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

Who: Hacker and Azule
What We Noticed: This red kitchen was one of the last things I saw at EuroCucina, and it stopped me in my tracks. It had modern lines, but was softened by the raised relief pattern on the drawers. And those tiles on the back wall — wow! I discovered they are from a cement (encaustic) tile company in the Netherlands. The kitchen is part of a new line from Hacker called 'Identity,' designed by Claudia Klein Zeggelink. Hard to express how beautiful this whole scene was in person. More photos below... More

Who: Caesarstone quartz countertops
What We Noticed: Caesarstone had a big white booth gleaming with one of their new textured quartz materials: Crocodile! This was rather glam when covering drawers and cabinets, but we couldn't imagine having a textured material like this on the countertop! Click through for more photos... More

Who: Alpes Inox, Italian kitchen design
What We Noticed: This modestly-sized stainless steel cabinet didn't look like much... until we opened it and found practically a whole kitchen inside! Read on for more info and photos. More

Who: Elmar, Italian kitchens
What We Noticed: This oversized red hood flares out over an open stainless steel unit, incredibly slim (how does the gas get in?). These paired with the red and white floor tiles give this kitchen a delightfully playful yet modern and functional feel. Loved it! Read on to see more photos. More

Who: VG newtrend, Italian lighting and kitchen accessories
What We Noticed: Here's another side of EuroCucina 2012: Bling. That's right — I am seeing crystals everywhere — in lighting, on backsplashes, even on cabinet surfaces. This glamorous lighting and tabletop collection was especially striking, although I couldn't quite picture any of it in my home! Click through for a pretty serious example of a chandelier in the kitchen... More

I met Dakota Witzenburg a few years ago at a friend's store. He is a wonderful cabinet and furniture maker (co-owner of todosomething, based in Los Angeles) with an incredible eye for design! And I just found out that he loves to bake, especially his grandmother's secret pie recipes. He has my dream kitchen, a kitchen which he built himself. It's a beautiful blend of modern and traditional — with unexpected green cabinets!

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Round dining tables are communal, inviting, and friendly in their shape. So why not take it a step further and think about round dining rooms? Of course, the shape necessitates a circular table, but it also encompasses its occupants in a hug of sorts. Here are three examples of round dining rooms. More

Recently we toured the Los Angeles home of Alison Williams who, while running a full business working from home and taking care of her two girls, especially enjoys the many benefits of her lovely bright kitchen! Perfect for family dinners and entertaining, there are lots of seating options, wonderful cooking tools, and perfect lighting. Here's a more in-depth peek at this modern, pretty kitchen.

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