Did you know that music is imperative to reducing stress? It can change how your home feels in a way that a nice rug or new console never could. Plus, skip to a new artist, genre, or playlist, and everything changes again in an instant. Well, IKEA's KULGLASS Bluetooth Speaker Lamp conceals all those capabilities in a stylish table lamp — it's cool, colorful, and costs just £80.
With a speaker that spans 10 meters, you can quickly connect to your Spotify account, while a clever 'multi-speaker mode' even lets you connect to various speakers with the same capability for a real surround sound experience. And to really set the mood, switch on the lamp functionality, where the colored glass shade provides a decorative, diffused glow.
It's available in two colorways — a two-tone green and a red-brown/pink — and is part of IKEA's collaboration with Swedish designer Tekla Evelina Severin (Teklan), which officially launched earlier this year. This is tech done designer.
This charming pop of color will not only elevate your space but also serenade you as you wind down. Its good looks are undeniable — you wouldn't know it's a speaker unless you did. As for its quality as a Bluetooth speaker, so far, there is one (raving) review that mentions the speaker "is not going to wow you, but it's not bad," that it has fast pairing, that it can be linked to YouTube and other apps as well as Spotify, and that you can install a Smart bulb to control the light via a remote because the switch is a little inconveniently placed. It's probably worth it regardless, because the bulb doesn't come included anyway, so try this E27 Smart Bulb from Amazon.
As far as speaker-lamps go, this one is one of the best-looking I've found. To compare (or if you're looking for something a little less colorful), I've found some other stylish Bluetooth speaker-lamps to shop right now.
The Kreafunk aLIGHT was designed with versatility in mind and combines soft ambient lighting with wireless sound. It can be used indoors and out — mounted to the wall in your shower (yes, it's water-resistant), as a night light in a child's bedroom, or anywhere else in your home. It has up to 15 hours of light and audio playback from a single charge and can be synced with another speaker for a surround-sound experience.
Oooh, I really like how this speaker-lamp looks. This one is portable, too, and made from powder-coated steel and hand-blown glass for a super sleek look. It's also available in a Metallic Anthracite colorway. Sound-wise, it's JBL-powered speakers, so you can trust they're solid. It can also be paired with other PLAY speakers for a surround-sound listening experience.
If you fancy a pop of color, then Sensa Play’s mini portable table lamp brings the vibes. It also taps into the mushroom lamp trend that's been everywhere lately. The integrated LED light delivers clear audio and adds a retro element to your outdoor space. It also comes in a Deep Aquamarine and Anthracite colorway and as a full-size Sensa Play LED Portable Speaker, too.
Alternatively, this compact, light-up LED speaker is sold in a natural taupe or a light green. The soft-touch rubber and wooden feet make this easy to transport around your home. The white glow creates a relaxed atmosphere, delivering clear and balanced audio. It's got adjustable lighting, high-quality JBL sound, and cool Scandi design. What's not to love?
With an impressive sound output and sleek design, this Bluetooth speaker lights up with 10 different "atmospheric light patterns" whenever it's on. With 30 hours of play time, 40W stereo sound, and three equalizer options, Pure Sound is built to impress. It is also designed to withstand being outside and is water-resistant. While not as much of a 'light' as some other options, its retro radio-inspired charm is hard to go past aesthetically.
Another IKEA option, this speaker-lamp is far more pared back than the Teklan collaboration — but no less design-y. It's also available in a pale blue and a glossy black. You can dim the light, connect to other compatible speakers (including the one at the top of this article), and play Spotify. The 'lamp' functionality is reportedly more 'ambience' than anything practical, but it's easy to set up.
The days of tech being all about specs and not about style are well and truly over. If you're interested in design-forward devices for your home, Livingetc's interiors editor tested Epson's Lifestudio Flex projector (which can also be used as a speaker and a table lamp) and ended up ditching her TV for it.
For more product recommendations, make sure you're subscribed to Livingetc's newsletter.
