Whatever your design persuasion, here are some eye-popping kitchen cabinetry and appliances that are sure to get the buzz! From the Swarovski crystal encrusted vacuum cleaner to semi-precious stone bedecked kitchen and cabinet doors of volcanic rock embellished with a stylized Pompeii map, there’s something for everyone!
Designed by Matteo Fiorini in collaboration with Ludovica + Roberto Palomba, Elica’s Tangram is a flexible range hood that can be installed under a variety of site conditions. Tangram is inspired by a popular Chinese 7-piece geometric puzzle of the same name. The cooking canopy features a triangular hood with a rectangular base, supported on the other side by a ceiling bracket. It comes with 2 lighting modules and a kitchenware hanger bar. All 3 detachable accessories can be repositioned at will. The extraction hood’s footprint is a virtual 8-square grid and the chimney base – the size of 2 modules – can be plugged into the grid wherever the squares align. Now that’s freedom of movement!
Here’s your chance to glam up house cleaning with this bling-laden vacuum cleaner. The glittery appliance not only removes dust and dirt but also cleans the air with its water filter. Taking over 100 hours, and hand crafted by artisans, this special edition of Hyla‘s GST model is encrusted with 32,000 black, gray, and white Swarovski Elements crystals to make it into the Guinness World Records as the most expensive vacuum cleaner. At a whopping $21,900.00 each, one would probably want to clean and polish the crystals every time the machine is used!
This Swiss army knife of capsule kitchens was created by Italian industrial designer Joe Colombo in the late 1960’s. He envisioned homes of the future to be self-contained ‘mono-blocks’ which support daily functions and can be moved around a space as needed. The small but mighty unit includes 2 induction cooktops, electrical outlets for small appliances, a refrigerator, serving tray, cutting board, pull out work top, drawers and various compartments for cookware, dry goods, drinks, and dinnerware. Originally designed for the owner of Boffi, the iconic MiniKitchen is being re-issued by the company. Available in white Corian, the mobile kitchen is 100 cm (39.4”) w x 650 cm (25.6”) d x 100 cm (39.4”) h.
Killing 2 birds with 1 stone, NikolasTesla Fit by Fabrizio Crisà is a self-contained cooking appliance featuring an induction stovetop with integrated exhaust. The aspiration hob is available in 60 cm (23.6”) and 72 cm (28.4”) widths, ducted or recirculating models. The cooker’s clean minimalist look is due to the ingenious design of its downdraft cover. On trend with the Invisible Kitchen movement, the entire cooktop is an uninterrupted surface when not in use. But upon activation, the vent cover in the center flips 90 degrees to reveal the vent opening, allowing odor and grease to be removed discreetly through the open slot. A digital slider adjusts cooking zones and fan speed with a touch.
Upscale Italian kitchen manufacturer Toncelli is known for its pursuit of leading edge production techniques and unique materials. One striking example is its Essence line, which explores the use of petrified beech for its door/drawer facings and counter tops. Petrified wood is formed – usually over millions of years – when trees buried in wet sediment slowly decay and minerals in the water eventually replace the trees’ cells. This permineralization transforms the tree’s organic matter into a hard, semi-precious stone with the fossil’s dramatic veining and colors dependent on its mineral content. Toncelli’s penchant for experimenting with besoke sources make this an appealing candidate. Producing kitchen cabinetry using fossilized wood with titanium fittings is an impressive demonstration of advanced manufacturing prowess and expert hand craftsmanship!
Wanting to live large without grand digs? Every little thing counts. Check out the patented Indutherm electric drainboard by Schock, the German manufacturer that invented quartz composite sinks. Press the round pop-up control till the red light comes on and presto – this unassuming dish drain tray becomes a multitasker on steroids. Made of proprietary Cristadur, the drainboard for select sink models can be transformed magically into a plate warmer when prepping and serving meals! The dish drain board can be heated to a maximum temperature of 50°C (122°F) and deployed for other kitchen duties such as to proof bread or expedite dish drying. It’s available in a wide palette of colors: Red, Beige, Brown, White, Black, Grey to go with most décor.
To pay homage to the city whose dramatic end sparked the world’s interest in ancient Roman art and culture, venerable Italian kitchen manufacturer SCIC launched Pompei, a cabinet line featuring doors of handcrafted basaltic lava and satin steel countertops. Marrying time honored tradition with innovative manufacturing processes, the doors including their integral finger pulls, are cut from the lava blocks, etched with a blown-up map of Pompeii, and then hand glazed by artisans to create the distinctive look. The striking door graphics depict sections of Pompeii’s Amphitheatre, its main road Via dell’Abbondanza (Street of Abundance), and Casa del Labirinto (House of the Labyrinth), site of the oldest known Roman labyrinth mosaic. The 10 mm (3.9”) or 12 mm (4.7”) thick cabinet doors can be of lava or quartz, while stone, Fenix or steel are available for custom orders. The counter top also comes with a removable accessories holder in dark-stained canaletto walnut.