Bouroullec brothers design gorgeous new Samsung Serif TV

Televisions, no matter how slick the technology, still remains an awkward bit of furniture whose purpose out-ranks how it looks. As with any sweeping generalisation, there are exceptions to this but the fact remains that you rarely buy a telly on the strength of how it looks. Perhaps the renowned designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec could change this?

The Bourollec brothers have designed a new television for Samsung and, rather than approaching it as a piece of technology that will sit in the corner of a room, they have considered it as a distinct piece of furniture.

Dubbed Serif, the Bouroullec brothers’ television features a case that flares out into a base at the bottom and a shelf at the top which lends it a pronounced ‘I’ profile.

In an exclusive video interview with Dezeen (below), Erwan Bouroullec says that they wanted to design a product with character first instead of trying to produce something based on how slim or large it is.

One of the key points was to move away from ultra-thin screens … There was no more language – a black flat screen is a black flat screen.”

I quite like the novel idea that the shape of the TV’s base means that it can be placed on top of other objects, such as a shelf or sideboard, without it needing a separate stand, while owners are encouraged to place items like books, ornaments or cats apparently, on the shelf on top.

The TV features a fabric panel on the back to hide all the ports and wires, similar to Panasonic’s new OLED, so it can be moved away from the wall if required.

Having two top designers working on a TV means that even the remote control was given the Bouroullec treatment. The device has a clean white finish as well as a neat user interface.

The main feature of the Bouroullecs’ user interface is a setting called Curtain Mode, which covers what’s on the screen with a translucent graphic effect. This enables users to temporarily hide the image without turning the TV off completely.

You can just shut down the live content like you would pull a curtain in front of a window…  During a soccer game, when there are advertisements, you can shade it for a while so they disappear.”

The Bouroullec brothers usually work with top furniture brands and have released new collections for brands including Vitra, Artek and Hay this year.

Serif will be launched on September 21st during London Design Festival in three sizes. Serif will have a 40-inch screen, Serif Medium will come with a 32-inch screen, while Serif Mini will have a screen size of 24-inches.

Serif Mini will be available in white or red, while the two larger TVs will be available in white and dark blue. The two larger TVs will also come with four tubular legs, which screw into the bottom.

This video below was produced by Dezeen for Samsung. It was filmed at the Bouroullec brothers’ studio in Paris, France.

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