The Machine in the Glow
IKEA and Sabine Marcelis turn the smart lamp into an attainable piece of luminous sculpture.
Most smart-home devices want to advertise their intelligence. They arrive covered in indicators, controls and visual signs of technology. The new VARMBLIXT smart lamp does the opposite. Its technology recedes, leaving only color, form and atmosphere.
Created by IKEA with designer Sabine Marcelis, the 2026 version transforms the familiar donut-shaped lamp into a connected object. The original glossy orange glass has been replaced by a matte white surface that allows the light to emerge softly from within. Turned off, it is a minimal sculptural ring. Turned on, it becomes something closer to a luminous portal.
The included BILRESA remote moves through twelve colors curated by Marcelis, from different whites and warm amber to pink, lavender and turquoise. Connecting the lamp to IKEA Home Smart or another Matter-compatible system expands the palette and adds schedules, scenes and automated control. It can stand on a table or be mounted on a wall, although its modest 180-lumen output makes it a source of atmosphere rather than practical illumination.
At USD 99.99, VARMBLIXT offers a rare kind of accessible glamour. It does not imitate luxury through excessive materials or ornamental complexity. Its appeal comes from one confident form, carefully diffused light and the ability to change the emotional temperature of a room.
This may be the most convincing direction for the smart home: not more devices demanding our attention, but technology disappearing into the objects around us. The machine remains present, quietly shaping the experience, while all we see is the glow.