Though their styles couldn’t be more different, our last two cover stars, designers Athena Calderone and Mark Grattan , share one interest in particular: statement lacquer. While Calderone leans across her oxblood lacquer island in the April issue and embraces high-gloss ceilings in the media room of her Tribeca apartment , this month Grattan stands commandingly before a parrot green lacquer frame that merges with its equally colorful surroundings. The slick material is a primary medium of self-expression for the designer and appears throughout the home, from his gleaming, piano-black bed to the cabinetry throughout. It’s not a lacquer renaissance per se— AD heralded its return in 2024, and Gucci’s splashy Salone exhibit the same year confirmed its cultural relevance—but definitely confirmation of a good thing.

Mark Grattan (wearing a Loro Piana top and pants, Celine shoes, Tom Ford glasses, and Versace necklace) in the living room of his Brooklyn apartment. Fashion styling by Tiffani Williams.…