You might remember reading about the Italian-designed Sheer Kitchen in our May/June issue (it’s a spherical all-in-one number that opens up kind of like a spaceship). Now the über-modern German kitchen manufacturer Poggenpohl has teamed up with its fellow country men at the furniture manufacturer Draenert to debut its own version of the presto-change-o cucina: a long, narrow dining table that can be opened lengthwise with the aid of an electrical motor to reveal a “variable functional area” than can house anything from a cutlery tray to a chopping board. Trolleys can be attached to the ends of this table to house the compatible Teppan Yaki grill, or hot or cold containers. Not sure why it’s called a desk (don’t see room for a laptop in the functional area) but love the idea of a totally tricked-out dining room table ’cause it sort of puts the pressure off what’s actually being served for dinner.

—Gina Bazer

Photo courtesy of Poggenpohl