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The story behind the product

Puzzle perfect with ÖDLEBLAD

How do you turn a shape as simple as an Allen key into a sculptural centrepiece? With thoughtful design and minimal waste. Let's see how IKEA designer David Wahl puzzled together a lamp that brings you the joy of finding that last puzzle piece for your home!

Product designer David Wahl standing behind a lit ÖDLEBLAD lamp shade in a darkened room.

At first glance, the ÖDLEBLAD lamp shade looks like a beautiful sculptural piece which when turned on, emits a layered warm glow in your space. When you look a bit closer, you may see it – the popular tool you, familiar with our flatpack products should recognise – the Allen key.

For over a decade, designer David Wahl has been brightening up the IKEA range with his well-constructed and creative designs. With ÖDLEBLAD, his intention was to create a flat-packed lamp that avoided material waste and connected without fittings – which funnily enough, is where the Allen key comes in. ''The Allen key shape is brilliant because with its specific form we get parts that create minimal waste – the entire sphere is held together by its own geometry.'' His drive to create smart solutions with minimal waste made the design come to life.

One of the biggest hurdles was finding the right materials – something that was thin enough to emit a warm light, strong enough to keep the structural integrity. ''Finding a good lamination for birch veneer so it wouldn't split was a challenge. We worked with our supplier and tried various types of materials, searching for what worked best,'' says David. ''That's the really fun part about product development I think. Close collaboration with the suppliers, working on the factory floor, taking the lamp from initial prototype to a finished product.''

Product designer David Wahl sketching ideas for the ÖDLEBLAD lamp shade, beside one built shade and the parts of another shade, on a wood tabletop.

The path from first prototype to finished product had both challenges and joys. ''The lamp itself is a kind of puzzle. It's a puzzle for customers to build at home, but it was even more of a puzzle to design.'' To ensure you still have some fun when puzzling together your ÖDLEBLAD, it comes pre-assembled with 12 pieces to give you a head start and reduce assembly time.

The biggest reward for David is to see how the lamp is used. ''The great part about designing lighting is what I like to call the 'surprise effect'. When the lamp is switched on, it adds an element of fun, and to see that in different contexts, rooms and homes is always surprising.'' says David.

A decorative round pendant light glows above an orange sofa with chaise longues in a living room setting.
Product designer David Wahl putting together pieces of the ÖDLEBLAD lamp shade, standing beside a built ÖDLEBLAD shade, in an industrial workshop space.
ÖDLEBLAD lamp shade resting on a stack of three of its own flatpack boxes.
A close-up of a lit ÖDLEBLAD shade in a dark room.

"The Allen key is usually something hidden away in a drawer, but it's one of the most quietly influential objects in IKEA history." 

– David Wahl