Calm [Kitchen] Before the Storm

This refined kitchen storage reassures me that in this week of culinary chaos, there are still beautiful details in the room deserving of appreciation. In this pantry alcove, the transparent woven-brass sliding screen is a lovely counterpoint to the dusky blue chevron-patterned parquet wall. The design is enlightened; the craftsmanship extraordinary. Something to be thankful for, indeed. lanserring.com

Talking Turkey

It's Thanksgiving week—time to bring it on in the kitchen. For me, the most important design ingredient is a copious amount of work surface. I'm not picky; it can be centralized or dispersed throughout the room, just as long as there's lots of it. This kitchen, anchored by a generous table/island, looks like a promising environment. plainenglishdesign.co.uk

Tall, Dark, and Handsome [Storage]

In the dual-purpose category of kitchen design, this freestanding, functional partition wall supplies both spatial definition and storage. With a back panel of white opaque glass, it conducts soft, diffused light into adjacent areas. A slim five inches deep, it's well suited for keeping flat or shallow items close at hand. henrybuilt.com

The New Orange

Of course it's the color scheme that triggered this post. But the design merits are worthy of attention; these straightforward storage modules copped a Red Dot award. Fabricated of recycled polystyrene, the individual panels click endlessly together, thanks to the double-mitred edge. They can be fitted with casters and doors, and are offered in 16 brilliant colors. qubing.com

BOOtiful Design

In this week's run-up to All Hallows' Eve, I'll be featuring kitchen and bath items that are a bit on the dark side—such as this high Gothic range hood. Let's hope that the insert draws well, because cleaning any grease off this ornately carved piece would otherwise require some devilishly good help.

Points of Light

Applying its expertise in illuminated door handles to a smaller scale, Martin Pierce is developing a collection of LED-powered drawer and cupboard pulls. The Morphic collection is lit with a tiny, high density light strip. Dimmable, it provides accurate color renderings—an important consideration when cabinets are literally in the spot light. martinpierce.com

The Personal Touch

Neri & Hu designed the Ren collection of storage furnishings with the Chinese ideogram for 'human' as a point of departure; the character resembles an inverted 'Y'. The frame of this dressing table is Canalatto walnut, surfaces are wrapped in fine saddle leather, and brass hangers suspend shelves and mirrors. arksf.com

Transitional Kitchen

Exactly what 'transition' does this kitchen represent, you may ask. Well, while the time of year would signal a seasonal change, I see this design also showing a shift in outlook—the vintage back-bars finding a new purpose as kitchen storage.

Coming to Grips

A delightful cabinet detail, this. A small, simple finger pull is amplified by a top layer of surfacing material. The effect calls attention to the shape, depth, and strata of the drawer front, all done in a surprising way. nicolajbo.dk

Top-Down Design

I like how the shallow shelving in the Lab13 kitchen can extend down to the floor. While the design might require an occasional crouch, it's easier to access than a full-depth cabinet and is a viable storage alternative for smaller kitchens, where a pantry isn't an option. Look at the far end of the galley, too—there's a dash of diagonal symmetry with some shelves reaching upwards. arancucine.it

Under the Counter and On the Side

Whether your kitchen towels are designer or dingy, this inset hanging rod is a neat way to keep them  convenient without having them flop in front of those spiffy appliances. It also livens up the always-abrupt end to a run of base cabinets. johnlewis.com

A Cooling Kitchen

As the temps tick steadily upward, I can imagine taking a respite in this clean, simple kitchen. With soft colors and floor-to-ceiling cabinets and pantry unit, it's a visually cooling space. [Clunky fridge excepted. But it could have been worse.] mrwaller.com

Custom Kitchen

Shiny and streamlined, the Ego is well suited to be the nucleus of an open plan kitchen. [Unless, of course, your tastes run more to the subdued than the statement-making.] Designed by architect Alberto Torsello, the mirror-polished stainless steel cabinet can reflect color and light in a way that makes it a part of—and sets it apart from—its surroundings. Several custom handle treatments are offered. abimis.com

In the Grooves

I'm fascinated how the digital overlays the natural in this doorstyle, part of the Bellagio kitchen by Bartoli Design. A consistent texture is broken into a pattern of uneven horizontal lengths. Put another way: It's like transforming a familiar song with a scat-tempoed rhythm. laurameroni.com

A Blue Clue

On Mondays, I usually post a kitchen design. My apologies for the detail photograph [rather than an view of an entire room], but I do find this island, colors, and materials a compelling nucleus for a very nice space. The angular, ebonized trestle 'table' connects with the soothing blue cabinet in a way that lets each component retain its own identity, while establishing the overall tone of the kitchen. rs-schreinerei.ch

But You Still Need an Allen Wrench

This standard-issue Ikea cabinet has been jazzed up with a snappy, laser-engraved front and midcentury-modish legs. They are part of a large menu of customizing elements that can transform the Faktum and Metod collections from bland to bodacious. superfront.com

Design Without Borders

So: Many, many people are saying that something very terrible, really disgraceful—and sad!—happened #lastnightinSweden. Happily, this extemporaneous kitchen design was not the alleged transgression, as Ikea fully and extremely vetted the hacking project. At the heart of the system is a versatile metal bracket that enables a flexible framing system to accommodate an ad hoc mix of storage units and appliances. ikea-hacka.com

Kitchen, Contoured

I've just finished clearing a foot of snow off the car. During that oddly meditative [and chilly!] experience, I had more than ample opportunity to observe the effect of the wind on the white stuff; hence, this sculpted cabinet front. sorenrose.com

Y Not?

Debuting at this week's LivingKitchen trade show in Cologne is this little number, er, letter. Designed by architect Michael Hilgers, the Y Kitchen is a tripartite island. As it lacks a refrigerator and an oven, it's meant to supplement, not replace, an open kitchen in a small space. Its strength is providing counter area and drawer storage in a compact footprint; its potential drawback is triggering a literal run-around. I think that could be solved through careful orientation of the unit. ballerina.de

Live Wire

I think the Line door handle demonstrates that minimalism can have richness and soul. According to its creator, an alum of the Design Academy Eindhoven, the 28-inch length of sinuous brass represents a pulse of movement in an otherwise static stripe. jeroenvandegruiter.nl