VARMBLIXT by Sabine Marcelis for IKEA Expands Further

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There is the expansion of the universe––that original burst of energy, moving at a speed we can hardly comprehend––and then there is VARMBLIXT by Sabine Marcelis for IKEA. Both are toric forms, continuous and never-ending, bound by physics, time, and space. VARMBLIXT has made its own kind of impact: since its debut just over three years ago, the now-iconic “donut” lamp has become one of IKEA’s most talked-about pieces, selling at a remarkable pace in the U.S. and beyond.

Universally understood in its geometry, the original donut lamp paired a warm amber-orange glow with a glossy glass exterior that caught and reflected ambient light. In this next chapter, the sculptural silhouette remains intact, but the experience shifts. The new smart donut introduces a soft, matte white glass finish that diffuses light from within rather than bouncing it off the surface––a subtle yet meaningful evolution in how the form interacts with its surroundings.

The first iteration felt like an eternal golden hour, its saturated warmth reminiscent of the sun at its most generous. Now, atmosphere becomes fluid. Out of the box, the included BILRESA remote guides users through twelve preset colors carefully curated by Marcelis, transitioning smoothly from crisp whites to glowing ambers, soft pinks, lavenders, turquoise, and gentle yellows in a seamless journey rather than abrupt shifts. When connected via the DIRIGERA hub to the IKEA Home Smart app, the lamp opens into a broader spectrum of more than 40 shades, with adjustable brightness and dimming, allowing for precise calibration of mood and perception.

This shimmering range reflects Marcelis’ long-standing fascination with how material and light interact – a practice rooted in experimentation and emotional resonance. Here, technology is not added for its own sake, but as a tool to deepen the atmospheric qualities that defined VARMBLIXT from the start.

A smart pendant joins the update as well, focusing on the nuances of white light, moving smoothly from crisp daylight tones to a candle-like yellow glow. Both lamps are built on the Matter standard, meaning they integrate easily across different smart-home systems, reinforcing IKEA’s broader move toward a more open and intuitive smart-home ecosystem.

The wall-mounted donut remains a striking gesture – a halo that gently washes its surroundings in gradients of soft colour. Yet what makes this iteration compelling is the balance between exterior and interior: the sculptural torus still speaks boldly, but the internal technology now allows emotion to be shaped deliberately. VARMBLIXT has always been about how light feels. With this update, that feeling becomes dynamic – responsive to the rhythms of the day, and to the moods we wish to inhabit.