The Once Humble Television is Now a Critical Design Piece

Not long ago, TVs were big, boxy and unattractive. No wonder they were always relegated to the corner of a room, positioned discreetly or masked within large, wooden, entertainment centers to make them fit in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Those days are long gone. With the advent of newer technology and thinner screens, this once-humble home electronics device has been reinvented as a critical design statement for the contemporary home.

This shift can be attributed to several factors. Surveys show that consumers now prefer larger-screen TVs, so the physical space that TVs take up in the home is greater than ever before. The layout of modern homes has also evolved. Today interior designers often experiment with the non-traditional placement of furniture and electronics, so it’s not uncommon for a TV to be a focal point in the center of a room or for it to be mounted atop a fireplace, rather than flush against a wall. Additionally, TV manufacturers are putting a greater emphasis on display design with new, sleek and sophisticated models that can brighten up any room.

These sleek new TVs have been made possible by technological innovation. Bulky CRT TVs made way to thin LCD/LED models – and now there are even TVs that are curved. Just think of some of today’s modern TVs – every part of the TV now matters, not just the screen. TV frames are thinner so the picture looks like it’s floating, TV necks are barely noticeable, even the back of the TV is less cluttered, allowing it to be displayed. For example,Samsung has a One Connect Box which means the TV only needs one port of connection in addition to the power cord.

With these modern innovations come more artistic design possibilities. Samsung commissioned a Korean artist to use traditional gold lacquer paint on the backside of a TV. This 78-inch Curved UHD TV was recently showcased and auctioned for charity at Christie’s in Hong Kong. The special-edition TV featured iconic scenes and famous characters from television, brought to life through intricate gold-lacquered paintings on the TV’s rear face.

As technological advancements continue, people will see bold and different things from TV design. The TV has become a way for consumers to express their personal style or complement their home’s interior design, in addition to being a main source of entertainment.

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