dealer James Jackson has spent over two decades scouring markets, brocantes and country house sales for rare treasures. James reveals the stories of two exceptional objects that have passed through his hands: his greatest find and the pieces he'll keep forever.

From a palatial bibliotheque to a colour-drenched contemporary reading bay and a secret library in the heart of Casablanca, rooms shaped by books reveal the character of a space. Formal, playful, sparse, or indulgent, libraries bring depth and personality to the home. Read on for library rooms from the World of Cabana and beyond.

With the northern hemisphere feeling distinctly frosty, our minds are wandering to warmer climes, winter sun and thoughts of New Year travel. Photographer Joanna Maclennan makes a strong case for the inexorable pull of Fès, sharing a tips-filled postcard and set of arresting images from the mystical Moroccan city.

Interior architect Shayne Brady – Creative Director of Studio Shayne Brady and the design force behind many of London's most stylish restaurants and bars – turns his attention to his homeland, Ireland, sharing a personal insider's guide to charming Dublin.

Anastasia Miari travels through Sri Lanka, exploring the design legacy of Geoffrey Bawa – one of the most influential Asian architects of the past century – while peeling back the layers of the island nation. From its colonial past to its unique flavors, flora and fauna, Anastasia uncovers fascinating stories, beautiful places and the very best of Sri Lankan hospitality.

Maria Speake, founder of leading UK-based studio, Retrouvius, shares images from, and insights into, an outstanding project in Umbria, an exclusive insight from her new book, Contemporary Salvage, Designing Homes from a Philosophy of Reuse.

Three industry experts, decorator Philip Hooper, joint managing director of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, and Brownrigg founders, George Perez-Martin and David Gibson, share an insider’s guide to collecting and living with antique objects and furniture.