Today, design is not just about enhancing a product’s look; it also incorporates user preferences and fits seamlessly into the surrounding environment. Samsung Electronics exemplified this human-centered design approach, known as “Expressive Design,” by achieving an impressive feat at the renowned Red Dot Design Award 2026. All 16 of its entries received recognition.
Samsung Newsroom spoke with designers from the Visual Display (VD) Business to explore their design philosophy and innovation.
OLED TV S95H: A New Direction in TV Design
The OLED TV S95H earned the Best of the Best award in the Product Design category, redefining minimalist TV design by showcasing only essential features and boldly revealing its structure. This approach creates a framed, art-like object with a screen that appears to float.
When asked about the inspiration behind this shift from conventional bezel-less designs, Chulyong Cho, Head of the Design Team, stated that as TVs grow larger, their presence in a space increases. It was important for the TV to blend naturally into the environment, similar to furniture or lifestyle objects. By using various colors and materials in the frame, they developed designs that allow users to express their personal tastes.
The FloatLayer design, where the front panel appears to float in front of a metal frame, aims to enhance the space’s atmosphere and viewing immersion. By exposing the metal plate, the contrast between the screen and its surroundings is softened, allowing the product to blend seamlessly into its environment. The separation of the screen and frame into different layers highlights the OLED technology and picture quality while integrating the product into the living space.
Breaking from conventional design, the S95H layers two contrasting materials for maximum visual impact, prioritizing harmony with the surrounding space. The TV also features customizable, magnetic decorative frames available in various colors and materials, allowing users to reflect their personal style.
Jaeneung Lee, Head of the Product Design Group, explained that they wanted to incorporate users’ diverse interior preferences directly into the product. The assembly structure allows for magnetic attachment and detachment of decorative frames, with additional options available separately.
Responding to the growing preference for zero-gap wall mounting, Lee noted that essential operational elements like sound and vent holes were integrated between the display and frame. This ensures they remain out of sight while maintaining functionality, allowing the TV to sit closely against the wall for a clean, gallery-like appearance.
Where Design, Sound, and Usability Converge
Apart from its elegant design, the S95H delivers immersive audio through the gap between the screen and the metal plate. The Wireless One Connect solution minimizes cable connections, maintaining a refined look and ensuring reliable wireless use over long distances.
Samsung’s future vision is for TVs to evolve into lifestyle objects that reflect diverse user preferences and blend into any space, while maintaining optimal viewing and allowing users to express their personal style through design. The company will continue to advance its human-centered Expressive Design philosophy to reshape homes and everyday lives.
Among the products recognized with the Best of the Best distinction were the OLED TV S95H and the Bespoke AI Laundry series. Fourteen additional products were named winners, including the Music Studio 5, The Movingstyle, Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub, and others.
