Ball of Lighting: Ceiling Lamps Made of Miniature Furniture

It sounds a bit silly initially …  OK, it even appears rather awkward at first glance … but light tells only half the story of a lamp – the other half comes in the forms of shadows it casts.

Miniature dollhouse-scale versions of classic modern furniture from the Vitra Design Museum can be found at their gift shop, but now 80 of these small pieces can also be seen in a set of suspended lanterns re-crafted by Paola Pivi.

Remarkably recognizable in two dimensions, the shapes in the spaces between direct patches of light reflect a century of contemporary furniture design from famous architects and industrial designers.