3 Cool Modern Kitchens!

Valcucine's Sine Tempore kitchen

Made in Italy, sold in Dallas . . . it's safe to say there's a plethora of very chic kitchen showrooms across Texas now, all vying for a cut in the luxury market. My favorite kitchens tend to be German (such as Eggersmann) and Italian (such as Bon Tempi Cucine). But today, I'm focusing on Italian handcrafted Valcucine kitchens, which are available to the public and to the trade, through the newly-opened Pohlenz Dallas Valcucine showroom. Architect Scott Pohlenz fell in love with the kitchens while working in London, and brought the line to a showroom he co-owned in Tulsa, then opened Pohlenz Dallas Valcucine earlier this spring. The Dallas showroom carries 20 other Italian lines, including baths, doors and closet systems. 

The Sine Tempore kitchens are handcrafted in elm wood and can be customized with Old World hand carving, as shown below, in almost any design.

WORK OF ART . . .

Valcucine's new Arte kitchen

If you're more into sleek and modern than carved wood, Valcucine's new Arte kitchens are extraordinary for their ability to be customized like works of art. Handmade by artisans in Italy, they are crafted in matte glass and customizable with your own artwork or select from 12 standard designs. Each glass panel is one-of-a-kind and layered on eco-sustainable wood cabinetry.

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT . . .

Valcucine's Logica kitchen

Probably one of the most high-tech kitchens I've experienced (seeing one in person is a treat), the Logica has a spectacularly-engineered, long cantilevered door, constructed of a single piece of glass that raises with a simple lift of the finger, revealing shelving, storage and plenty of workspaces and cubby holes. But the high tech aspects that I love the most are the removable electric outlets that can be popped off and easily relocated anywhere along the electrified strip (see below). But don't worry about the safety—I think an induction cooktop analogy works best here—meaning that you can touch the strip and not get shocked. I know, I tried it! I haven't seen this employed anywhere else yet, and I keep wondering why someone hasn't developed it for use in rooms, as well?

Valcucine's Arte kitchen

I thought I'd end with this image, since I love how this Arte kitchen can close up like a cabinet, and the outside glass is really a work of art that can be anything you want, by anyone. I'd love to see versions by Texas artists David Bates or Dan Rizzie, wouldn't you?