Last Christmas, my colleague Tracey Heinemann gave me a book by Dutch architect Piet Boon, which was so exciting that I immediately became determined to meet him. The opportunity came just the other day at an alfresco Champagne breakfast in the heart of Milan, held to celebrate the publication of his newest book, Studio. Heaven!

Boon, a reserved and charming man, told me about his body of work Stateside, including the conversion of a Park Avenue office building into apartments, called Huys, and more projects still to come.

We were presented with mini versions of Studio for easy carrying around Milan’s Salone del Mobile furniture fair, where another fortuitous New York connection came up the very same day, at Flexform’s double-height installation. There, I found an exciting sofa designed with intersecting angles by Daniel Libeskind, architect of the master plan for the World Trade Center.

I am truly privileged to be surrounded by fantastic design and its creators. Take some time to Google these artists. You will be thrilled.