The teeny kitchen is another finalist in the Ideal Homes concept gadget competition. Alex hopes a product like this would help people living alone think about eating healthily, instead of relying on take-out food. To this end, the space-saving modular design even incorporates a Wi-Fi-connected screen so that you can access recipes on the net.

It really is neat form-follows-function design, somehow squeezing loads of useful cooking items in one very small area. Had I had something like this when I was a student, I suspect my fish-and-chips and curry intake might have gone down, if only just a little bit. Probably when I was trying to cook the odd meal to impress a girl. At least the washing up would've been minimum effort. [Dezeen]

Singing Shower (above left)
Designer Debbie MacLennan has taken the classic image of singing into your shower-head during bathtime and made it real. There really is a microphone in there, with integrated speakers in the cubicle, plus pre-recorded backing vocals and songsheets. May become the most fun you can have while naked. Possibly.

Solar Sill (above right)
Paula Denby's design is by no means radical, but it's a clever use of existing tech. Why leave your window sills bare when they're pointing neatly upwards at the sun all the time? Bung on a solar panel and you could charge any number of gadgets inside your house without needing mains power, which is good for your wallet and the environment.

TEMPlate (above left)
Designers Amanda Smith and Sarah Ginn have come up with TEMPlate as a solution to needing oven mitts when you're cooking: their ceramic plate is designed to heat up in the middle and leave the rim and underside cool. No idea how it works, though we're guessing some nifty Space Shuttle tile-like material. Nice idea, useful if you're visually impaired or elderly, we reckon.

CCTV Birdbox (above right)
Cèline Shenton's design adds a little faux-security to your house while also offering a home for nesting birds. It might deter casual thieves, and actually does have a camera inside so that you can watch the chicks hatching. We won't make too much of the "two birds, one stone" saying.

[Ideal Homes Show]