The television has been the focal point of living rooms across the globe for three-quarters of a century now, much to the chagrin of interior designers who’ve had to work around these massive black boxes. Perhaps finally choosing to acknowledge the audible groans from the design community, display makers have seemingly made the collective decision to address the unsightliness of the TV—and CES 2026 showcased just how far this segment has come in recent years.
Gone and retired are the days of building TVs into insanely heavy pieces of furniture. And while there are plenty of unique and inspiring examples of furniture and mount makers hiding a display (in the wall, in the ceiling or under the bed, just to name a few), it’s refreshing to see TV manufacturers address the issue directly at the source with the displays themselves.
Samsung gave us one of the first examples of this with the launch of their first Frame TV back in 2017. That product flipped the script on the TV conundrum; rather than creating empty space on the wall, it encouraged owners to leave the matted display on while featuring ultra-realistic pieces of art. Who needs to go to the Metropolitan to see Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” when you can load it up on your TV?
It was, at the time, a very early example of how the worlds of technology and design could blend together in creative and impactful ways. Now, the TV itself left much to be desired, and it continues to be argued whether Samsung has actually done much to improve the user friendliness of its Frame devices. But when we’re spending more time looking at the displays in our hands, who’s paying much attention to that anyway? And what’s more, I still have trouble telling the difference between a piece of art on a Frame TV and a real one from a distance. And look at all the different Frame border finishes and color options available today—when we’re talking about the aesthetics of a TV’s bezel, I think that means it’s doing its job, right?
With the popularity of art-forward displays taking hold, there’ve been many new entrants unveiled since Samsung launched the Frame TV, many of which hit the public eye during CES 2026. Among them, we now have:
- Hisense’s CanvasTV
- TCL’s NXTVISION TVs
- Skyworth’s Canvas Art TV
- LG’s Gallery Design TV
- Amazon’s Ember Artline TV
The first three TVs on the list have been around the block for a bit with refreshed models out in Las Vegas. LG and Amazon, though, are new to the museum-ready TV market. Regardless of when they hit the market, the clear message delivered with each display is how they’re being positioned. Less emphasis is placed on the inner-workings of the TV. You might read a sentence or two about the internal processor or how bright the display can get. But the language used and the features discussed cater more towards a design-centric audience—details on the number of art pieces available through the respective gallery platforms, the glare-resistant displays that work in any well-lit interior space, etc.
Beyond the Frame
For those less interested in displaying art on their walls, CES 2026 saw a number of other designer-friendly display options get announced.
Among them, Samsung showcased a new 130-inch Micro RGB TV (pictured at top) that stood out because of its sheer size, but also because of a unique presentation. Set inside what Samsung is calling a Timeless Frame, the company said the aesthetic is inspired by the frame of a “grand architectural window.” Whether floor-standing or wall-mounted, the design is intended to make it seem as if the TV is floating, while the frame around it serves a design and functional purpose with built-in speakers.
The decision to lean into the Micro RGB technology with the TV was also telling. There’s a whole conversation to be had about the pros and cons of Micro RGB versus OLED, but one of the main reasons to go with the technology is better performance in spaces with lots of lighting. In other words, this product is meant to be seen, not tucked into a mancave or basement for a more home theater-esque viewing experience.
And then there’s LG, which reintroduced their Wallpaper TV, the OLED evo W6. Measured at 9mm thin, the display is just a single millimeter thicker than the iPhone 17. First introduced a few years ago as a concept TV, the display suction mounts to a wall (though its only shown mounted on glass or smooth marble surfaces—something tells me drywall won’t cut it with this), and utilizes LG’s True Wireless and Zero Connect Box to eliminate the need for any unsightly cables hanging down from the display. It also boasts Perfect Black and Perfect Color technology that LG says makes it perform well in both bright and dark settings.
Looking past the well-known display brands, there are some incredibly unique and high-end examples of hidden displays. Perhaps none are more impressive than C-SEED, a brand that made a splash at CEDIA Expo earlier this year and that was on hand at CES 2026. Their unfolding display converts from a table (that I would put absolutely nothing on, just saying), into a massive 137-inch display in a matter of seconds.
All told, the biggest takeaway here is that the tech world firmly recognizes the need to and importance of playing well with the design community. Brands are innovating in ways that make it easier for design professionals to tastefully place their products into spaces without disrupting the aesthetic they’re aiming to create for their clients. And that, at the end of the day, is a win for everyone involved.
