Shayla Hoenes
Green Project
For this project we had to design a light fixture made from sustainable products.
Sustainable could be anything like post-consumer materials, post-industrial materials,
biodegradable materials or renewable materials. I am very into sustainable design and would like
to go into that field someday so this project was right up my alley. I began brainstorming of what
I had around the house that I could recycle into a light fixture, and then it hit me. I have a ton of
materials left over from past interior design projects that I have done for school. I grabbed my
100% biodegradable foam core and black shattered glass that I made a mosaic for in a past class.
I decided I would design a contemporary table lamp. I cut the biodegradable foam core
into equal squares to construct the cube, or framework, of my light. I also cut in diagonal strips
to the cube to add movement and interest. Then I spray painted the entire foam core with black
spray paint. This black will match my black glass pieces I had left over and it will go with the
contemporary look. I went around my house and also took pieces from an old mirror that my
brother had broken. Then I found a decorative red plate that has been in our storage room for a
few years now. I carefully shattered the mirror and plate to get pieces similar to the black glass
pieces I already had from my previous project. I thought the black, red and reflective mirror
arranged in a mosaic like pattern around the black cube would make for an edgy, contemporary
look. I also liked how the colors went together. The neutral of the black and the mirror went
together and the red color just popped off the other pieces. As I glued my pieces in place I
purposely left small holes all around the cube. Here is where you can see the edgy diagonal
stripes showing through. The holes would also be a great place for light to escape once I inserted
my light. The red glass was also transparent and would look great with the light shining through.
The last thing I did was attach a push light into the bottom of the cube. This way I would not
have any cords cluttering up the space or taking away from the design.
My design used all recycled and sustainable items. The foam core was not only 100%
biodegradable but it was also left over from a previous interior design project. The glass was all
found around my house and recycled into the lamp I designed. All glass is also 100% recyclable.
Therefore, down the road when the light is thrown away or recycled, the foam core will
biodegrade 100% and the glass can be recycled, melted down and made into new products!
I was extremely pleased with the finished product. Not only was everything very
sustainable but the light was an edgy, contemporary design that I liked very much. Also, when
the light was put into a dark room the way the light illuminated through the cube and the glass
pieces was phenomenal. It really gave off a romantic feel. Plus, the red and black color scheme
matches my room, so I will be getting a lot of use out of the light! Sustainable and practical is
always a success in my book!