LG works with Italian furniture firm Natuzzi on smart home

LG Electronics, the South Korean home appliances maker, has announced a partnership with Italian furniture company Natuzzi. The first collaboration will happen at Milano Design Week, where LG will present its smart home devices alongside luxury furniture at Natuzzi’s exhibition booth.

Gadgets including light-emitting diode smart TV, air purifier, smart lighting and ThinQ smart speaker will be showcased. Visitors will be able to control these devices with voice while sitting on the Natuzzi sofa.

When users ask the ThinQ speaker to turn on the TV, the TV will turn on, while lights will be adjusted and the sofa will change its heights for a better TV viewing experience, LG Electronics said.

The two companies are seeking to cultivate the smart home market together, applying IoT technologies on home electronics as well as home furniture. LG and Natuzzi will continue the partnership on the research of the IoT industry and roll out programs.

“We wanted to develop a new sofa that can communicate with electronics products in the living room,” said Pasquale Junior Natuzzi, chief marketing officer at Natuzzi. “LG is a great partner to make an IoT environment from the living room to bedroom.”

LG has made smart home products from washing machine, air purifier, vacuum cleaner to smart TV, smart refrigerator and smart speaker. Making furniture intelligent will be an interesting move in the market.

The Swedish furniture maker IKEA meanwhile is pushing aggressively in the smart home market. With the products’ affordable price and simple design, the company has launched smart lighting, wireless charging furniture and the latest connected speaker. Introducing connected furniture that interacts with other smart home gadgets might be the company’s next move.