There are all kinds of futuristic-looking energy-efficient light bulbs on the market — not just the traditional piggy-tail model, but liquid-cooled bulbs that look like glass jellyfish, and bulbs with gills like a mushroom or fins like a Cadillac. But for our money, this wooden bulb by artist Ryosuke Fukusada is the most beautiful energy-efficient light fixture going. (And yes, it really is a light fixture.)
The bulb isn’t solid wood, as it appears — it’s a thin wooden shell that’s opaque when the LED is off, but translucent when lit from within. Because efficient LEDs put most of their energy into creating light, not heat, the wood isn’t in danger.
If you like this concept, incidentally, there’s also a wood-block digital clock that operates on the same principles, and ReadyMade magazine has even printed instructions on how to DIY it. Maybe a similar approach could apply if you wanted to roll your own wooden LED bulbs.
