Jesse McKinley explores a fascinating trend in industrial design in the article The Cult of Disappearing Design:

Part interior illusionist and part aesthetic anorexic, Mr. McInerney is a practicing member of the cult of disappearing design, the now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t ethos that aims to secrete away anything that needs a button, a cord or a subwoofer to work.

Check out the slideshow as well. I think there is a point where invisible design becomes a bit too devoid of emotion for my taste.