LG’s CineBeam projector is compact enough to only take up the space of a few books, and is designed so its handle also acts as its stand when in use.Courtesy LG
At the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show, an annual trade show held every January in Las Vegas to showcase new tech and products, Eureka debuted a multitasking new appliance: a dual washing bot. The four-in-one appliance, seemingly, does it all – washes and dries clothes while also housing a built-in robot vacuum and mop in a hidden dock at its base. The entire appliance set takes up the floor space of just one washing machine. And, better yet, since the appliance is hooked up to a home’s plumbing system, the robot mop can self-empty its dirty water and refill with fresh water automatically.
This product’s debut represents growing interest in two home appliance trends: the desire for home tech and appliances to become smaller, and in some cases, more integrated into the home.
Allyse Li, an interior designer and managing partner of the Vancouver-based RAAW Design Group, welcomes new innovations like Eureka’s four-in-one washer. “I definitely think that appliances need some kind of revolution,” she says. Li believes that multitasking designs with smaller footprints represent a growing need, especially in urban settings, to fit more functions in a smaller footprint. “Especially in the condominium market, developers are trying to fit more units into the allowed space,” she says. “In order to do that, everything has to be more compact.”
Single-family homes are also getting smaller – think stacked townhouses, duplexes and multiplexes – which makes the more-in-less trend relevant in these settings too. “Canadian cities are moving toward middle-density … single-family homes, but a little bit smaller,” Li says. “They have all the same interior parts as a traditional single-family house, but the living space is just being squished.”
Joe Alicandro, a senior merchant of appliances at The Home Depot Canada, echoes Li in the need for more-in-less. “We’re witnessing an increase in trends shaped by the shift toward smaller living spaces, the rise of multigenerational and multifamily homes,” Alicandro says. “Within these spaces, many are turning to innovative solutions, fuelled by the need to optimize every square inch.”
The innovations, like a robot vacuum connected to a home’s plumbing system, isn’t just a dream for tech lovers who crave efficiency, it’s also a boon for aging in place and those with disabilities. “A huge part of our job as interior designers is to design for universal accommodations,” Li says. “I think this is a really creative way to allow for accessible living.”
Designer Allyse Li works with clients to integrate home technology into their spaces, such as this kitchen that includes a filtered water station and hidden mini fridge.Courtesy RAAW Design Group
When it comes to washer/dryer units, which have typically been housed in a designated laundry room or closet, Li looks abroad for inspiration. “The washer and dryer are often tucked under the countertop or are somewhere in the washroom in a lot of European residences,” she says. A washer-dryer under a kitchen counter is another popular design which eliminates the need for a separate laundry room or mudroom. “It’s a lot more affordable, but also quite livable, I think,” says Li.
Placing appliances like the washer and dryer in a more open space means their appearance becomes important. That could look like appliances in colour schemes that blend more seamlessly into a bathroom or kitchen’s decor, like matching a deeper stainless steel washer-dryer set with a darker shower surround, for example. Much like integrated fridges and dishwashers, hidden behind millwork and panelling to blend into a kitchen, Li believes washer-dryers in bathrooms and kitchens can get the same treatment.
This multitasking mentality can be applied to other living spaces, too. “Instead of having a living room, family room and dining room, we can merge some of these rooms and build a multifunction space,” Li says. “A projector can replace the traditional TV and be used only when it’s needed.”
The LG CineBeam Q, another CES 2024 product launch, is a compact projector with a handle that rotates around a built-in speaker to double as a stand. The appliance can be operated from a smartphone and projects to create a screen up to 120 feet in size. When not in use, the projector can be tucked onto a shelf or stored in a cupboard, taking up the space of a few books.
Home integration, like a robot vacuum connected to a home’s plumbing, isn’t just a tech-lover’s dream, it’s a nod to space and usage efficiency that’s desperately needed these days. Li nods to smart fridges, something she has in her own home. “They’ve got a huge screen on the front that replaces several things that would traditionally be isolated functions,” Li says. She uses it as a monitor for her security camera system, a screen to play YouTube cooking tutorials, for writing notes and for her kids to doodle. And it’s all done without opening the fridge door.