Design Review: Bedside Light & Storage

For my main project, I have decided to make a customizable bedside lamp that also doubles as storage for small items you would normally keep by your bed, such as jewelry or glasses, etc.

The inspiration behind this project came from (again) my love of furniture. I originally wanted to make a customizable shelving unit such as the one pictured below:

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However, I quickly realized how daunting this idea was going to be as far as scale and manufacturability. I am not well versed in wood-working skills so even having wood be my main material was going to be a challenge for me.

I then dabbled with the idea of a bedside lighting unit that somehow had some customizability for the “dynamic” constraint of the project.

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From these sources of inspiration, I came up with the idea of integrating a light within a storage feature. It took a lot of brainstorming to come up with this (still daunting) idea, but I think it is far more feasible than that of the large shelving unit.

I always begin my ideation with sketches because it is easier to figure out what the good and bad ideas are if I can easily visualize them. So here are a few of my sketches from the brainstorming phase:

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My main goals for the prototype was to visualize the sizing and the movement of the unit. So I decided to use simple materials like cardboard and a wooden dowel just to see how it would look and feel.


References:

  • http://interiorstyle.xyz/adjustable-box-shelf-would-be-way-cool-with-some-floating-shelves/
  • http://www.architectureartdesigns.com/new-shapes-every-time-squaring-movable-bookshelf-by-sehoon-lee/
  • https://www.creativespotting.com/2013/03/creative-table-lamp-design-3-1/

 

 

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8 Comments. Leave new

  • Marcus Gurule
    May 8, 2017 7:09 am

    I am a really big fan of the modern aesthetic. I think that you have a great start to t what you want to do for your final project. I like the idea of using the laser cutter to cut out cross sections to build up the shapes. I would also like to see the bamboo filament for the 3d printers as I have never seen it before. I am looking forward to see what you come up with.

    Reply
  • Errol Romero
    May 1, 2017 3:02 pm

    I’m a very practical person who have never really thought of the idea of moving furniture so this project really grabs my attention. I like how the design is multi-functional and is different from anything that I have seen before

    Reply
  • Katherine Yarnell
    March 30, 2017 8:48 pm

    This is a really cool idea! The cutouts are really unique and different, which is really neat! The modern aesthetic is going to look really nice. I am really excited to see the final product.

    Reply
  • I enjoyed learning about your design process and your goal to add movement and light to something that is typically static. My only concern is user error if one puts the heaviest items in the top of the design and then tries to access the lower drawers. Your idea to cut your current compartments in half should help prevent this by limiting the scale of the items being stored. Do you plan to stain or paint the drawers as well? Depending on the wood used by your cutouts, a darker staining could really bring out the modern aesthetic you’re aspiring to. Great project!

    Reply
  • Levi Cortright
    March 19, 2017 11:34 pm

    I really like these ideas! I am very excited to see how you project ends up moving, and what kinds of shapes will come out of that. I would say that you should really elaborate on your drawings before you start building it to ensure that it is feasible to build. This will make sure that you will be able to do it. I am looking forward to seeing how it ends up.

    Reply
  • Blake Arellano
    March 17, 2017 12:14 pm

    I personally like the shape of your compartments and I agree that cutting them in half would be better for your aesthetic while giving you more compartments for organization. I would like to see you stick to the lazer cutting and natural wood. I know I brought this up during your presentation, but do some researched into homemade longboards/skateboards. I think it will be useful for you to see how to layer wood and press it into shapes. Good Job!

    Reply
  • Dean Alibrandi
    March 17, 2017 12:14 pm

    I really like the idea of stacking layers of cutouts together to form the drawers. It is a very unique aesthetic and will certainly fit the modern look you are trying to achieve. You may consider using bearings to help your drawers rotate smoothly on the aluminum shaft. This will be important especially once the drawers have heavy items in them. The holes for the bearings would also be very easy to add if you will be 3-D printing everything.

    Reply
  • Faisal Al Balushi
    March 17, 2017 12:10 pm

    I really like the inspiration and the idea of having dynamic furniture! I also think you have a great plan for manufacturing, one note is that I believe that it is not possible to laser cut plywood since its a sandwich of glue and wood. But it could work as we discussed in the presentation. Great job, looking forward to seeing the final product.

    Reply

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