DIY Shape-Shifting Lamp Lets You Stack and Build the Lamp of Your Dreams

Craftsman Mike Warren was inspired by the beauty of the Babele lamp by Manifattura Italian Design, but unwilling to pay the high sale price. So, the determined designer decided to hand craft a version of the lamp, which is a playful, shape-shifting piece that can be arranged and stacked to your liking. Warren made the replica using free software and about $15 worth of supplies. He also documented the entire process on Instructables, a DIY site, so that anybody can recreate their own Stackable Lamp.

To begin, Warren designed templates for the basic wood shapes. He then printed them on paper, cut them out, and glued them to wood. Once that was done, he used machinery (like a jigsaw or bandsaw) to form the shapes, and later sanded them smooth. For the lamp's center stand, Warren used a fairly simple plastic, which is now where the electrical components live. Warren assembled a small light in the base, and afterwards fitted everything together. He even added some boiled linseed oil to the wood for a nice finish.

“Stagger, flip, swirl,” Warren writes on the instructions, “any way you stack these slices is sure to satisfy!” Check out the video below to see the DIY in action.

Stacked Lamp Instructables page
via [Laughing Squid, Bored Panda]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.
Become a Member
Explore member benefits

Sponsored Content