Sometimes seeing an unconventional lamp or lampshade can light up more than just the room. Depending on the person, something as aesthetic as a lamp in your bedroom or office can change your entire mood.
Swiss artist Jonas Merian is fully aware of this. His creations take vintage Chinese objects and transform them into playful sources of light, including talcum powder boxes, cookie tins and even kettles. It’s another form of repurposing that differs from recycling. But recycling can be beautiful and surprising in its own way as well. Designer Ab Coral goes as far as to create colorful jewelry from 100% recycled paper. Design studio ilsangisang took these two concepts to heart and uses recycled paper to make unusual lampshades.
The Korean design studio ilsangisang is the producer of a series of ‘living’ interior products dubbed the ‘SOULeaf Series’. The series was inspired by the street trees of the world, whether that means the Elms of Central Park in New York, the Platanus trees of the Champ-de-Mars park in Paris or the Gingko trees along the Deoksugung stonewall walkway in Seoul.
The distinctive shapes, textures, and patterns of these leaves form the basis for ilsangisang’s refreshingly naturalistic looking creations. Their goal? To infuse homes with the same purifying, restful and life-giving element the trees give to the often dreary cities. But there’s more to the design than meets the eye.
The shapes of these recycled paper lampshades are infused with luminous glow-in-the-dark ink, creating fantastic and environmentally friendly nightscapes. When the lights are turned on, luminous paint and animal silhouettes give a uniquely natural twist to any room.
Of course, there’s more to being environmentally friendly than having a natural look. But ilsangisang has gone the extra mile. Every piece in the SOULeaf series, whether it’s their wall-mounted art pieces or these stunning lampshades, are made using recycled paper. Not just any paper: recycled beer labels. By taking the recycled beer labels, beer wastes and Elemental Chlorine-free pulp (ECF) from the Weizen beer production process, ilsangisang has created recycled paper lampshades that are impressively eco-friendly.
Their Gingko leaf design even incorporates seaweed from the Sea of Venice with solar-heat produced, non-timber paper pulp. A recycled paper combination so environment-friendly that it received a Green Energy Certification. The SOULeaf series shows that design and sustainability can come together with an unexpected green influence.
Originally published at thesquirrelz.com on December 8, 2015.