Smart Furniture: The Future Or Just A Fad?

Not that long ago, the idea of a coffee table or a bed that allowed you to charge your phone and doubled up as a Bluetooth speaker would have seemed incredibly futuristic, like something out of Star Trek. But today, a growing number of us own a piece of smart furniture or a smart appliance, with this technology evolving and advancing all the time.

So is smart furniture the future? Or is it just a passing fad? It’s always natural to wonder this when new technology comes to the market, but smart products have been making their way into our homes for a few years now, so does this mean they are definitely here to stay? Let’s take a look…

What Is Smart Furniture?

Smart furniture may look like ordinary furniture, but it has integrated features that transform the piece beyond its traditional use, for example with in-built wireless charging technology.

This is one of the most common smart furniture features, with huge demand for it in our always-on, smartphone-dependent modern lives.

Smart furniture can have multiple uses, transforming your everyday life in ways including:

Save energy with a smart lamp, which can be used with a timer mode that will automatically power down after 40 minutes when not in use
Transform the way you work for good with a smart desk with built-in USB ports, Bluetooth speakers, and wireless charging technology
Increase your activity levels while you work from home with a smart height adjustable desk that allows you to move seamlessly from seated to standing
Save time spent on scrabbling around for your charger every time you want to charge your phone, and simply place yours on a surface that’s integrated with wireless charging technology
Influence your mood with an LED Bluetooth lantern speaker with in-built mood lighting
Curate the soundtrack to your life with a portable Bluetooth speaker
Relax your mind before bed with a smart bed that allows you to play your favourite relaxing playlist, audiobook, or guided meditation before you go to sleep

Smart furniture is constantly evolving, with new products coming to the market all of the time. There are now kitchen worktops that will reveal a hidden sink with a ‘swipe up’ motion, and fridges that let you see the expiry dates of what’s inside without you having to open the door. We’re excited to be playing a small part in the world of smart furniture as it continues to grow and evolve, and can’t wait to see what the future holds – just how futuristic will the products in our homes become?!

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The UK’s Future Smart Home Technology Plans

One piece of research has looked into the smart products UK households expect to own in the next few years – although smart furniture and smart home appliances shouldn’t be confused, it’s incredibly interesting to see the direction that people expect their homes to take in the very near future.

Ernst & Young’s Taking New Steps Into The Smart Home report discovered that smart product ownership is expected to increase significantly in the near future, finding that:

41% would like to own a digital home assistant, marking an increase from the 22% who owned one in 2019
41% expected to have smart heating in the near future, up from the 12% who already had this in 2019
36% wanted to invest in smart lighting – a significant increase from the 11% who had smart lighting as of 2019
36% would like to own a video doorbell in the next few years, compared to just 7% who owned one in 2019
34% wanted to own a smart speaker, compared to just 17% who owned one in 2019
31% said they would like to own a connected car, up from just 12% who owned one in 2019
19% wanted a smart fridge, up from the 5% who had one in 2019
19% would also like to own a smart washing machine, up from the 6% who owned one in 2019
17% were interested in owning a smart oven, in comparison to the 6% that owned one as of 2019

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Is Smart Furniture Here To Stay?

We asked Nathan Morgan, commercial director of Koble Designs, for his thoughts on whether smart furniture is the future or a fad. He said:

“There is always a fear with every new concept as to whether it’s worth investing in or if it’s just a fad, especially when technology is involved. There are multiple examples of companies that have faced this scrutiny when launching – Netflix, Spotify, Apple, and WhatsApp, to name a few.

“At Koble, our team has decades of experience in manufacturing quality furniture and lighting. With our ability to now include wireless charging capability and sound to our designs that are discreet and do not compromise the visual appeal to the product, we are in a strong position to make a real difference to how people look at furniture.

“Functionality and design are at the heart of every product we launch under our growing brand. We are striving to make life easier for our customers. Wireless charging is no longer a thing of the future – all smartphones are now being manufactured with the functionality.”

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Discover Smart Furniture At Koble Designs

In summary, we believe that smart furniture will only be a passing fad if technology stops developing – and that’s not going to happen. At Koble, you’ll find the latest developments in smart furniture from smart desks to smart beds, and from smart lighting solutions to LED Bluetooth lantern speakers – everything you need to make your home that bit smarter.

Whether you opt for a smart bed, smart side table, or a smart height adjustable desk to transform your home office, see how you get on with using the technology and how it transforms your routine.

Shop our full collection of smart furniture today, or contact us here if you have any questions about our products.