IKEA’s color-changing Sabine Marcelis lamps debut at CES
▼ Summary
– Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis has updated her popular Varmblixt “doughnut lamp” for IKEA with a matte white finish and a smart, color-changing bulb.
– The original lamp, launched in 2023, became a viral hit and IKEA’s most-sold lamp globally due to its playful design and affordable price.
– The new version, presented at IKEA’s first-ever CES show, features a matte surface that glows from within with smooth transitions between 12 preset colors.
– IKEA is using CES to showcase affordable smart home products, aiming to integrate smart functionality into everyday home furnishings.
– The company’s global range manager stated the lamp’s success stems from it being a genuine, likable design item that is frequently shared and sells out repeatedly.
IKEA has unveiled a smart, color-changing update to its wildly popular Sabine Marcelis-designed lamp, marking the furniture giant’s debut at the Consumer Electronics Show. The new version of the Varmblixt lamp, often called the “doughnut lamp,” features a matte white glass finish and an integrated smart bulb, shifting the light experience from external reflection to a soft, internal glow.
Originally launched in 2023, the playful, tactile lamp became an instant viral sensation, repeatedly selling out globally. The updated model, presented at CES in Las Vegas, allows users to cycle through twelve preset colors using a handheld remote. The transitions between hues, from white to pulsating amber, gentle pink, and lavender, are engineered to be exceptionally smooth and subtle.
Designer Sabine Marcelis explained the evolution. Her main goal was to craft those seamless color shifts. “In the original doughnut lamp, external light played on the glossy surface and bounced beautifully off it,” she noted. “What makes this new version so different is that the surface finish is matte and white as opposed to glossy and coloured. With this version, the matte finish lets the light glow softly from within. It’s a very natural, technical evolution of how light can be experienced.”
Alongside the table lamp, IKEA is also showcasing a smart pendant light from the same collection. This fixture, characterized by a cluster of curved tubes, focuses on the nuances of white light, offering a spectrum from cool white to a warm, candle-like yellow, also adjustable via remote.
The original lamp’s explosive popularity is no mystery to IKEA’s team. Global range manager David Granath attributes its success to being a “genuine design item” with broad appeal. “I think it went viral because it’s a great shape and atmospheric light effect that is easy to like, and people simply started sharing it,” he said. “It stands out as a genuine design item, at a price many people can afford. Since launch, it’s been selling out repeatedly, and today it’s our most sold lamp globally across all electronic products.” The demand remains staggering, with one Varmblixt lamp selling every five minutes in the United States alone.
IKEA’s presence at CES signals a strategic move into the connected home space with affordably priced products. Granath sees the event as a crucial platform. “CES is where a lot of conversations about the smart home start,” he explained. “For us, it’s a chance to show how smart functionality is increasingly becoming part of everyday home furnishing as something that can genuinely improve how products are used and experienced at home.”
The company’s CES display positions smart technology not as a complex add-on, but as an integrated, accessible enhancement to daily life. The updated Varmblixt lamps exemplify this philosophy, transforming a beloved design object into an interactive centerpiece for the modern home.
(Source: dezeen)
