Modern technology simply has no place in homes seeking old-world charm and character. After all, smart homes aren’t the houses filled with gadgets and touch screens anymore. Instead, they’re the ones where sophisticated systems are integrated seamlessly, as in, hidden from view.
“It’s nothing new that people have been hiding or camouflaging their kitchen fridges and appliances for a while, but what I am seeing more and more of is that the need for appliance discretion has expanded to other types of technology,” says Gabriela Narvaez, general contractor and founder of Guild Properties. “I have been asked to hide televisions—putting them behind cabinet doors or doors on tracks,” adding that this request has been more common in homes that have combined kitchen, living, and dining rooms.
As Architectural Digest reports, discreet tech also claimed the top spot in the special design features and elements category in 1stDibs’ eighth annual Interior Designer Trends Survey. A meaningful 35 percent of their survey respondents anticipate coming up with clever ways to hide modern-day necessities like flat-screen TVs, gaming consoles and charging stations.
Aside from TVs, seamless tech integrations rising in popularity include voice-controlled lighting, wireless charging furniture, and hidden speakers. It’s all a part of what Wayfair Professional’s 2025 Design Trends report calls “New Wave Futurism,” or a mature, accessible take on futuristic style.
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