With all their elegance, these kitchens also must be practical, thus the makers have built in clever features. A light tap with the hand or knee and the doors and drawers glide open.

The newest development is electric drawers that close with a light shove almost as if a ghost were inside.

'That's practical when the hands are not clean, for example,' said Geismann. The disadvantage is these systems are prone to accidents and require electricity, she added.

Team 17 of Austria is attempting to combine ergonomics with optical excellence. Its k7 design includes a kitchen island with a surface that can be raised and lowered from 74 cm to 114 cm depending on the height of the cook.

This should prevent back pain and integrate the notion of living even more strongly into the kitchen.

Photographs: Veneta Cucine

The photographs are for representative purpose only.