Hit Refresh: Check Out Cabana for a Whole New Style

Are you in a design rut? Does everything you look at online and even in print start to seem eerily the same (perhaps white walls, pink peonies, brass accents & teal-charcoal glossy cabinets)?  If so, then you might really want to follow Martina Mondadori Sartogo & her genius Cabana magazine for a shot of sophisticated & playful inspiration.

Photo of Martina & her family in London, courtesy of Architectural Digest

Photo credit: Alexander James, for the Telegraph UK

Although Cabana only comes out 2x a year, its impact has been epic in the design community. Based in Milan, Cabana has a completely different vibe than traditional glossy magazines:  its covers are made of sumptuous real textiles (including my favorite: Pierre Frey!) and the photo stories are more artistic and in-depth.

Photo courtesy of Tory Burch

Coverage of textile designer Carolina Irving’s Paris apartment, featured in Cabana magazine

Detail from Carolina Irving's apartment…

And since Sartogo is one of the glitterati (her father, Leonardo Mondadori, was an Italian publishing magnate), she gives her readers access to wonderful private houses and collections that most editors cannot. For instance, this story about 80-year old haute couture dresses that were found in a closed trunk in the attic of Villa Erba, Cernobbio:

Photo by Guido Taroni, courtesy of Quintessence

via Cabana magazine on Instagram (@cabanamagazine)

Martina’s passion for pattern and texture is evident from cover to cover and informs many of the subjects she chooses. Interestingly for such a non-commercial magazine - and as a testament to how her originality draws you in — many brands have asked for Cabana magazine to help them spice up their own collections. Paperless Post below, as well as Airbnb and Moda Operandi….

You can follow them on Instagram at @cabanamagazine or subscribe here —

And if you’re thinking it’s a hassle or too much money for 2x year, consider that the back issues are now being sold for huge premium on 1st Dibs as collector items.

For more about Martina & her personal style, including how to entertain with style this summer, check out her best tips here.

Enjoy your armchair travel!!