Who: Strato
What We Noticed: Here's one more EuroCucina peek that I saved for Wine Week: A standalone wine "room" by luxury Italian kitchen designer Strato. This beautiful hunk of wood is a modern, luxurious way to store a lot of wine. Not terribly practical (no built-in climate control, for instance, and it would take up a lot of space!) but wouldn't it be nice to see it all filled up with wine bottles? More

Who: Marchi Group
What We Noticed: Most of the kitchen design at EuroCucina fell into one of two buckets: Sleek and minimalist, or over-the-top rococo luxury. So this showroom from Italian Marchi Group felt very different. These kitchens are like fantasy ideals of American and British kitchens, with casual details like chalkboard walls, faux-industrial pendants, and zinc tabletops. This showroom was absolutely packed with crowds every time I walked by! More

Who: MK, Italian kitchen design
What We Noticed: I don't think of myself as a minimalist, but this hood and sleek wood island with integrated cooktop literally stopped me in my tracks at EuroCucina. In context it felt serene and quiet, unfussy and very functional. The white almost blends in to the ceiling, and the woods keeps it feeling warm. Nothing here is trying too hard.
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Who: Alpes Inox
What We Noticed: German company Alpes Inox makes really solid, handsome stainless islands and workstations for the kitchen (we already mentioned this smart combo unit that has a dishwasher, oven, and fridge inside). Here's a look at some of their other island units — many of them fabulously arranged with built-in bins, u-shaped drawers, and great sinks. More

Trend: Gas on glass stovetops
Where We Saw It Electrolux, KitchenAid/Whirlpool, Franke, Smeg
These stovetops were front and center all week at EuroCucina: All the easy cleanup of a glass surface, but the power of a gas stove. These sleek, beautiful, gas on glass cooktops we saw this week combine beauty and functionality in a serious way. I'm curious to know how the glass holds up to dropped pans and knives; does it chip or scratch over time? More

Who: Minacciola
What We Noticed: Everyone was talking about this articulating hood vent -- you can grab it and move it anywhere over the stove. I'm a bit perplexed as the advantages of a movable hood, but it looked pretty dang cool. Paired with the red spigot knobs on the range, this was downright steampunk. Also of note at Minicciola's booth: There was an entire wall built of crates full of real tomatoes. More photos below... More

Who: La Cornue
What We Noticed: La Cornue, best known for their stoves, makes heavily handsome and luxurious French-style kitchens, gleaming with enamel and brass. But they are also adapting to more modern tastes with this clean-lined induction stove. It looks more like a desk than a range -- furniture for the home. The accompanying oven hides its controls behind a hinged panel and also manages to look more like furniture than an appliance.
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Who: Leicht
What We Noticed: We loved the bright, warm colors of these kitchens from Leicht; they felt refreshing and invigorating after all the grey and white at the show. This kitchen is also a really nicely-done set of built-ins. The cabinets are set into the wall and lift open, and all the appliances hide away, including the fridge and freezer drawers. One more nice touch: the oven has knobs that looks and feel just like a stereo! More

Who: AR-TRE, Italian kitchen maker
What We Noticed: I saw a lot of kitchen furnishings at EuroCucina that seemed to flow or blend into other areas of the house. This was one particularly striking example: A sofa built in to the kitchen island/table. A very interesting concept for small spaces or kitchen-dining combos. What do you think? One more photo below... More

Who: Marmo Arredo
What We Noticed: There are plenty of high-end, fantasy-kitchen items at EuroCucina, and this was my favorite: An entire island by Italian marble fabricators Marmo Arredo, carved out of one solid piece of statuary marble. It is paired up with some manmade black countertop material for a dramatic black/white contrast. Impressive, and the very epitome of a luxury item. More photos below... More