Charlie Firth 3D Printed Table Lamps Blend Geometry & Color

Based in South West Wales, product and furniture designer Charlie Firth develops an evolving design language through color, modularity, and digital fabrication. His ongoing series of 3D printed table lamps combines functional lighting with sculptural forms influenced by the Memphis movement, translating its geometric shapes, patterns, and saturated colors into objects for contemporary interiors.

Firth's process begins with two-dimensional drawings in which shapes and patterns are layered and collaged. He collects block forms and graphic motifs from his surroundings in sketchbooks, gradually combining them into compositions. These drawings are then developed into modular 3D models, allowing individual components, arrangements, and colors to be interchanged and tested digitally.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Designer Charlie Firth's digital workflow builds on his background in furniture design, where developing physical prototypes traditionally requires more time between iterations. Working digitally allows him to rapidly generate and modify three-dimensional forms, testing different combinations of components and compositions before production. The process supports an adaptive approach in which the design system can continue to develop through experimentation.

Color has become an increasingly important part of this development. Earlier in his career, Firth primarily worked with monochrome palettes and streamlined forms, an approach that aligned with a design market dominated by minimal, neutral products before 2020. The prevalence of beige and muted interiors eventually became a point of departure for his work. This shift became particularly pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic. During lockdown, Firth spent a year living with his partner in a rented apartment in Bath. The interior was designed to remain neutral, clean, and marketable, functioning as a temporary space with few opportunities for personal expression. The experience prompted a change in his approach to color and domestic objects, leading toward the more expressive forms and palettes that characterize his current work.

The resulting series combines functional lighting with a visual language built from geometric forms, modular components, printed textures, and color. Through 3D printing, Firth uses the technical characteristics of the manufacturing process as part of the object's appearance, developing table lamps that sit between functional furniture and sculptural design.

The 'Hatched' Lamp is inspired by the infill structure used to create 3D forms. This model is often viewed as a skeletonised lamp, where saturated colors introduce a more expressive character to the domestic objects, creating a lamp with no rules through playful collage and contrasting colors.

Meanwhile, the 'Memphis Is Back' Lamp features a textured shade diffusing a soft, warm glow, making the infill texture visible when switched on. 3D printing makes the manufacturing process visible in Firth's finished objects under the project name Colorful Rebellion by designer Charlie Firth.

Source: designboom