IKEA’s most Instagram-worthy table lamp has had a clever new upgrade for 2026 – I see a future cult-classic in the making
This lamp was already a social media favourite, but it now has some clever new features
IKEA’s viral ‘doughnut’ lamp has just received a major upgrade for 2026. It has been given a 'smart' makeover, which will allow you to change the colour of the light and turn it on and off from your phone.
A few years back, the whole of social media became quickly enamoured with the VARMBLIXT Doughnut Lamp, which was designed as part of a collaboration with Rotterdam-based designer Sabine Marcelis. With its ‘Insta-worthy’ retro look, stylish curved shape and soft glow, the lamp (£55) was an instant classic.
And now, I think its new upgrade is a future cult classic, too. Landing in UK stores from April, shoppers will be able to pick a Smart version of the classic light. It’s the latest of IKEA’s Smart home innovations and one that we’re truly excited about.
Late last year, the Swedish retailer announced that it would roll out 20 smart home products in the coming years, offering affordable entry points to the world of smart home gadgets. Only recently, IKEA launched a £25 air quality sensor which links to your air purifier to help keep your home a healthy and comfortable space to live.
Now, IKEA has teamed back up with Sabine Macelis to bring us the much-anticipated VARMBLIXT LED smart doughnut lamp, as the latest step in its journey to accessible smart-home design.
The original doughnut was a huge hit with shoppers due to its striking, retro design.
Don’t worry, the lamp is keeping its iconic doughnut shape, although it is swapping its glossy, orange exterior for a matte white finish. But this new finish accommodates the new light feature, where you can control the colour, brightness and light temperature of the lamp.
The lamp cycles through 12 preset colours - carefully chosen by Sabine - from different temperatures of white light, into amber and warm red, soft pink, cool lavender and turquoise, and on to gentle yellow tones, before circling back to white light.
A BILRESA remote is included to control the lamp, or it can be controlled via the IKEA Home Smart App and other Matter-compatible systems, which gives you access to four different shades across the colour spectrum.
‘We spent a lot of time fine-tuning the transitions between the curated colours. What makes this lamp unique is that switching between colours is not a sudden change, but a very smooth journey through all the hues to get to the next colour. The light slowly moves through colour to, in turn, transform the colour of a space,’ commented Sabine Marcelis.
‘The focus this time was on what more we could explore within the iconic form of the doughnut lamp. Colour variation is one part of it, but at its core, VARMBLIXT has always been about how you experience light. In the original doughnut lamp, external light played on the glossy surface and bounced beautifully off it. With this version, the matte finish lets the light glow softly from within. It’s a very natural, technical evolution of how light can be experienced.’
If you can’t wait until April, I’ve found a few similar alternatives to shop now.
These smart strip lights work with Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit, so you can control the changing colours with ease. Use your voice or your phone to achieve your desired colour.
These bulbs allow you to control your lights from an app on your phone, including the colour, temperature and tone. You can even create and pick your own 'recipes' to create the perfect atmosphere, from 'calm' to 'concentrating'. The bulbs are also voice compatible.
Connecting to Alexa or Google Home, you can control the colour, temperature and other lighting effects using just your voice. It can also be controlled via an app and has multiple modes to enjoy, including night lights, making it great for kids, too.
IKEA’s new range of smart home accessories is quickly proving to be easy and affordable entry points into the world of smart home ecosystems. This cult lamp is tipped to be a big hit, and we can’t wait to see what IKEA comes up with next.
