From the country that taught us how to make ourselves fully at home in the kitchen: 11 memorable designs—rustic, clean-lined, and effortless-looking combinations of the two.
Above: The ultimate marble sink in a convent turned country house, restored by Marina Sinibaldi Benatti (who became an interior designer along the way); see La Dolce Vita: A Restored 17th-Century Convent Outside Milan.
Above: Understated ease in an apartment kitchen by Clarisse Demory at Villa Lena, a new hotel and artist retreat on a Tuscan estate.
Above: Black-and-white meets mint in an inventive Savona, Italy, apartment by Grooppo; see Apartment Upgrade: A Different Tiled Floor in Every Room.
Above: Minimalist built-ins and a polished concrete floor meet an old stone wall in A Whitewashed Ligurian Farmhouse with a Splash of Color by A2BC Architects.
Above: A rustic-modern palette (and an intriguing black trunk) at Catarina House in Florence by Sabrina Bignami of B-Arch Studio.
Above: A mix of eras surround a patinated metal island in a kitchen by Dimore Studio; see Ancient Meets Modern in a Milan Apartment.
Above: Photographer Federica Bottoli and architect Vittorio Longheu's Family House in Mantua with exposed beams and a Prouvé Potence light near the streamlined sink.
Above: Concrete, steel, and raw wood create a muted modernist vibe in architect Arturo Montanelli's Kitchen in Lecco.
Above: A summer house in Umbria from Elle Decoration, spotted on The Style Files.
Above: A seaside kitchen in an old stone house in Puglia, from Kinfolk via The Style Files.
Above: The Cinqueterre, the first all-aluminum kitchen, designed in 2000 by architecture legend Vico Magistretti for Schiffini. Photograph via DesignSpace London.
We've been spotlighting great kitchens around the world this week, including:
• 10 Stellar Scandinavian Kitchens
• 12 Favorite Kitchens in the UK
• The White Album: 13 Favorite US Kitchens
• 10 Fantastique French Kitchens
See the Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen—and how to re-create it—on Gardenista.
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