Steamline ironing board system

Project Overview

GIA Student Design Award

Timeframe — 6 Weeks

Collaboration — Matthew Li

Steamline

Ironing Board System — Industrial Design, 2024

at first glance
Steamline — three configurations

Boards connect seamlessly for ironing. Lock to angle for steaming,
with hanger bars extended. Fold flush for storage and dock the
steamer-iron for an integrated handle.

the details
Steamline — board and hanger bar close-up

ease of use

The final design carefully nests all components into one form.

Three configurations — ironing, steaming, and storage — give users an infinite number of positions to fit their home.

Steamline — iron and board detail
our solution

all the pieces in one place

The final design carefully nests all components into one form.

Three configurations — ironing, steaming, and storage — give users an infinite number of positions to fit their home.

Steamline — full product render
the void
Steamline — the void, negative space render

highlighting the negative space

The open arch at Steamline's core isn't accidental — it's the product's defining gesture. The negative space frames the standing form while housing all structural tension below the board surface.

Extendable legs and hanger bars emerge from the base, keeping the upright silhouette uninterrupted when not in use.

the steamer
Steamline — steamer docked

safe + secure

The handheld steamer integrates flush into the body of Steamline, clicking into a dock that stores the unit safely between sessions.

Its ergonomic form echoes the board's language — a continuous curve from handle to sole — making the connection between components feel inevitable rather than designed.

A single button cycles between steam intensity levels; the handle glows to confirm readiness, cooling safely before the lock engages.

the water tank

extended use

The larger water tank allows more ironing with fewer refills. Extendable legs and hanger bars keep Steamline stable.

A transparent window on the front face of the base lets users track water level at a glance. The tank releases from below with a quarter-turn, filling at a standard sink without removing the unit from the room.

Steamline — water tank detail
in context
Steamline — steaming a shirt in context

quick cleans +
long steams

Steamline works around you — adapting from laundry room to bedroom to hallway, wherever clothing care happens in your home. The integrated hanger bar keeps garments taut while the steamer glides, cutting wrinkles without ever setting up a board.

walk-through
Steamline — in laundry room context
Sketch — board deployment

Quick sketches allowed us to explore form and function, breaking away from convention.

Sketch — leg extension

Quick sketches allowed us to explore form and function, breaking away from convention.

Sketch — steamer dock

Quick sketches allowed us to explore form and function, breaking away from convention.