IKEA Unveils Innovative Solar

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Versatile lamps for the home and garden.

IKEA is hoping to make solar energy more visible and tangible in the home with the launch of SAMMANLÄNKAD, an innovative, limited-edition collection which combines design with solar technology.

Massive solar panels on roofs, small garden solar lamps, and solar-powered calculators for maths calculations are perhaps the most common approaches to solar energy, but IKEA's latest invention is designed to spark curiosity about solar energy in everyday objects.

The result is two solar-powered LED lamps, ranging from £11 to £80. The collaboration, in partnership with social business Little Sun, will help households experience solar energy day to day, all whilst spotlighting its potential as an alternative energy source.

James Futcher, Creative Leader at IKEA of Sweden, says the design teams wanted to 'spark a conversation around solar energy and put the power of the sun in the hands of the many people'.

There are only two products in this limited-edition collection:

Inspired by the sun and the earth's orbit around it, the SAMMANLÄNKAD LED solar-powered table lamp is effortlessly sleek in design and can take pride of place on your sideboard or office desk. The light source is in the shape of a half-sphere, enhanced by the reflection of a mirror to create a shining sun.

Cleverly, the SAMMANLÄNKAD table lamp doubles as a pendant lamp – the half-sphere can be removed from the stand to be used as a torch in its own right. When not charged by the sun, the table lamp can be charged through an outlet using its USB-A and USB-C ports. And, upon full charge, the lamp's battery can also be used to boost the battery of your mobile phone if needed for an emergency charge.

The smaller, portable lamp is a practical option for outdoor settings, whether it's used as part of your garden lighting setup or when on the go. It comes with a yellow strap so it can be held and hung on a window or backpack during daylight hours for charging.

Little Sun, an organisation founded by world-renowned artist Olafur Eliasson and engineer Frederik Ottesen, is dedicated to giving more people access to solar energy in communities without regular access to electricity, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa. 'If we are to transition to a world powered by renewable energy in the next decade, we need everyone to recognise the opportunity of solar energy,' Olafur says. 'Sunlight is seemingly invisible, but solar energy allows us to make the invisible visible.'

The SAMMANLÄNKAD collection is available to buy in IKEA stores – visit ikea.com for more information.

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Olivia Heath is the Executive Digital Editor at House Beautiful UK, covering tomorrow's biggest interior design trends and revealing the best tips, tricks and hacks to help you decorate your home like a pro. Week by week Olivia shares the most stylish high street buys to help you get the look for less and showcases the best real homes, from House Beautiful's One Room Renovation video series, to the hottest and most unique properties on the market.

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