House Party

Unqualified gorgeous weather, the company of the best of friends, and a few celebratory bottles of bubbly made for a very happy and memorable weekend. If a kitchen could embody the experience—and why not?—I'd nominate this style-bridging space, gleaming with steel and sunlight. Alpes-Inox specializes in what I'll call culinary modules: appliances that are integrated into cabinets. liberincucina.it

Ice Cubes for All

How times have not changed. Nearly 80 years after this ad was published, I'm struck by how Kelvinator tapped into what must be a universal constant: the gap between hostess and the hosted. Although the fact that the features of this fridge seemed to draw guests into the kitchen—rather than liberate the lady of the house from that room—seems a little bit self-defeating, let's let it slide. One rather poignant note: In 1934, the effects of the Great Depression were still acutely felt; the 'Thrift Tray', with its 'attractive containers for left-overs', was an important asset of this appliance.

A Fine Line

As a rule, I prefer the straight, wand-like style of handshower to the type with a circular faceplate; the linear look is just more to my liking. But alas, such aesthetic rigor comes at a price: unlike the multifunctional 'lollipop' models, wands offer just a single spray pattern. The Tube changes that, with four settings available with a simple twist of the top of the unit. Look for this innovative design to hit shelves in the fall. levaqua.com

Lighting Odd

Revealed a few weeks ago at ICFF, the Silk Road pendant light is a mixed media affair. Cylinders of glass, wire, and fabric are fitted into one another. As a consequence, the 18-inch fixture sends a mixed message, as well; I can't decide if it's art or artifice, but in any case, the design, by Jonah Takagi, is intriguing. rollandhill.com

Rock Garden

I'm picking up an interesting mélange of graphic influences—Art Nouveau and Japanese—in this tile, which is called Fiori. The repeating glass and rivershell blossoms are so static, while the whorled pattern of the 'vine' is quite irregular...a very contemporary treatment. artistictile.com

Getaway Galley

Sun-bleached sailcloth drapes, improvised drawer pulls of manila cording, thick walls of limestone rubble: all cues that this kitchen, designed by Paola Navone, is located seaside. I find the space more about ambience than function, but summer's almost here, and so that's alright. paolanavone.it

Counter Proposal

That's some strange place to hang peninsula cabinets, isn't it? It seems that a person working at the sink [once it's installed, that is] would be treated to an in-your-face view of knotty pine. But such details aside, I'm impressed by the bold combination—for 1953!—of natural wood and stainless steel. Those little kitchen gremlins [or whatever they are] were certainly ahead of their time.