Spherical table lamp adds a beautiful playful touch to an everyday object

Lamps are the most common lighting fixture in our home, and they present the biggest opportunity to change the ambiance using thoughtful design. Some lamps are elaborate and luxurious, bordering on art masterpieces, while others are minimal to the point of disappearing from view. Lamps don’t just bring light to a room but also certain emotions like joy, energy, or fun. This lamp design, for example, tries to visually recreate the phenomenon of a ball colliding with a sheet of material, creating a playful mixture of uncommon forms, warm colors, and a simple yet impactful design that adds a little flavor to any shelf, table, or living space.

Designer: Lidia Gomez

There is probably nothing more playful than a ball. Its spherical kind introduces a form of instability that makes it wobble and roll unless something stands in its path. Both kids and adults alike love playing with balls, rolling them, throwing them, and even making them bounce. The playful “bonk” sound that this bouncing action makes is just as fun, which is why some kids just can’t stop doing it even after being scolded repeatedly.

The Bonk table lamp design brings that imagery to common everyday appliances, transforming it into something like a living and dynamic object. Its form, with the ball half sunken into what seems to be a sheet of fabric, captures and freezes that moment, creating a visual tension between movement and stillness, action and rest. It creates an interesting aesthetic on its own, and an almost eerie appearance once you turn the lamp on in the dark.

Almost like its shape, Bonk also balances its cheerful disposition with a more subdued color palette. Tiger Orange, Sand, Sunrise Yellow, and Stone convey warmth yet still remain subtle and almost understated. It creates a juxtaposition of design elements that is a perfect metaphor for the symmetrical yet unbalanced form of a ball. It combines all these into a design that will fit perfectly inside modern homes, regardless of the interior motif.

Bonk is also a design that’s a bit in touch with nature, even if indirectly. It can be 3D printed using FDM technology and utilizing PLA, a more renewable and sustainable form of plastic in wide use with this production method. Simple, striking, and sustainable, Bonk tries to challenge the status quo of home decor design where these elements can come together in a harmonious composition that not only brings light to your space but also sparks joy in your life.

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Screw-shaped table lamp offers a unique and tactile way to control your light

There are some designs and interfaces that seem to be so intuitive that there’s almost no question about how to use them. Babies have an inborn knowledge on how to breast feed (even if they have no clue why or when), lever-type switches leave no doubt about what to do to turn something on or off, and the grooves on a screw’s body, a.k.a. its “threads,” hint that it’s something that needs to be rotated or twisted. These intuitive interfaces often have a fixed purpose and use, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be applied to something totally unrelated. This industrial-style table lamp, for example, uses not just the metaphor of a screw but even its mechanism to offer a more personal and direct way to dim or brighten your surroundings.

Designer: Jamie Wolfond

Even when it comes to appearances, the Set Table Lamp already sets itself apart from the crowd. Especially when its lampshade is at its lowest point, it looks nothing more than a gigantic screw standing on your table or shelf. Apart from the standard tall body and wide shade composition, it’s not exactly a design you’d expect from a lamp, even one with a striking industrial style. Unlike lamps that just let you look at it to appreciate its design, this one looks like it’s inviting you to interact with it, which is exactly the point of the design.

The lamp’s screw design isn’t just cosmetic but is actually a key part of its function. The light that comes from the lamp’s cylindrical body shines upward toward the lampshade and is bounced off to illuminate your surroundings. The shade’s shape isn’t typical either in that it’s a very flat cone with its tip facing downward instead of the umbrella-like shades of most lamps. This not only reflects light around the lamp rather than just downward, it also mimics the design of a screw head more closely as well.

Most lamps these days have a dimming feature that often requires turning the lamp on and off to cycle through different brightness levels. It’s an unintuitive and tiring method that leaves no room for finer adjustments. In contrast, the Set Table Lamp’s unique design works in its favor because you can simply turn the shade to lower or raise it, thereby dimming or brightening the light it gives off, respectively. And you do this not with a switch but with an easy motion of “screwing” the cap around the body’s grooves.

With today’s smart lighting products, such a design might seem impractical or even obsolete, but how many such smart lamps can boast of such a beautiful and “personal” lamp? The remote and indirect control of smart lamps takes out the human element in designs, somewhat ironic for products made for human living space. Set Table Lamp offers a more tactile experience that gives humans the feeling of agency and control that they are losing little by little to automation and AI.

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These quirky-functional tabletop accessories add a splash of joy and color to your boring workdesk

Repetitive daily tasks at a desk can often feel monotonous and uninspiring. Whether it’s answering emails, crunching numbers, or attending meetings, the routine nature of these activities can drain one’s enthusiasm. However, what if there was a way to instill some excitement and freshness into these mundane tasks? This is where Plat comes into play.

Designers: Soobin Cho, Junyoung LeeSeoyeong Lee, and Hyunsub ‍Shin

Plat cleverly blends everyday tasks with the art of cooking. Imagine the joy of preparing a delicious meal in your kitchen – the aroma of spices, the sizzle of sauce, and the warmth of the oven. Plat seamlessly incorporates these elements into desk-mounted products, bringing a breath of fresh air to the daily grind. I personally don’t really cook, but anything related to food would definitely excite me.

At the core of Plat’s design philosophy lies the fusion of familiarity and novelty. By infusing elements from the kitchen, such as the interaction of the opening water in the sink and the scent and light of the oven, Plat reconstructs them into innovative products that redefine the desk experience. The name “plat,” meaning “cooking” in French, perfectly encapsulates the brand’s identity and mission.

One of Plat’s standout features is its custom typography logo, inspired by the diverse shapes of kitchen cutlery. The logo’s geometric sans design blends soft and sharp edges, creating a cohesive and organized visual identity. Additionally, Plat’s graphic elements draw inspiration from common cooking experiences, simplifying forms such as sprayed sauce, stacked plates, and water vapor into sleek and functional designs.

Plat offers 2 desk products designed to enhance productivity and comfort.

1. Wireless Charging Dock:

This multifunctional cradle serves not only as a wireless charging station for smartphones but also as a trigger for initiating work sessions.

The interaction begins with the lifting of the cradle, which activates an ambient light, signaling the start of focused work. As the user settles into their tasks, the identity timer embedded within the interface architecture comes into play. Drawing inspiration from the gradual heat buildup in cooking, this timer employs color interactions that intensify over time, subtly guiding users to recognize the passage of time. It also has additional wired charging ports at the back with a loop to keep the cables safe from damage.

Moreover, Plat’s Wireless Charging Dock goes beyond mere functionality, offering efficient task management tools through its intuitive dashboard interface on the smartphone. Users can effortlessly track urgent goals and sub-tasks, monitor weekly work time and concentration levels, and access detailed analysis reports for insightful self-assessments. The inclusion of a storage box at the bottom ensures organizational ease, accommodating essentials such as pens, chargers, and stationery, while a charging inlet and cable loop prevent clutter and damage.

2. Desk Lighting:

In a nod to the comforting ambiance of a kitchen after a satisfying meal, Plat’s Desk Lighting draws inspiration from familiar culinary motifs. This innovative light fixture features upper indirect lighting that illuminates workspaces during task-oriented sessions. However, its functionality transcends mere illumination.

Upon completion of work time, the indirect lighting gently fades, signaling a transition to rest and relaxation. Simultaneously, a diffuser at the bottom releases subtle scents, evoking a sense of calm and prompting users to take much-needed breaks. Operational usability is paramount, with a labeled button allowing for easy brightness adjustment and a base that accommodates smaller items like phones or stationery.

The lighting fixture boasts 60-70 mini LED lights strategically spread across the top pallet, ensuring uniform illumination. Additionally, a connection inlet at the bottom ensures seamless integration with power sources, offering convenience and flexibility.

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This Pagoda Lamp Is A Fusion Of Buddhist Architecture and Innovation

The Pagoda Lamp taps into the rich symbolism of Buddhist pagodas to create an unparalleled lighting experience. Pagodas, renowned for their tower-like stature, multi-story design, and construction from stone, brick, or wood, are typically associated with Buddhist temple complexes and are a common sight in East and Southeast Asia. Inspired by the deep significance imbued within these iconic structures – embodiments of enlightenment and spiritual wisdom – the visionaries behind the Pagoda Lamp set out to translate these age-old concepts into a contemporary masterpiece. In their pursuit, they seamlessly weave tradition into the fabric of modern design, breathing new life into ancient symbolism.

Designer: Zongming Liu and Xingchen Pan

At the heart of this lamp’s design philosophy lies the ambition to reimagine traditional symbols uniquely and refreshingly. Departing from conventional lamp designs, this luminary masterpiece boasts a distinctive feature – a seamless integration of form and function, reminiscent of the artful rotations of a pagoda. Its appearance alone speaks volumes, with the bulbs housed within the graceful contours of the pagoda’s shape, exuding an aura of elegance and mystique.

What truly sets this lamp apart is its innovative approach to user interaction. Eschewing the need for external switches, the lamp ingeniously incorporates its controls into the very essence of its design. With a simple touch and gentle rotation atop the pagoda, users can effortlessly illuminate their space, adjusting brightness levels to suit their preferences. This intuitive functionality not only enhances the user experience but also adds a touch of magic to everyday lighting routines.

Crafted with precision and attention to detail, the Pagoda Lamp is as much a feat of engineering as it is a work of art. The shell, meticulously fashioned from teak wood, offers not only aesthetic appeal but also durability and stability. Designed to withstand the rigors of daily use, the lamp’s construction ensures minimal deformation, while the natural heat conduction of wood imbues a sense of warmth and comfort to any space it illuminates.

With dimensions of 10cm x 10cm x 20cm, the Lamp is perfectly suited for a variety of settings, from cozy reading nooks to elegant study spaces. Moreover, its affordable price point makes it accessible to a wide audience, catering to the diverse needs of modern households. In a market saturated with mundane lamp designs, the Pagoda Lamp stands out as a testament to the transformative power of innovative design, elevating the humble desk lamp into a true work of art. However, behind its exquisite exterior lies a testament to ingenuity and craftsmanship. The complex internal structure of this lamp posed significant challenges during the manufacturing process, requiring meticulous attention to detail and precision machining techniques to achieve the desired outcome. Yet, it is precisely this commitment to excellence that sets this lamp apart, ensuring a product of unparalleled quality and sophistication.

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Enchanting glass bubble lamp peeks from surfaces like a playful fairy

We all need a little magic in our lives, whether it’s a truly life-changing event or a simple scene or object that pulls the corners of our mouths up into a smile. We don’t have to go around looking for magical things, especially when we can more easily just bring them into our homes and into our lives. Of course, we’re talking about furniture, accessories, and designs that add something special to our spaces with their enchanting designs that tickle the mind and spark one’s imagination. This lamp, for example, made of metal and glass, combines two contrasting materials to create a design that evokes feelings of fun, wonder, and playfulness that you get when playing with seemingly magical bubbles.

Designer: Youngeun Seo

There are very few things in nature that have the innate ability to bring out our inner children, things like snowflakes, butterflies, and bubbles. A common trait among these things is their ephemeral lives, appearing and bringing joy one moment and then disappearing forever the next. It’s like they pop in and out of existence, like a curious little fairy that briefly appears to look around the human world before suddenly vanishing without a trace.

PEEKA is a table lamp that tries to recreate that feeling every time you look at it. Its main structure is an uneven glass sphere that might remind one of a bubble, one that gently floats to the ground and settles for a few seconds before suddenly popping, often causing surprise and a burst of giggles from children. The glass, which transitions from murky bottom to clear top, diffuses the bulb’s light inside while also adding specular reflections that give the bubble a magical appearance.

The lamp is set on a cast aluminum base in the shape of a very thin disc. It serves as the “ground” on which the bubble rests, its dark and cold surface contrasting with the warmth of the glass. The composition is also meant to capture the image of a fairy popping its head out of the ground to explore the human world, another playful picture that’s sure to bring a smile to anyone imagining it.

Aside from its unique associations, PEEKA is also a work of art and craftsmanship. The blown glass and cast aluminum are carefully made and polished by hand, resulting in minute imperfections that actually add to the design’s charm. The contrasting glass and metal materials also result in a striking combination that adds beauty and, in a way, magic to any room the lamp stays in.

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This touch-sensitive Terracotta Lamp combines tradition and modernity into one wonderful appliance

Pottery, an ancient art form with roots deep in human history, has evolved from a basic necessity to a therapeutic and artistic expression. In the modern era, there is a growing demand for earthy and handmade interior decor products. However, traditional potters often face challenges in diversifying their product lines to meet contemporary consumer preferences. TerraLume is a table lamp designed to address the needs and challenges faced by experienced potters.

Designer: Yashi Jivnani

Suresh Kumar Jyot, a 43-year-old potter with 27 years of experience, seeks income diversification, skill enhancement, and networking opportunities. Despite his mastery in crafting traditional earthen pots, he faces financial stability issues and competition from four competitors in his village. TerraLume aims to empower artisans like Suresh by offering new opportunities and a broader market beyond the village.

The lamp’s final design focuses on ease of duplication and mass production, incorporating standardization to streamline the manufacturing process. This approach enables potters to efficiently produce TerraLume, fostering local employment generation and contributing to the growth of the pottery craft market.

TerraLume operates on a push-button mechanism with magnetic plates. When pushed, the plates come in contact, completing the circuit and turning on the lamp. Pushing the button again raises the plates, breaking the circuit and turning off the lamp. This simple yet effective design enhances user experience and showcases the fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modern technology.

The lamp’s key components include a terracotta disk, steps to secure the acrylic sheet, a terracotta jacket, a terracotta disk with a step for push-lock functionality, a metal contact to complete the circuit, and an LED strip within a tube. The use of terracotta provides earthy tones, natural texture, and tactile qualities, connecting the product to tradition while aligning with sustainable and handmade craftsmanship.

TerraLume taps into the growing trend identified by WGSN, leveraging the healing benefits of earth tones, building an artisanal look for interior spaces, exploring co-designing opportunities, and investing in the craft market.

The lamp’s terracotta components not only showcase earthy tones but also evoke a sense of tranquility, fostering a serene and grounded atmosphere within living spaces. The meticulously crafted design of TerraLume goes beyond functionality, contributing an artisanal aesthetic that injects character and uniqueness into interior decor. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, TerraLume’s thoughtful design opens doors for collaboration between skilled potters and innovative designers. This synergy creates exciting opportunities for co-designing, allowing for the creation of bespoke and personalized pieces that reflect a harmonious blend of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design sensibilities.

Furthermore, by seamlessly integrating TerraLume into their product lines, artisans like Suresh are poised to meet the surging demand for handmade and artisanal decor products. This strategic move not only enables potters to diversify their offerings but also plays a pivotal role in propelling the overall growth of the craft market. TerraLume stands as a catalyst for empowering artisans, fostering creativity, and contributing to the flourishing landscape of handmade interior decor.

TerraLume represents a successful fusion of tradition and innovation, providing potters with a viable avenue to diversify their product lines and meet the demands of contemporary consumers. Through its co-creation approach, bulk production capabilities, and alignment with market trends, TerraLume empowers artisans to enhance their skills, generate additional income, and contribute to the sustainable growth of the pottery craft industry.

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