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As a country, Italy is well known for its food and wine, its fondness for the good life, and its sense of style - all of which have given rise to two popular looks in kitchen cabinetry that couldn't be more different.

Americans in general and Californians in particular have something of a love affair with Tuscany for its quaint rustic villages, relaxed lifestyle, delicious local cuisine and beautiful scenery. This often finds expression in a Tuscan country kitchen, a warm and welcoming space that favors the functional over the fancy. The walls are often painted in rich, golden tones; sponged-on faux finishes and colored glazes are used in new Tuscan country kitchens to mimic the look of their antique counterparts in Italy.

Tuscan country cabinets have a worn, rustic look and may be painted in warm colors, but are often dark wood. They're more on the casual end of the spectrum than formal or French country, and also heavier and sturdier; wood is distressed to give that well-used look. Ceramic or wrought metal knobs and pulls work well here. Glass-fronted doors may be used to show off dishes, though the Tuscan style also favors chicken wire or metal-panel insets for that real farmhouse look. The layout is informal and unstructured, with lots of open shelving and niches.

But there's more to Italy than the countryside, and modern industrial cities like Milan have developed another notable style that shares Tuscan country's emphasis on the functional but takes off in another direction entirely.

Italian cabinet designers are masters of a sleek, uncluttered modern look. Cabinets are usually frameless, i.e. the doors and drawers cover the entire front of the cabinets in a continuous surface. Hinges are invisible, and knobs and pulls, when used at all, are very simple. The cabinets may be set a bit higher off the floor than in other styles, possibly on legs that allow open space underneath; if toe kicks are used, they're likely to be wider than those seen elsewhere.

If wood is used at all in this style, it's very simple with nothing but its grain for adornment; however, you're more likely to see lots of stainless steel and other metal used on cabinet surfaces, often combined with melamine or thermofoil finishes. This style makes creative use of every shade from brilliant to pastel, and indeed the cabinets may be the most colorful things in the kitchen. The look is stark, clean, simple and efficient; utilitarian but also very attractive.

There's a lot to love about both these styles, and your kitchen cabinet contractor or designer can help you decide which one might work well for you.

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