There are many high-end lighting fixtures that use expensive materials to moderate the light and shadow of a luxury space, but few can boast such elegant effects from so cheap a material. Designer Shelly Spicuzza has envisioned a way to use something that we’d normally toss in the trash without a thought, and turn it into something magical.

A central plug-and-play sphere lets you screw in old plastic bottles of whatever color you might choose to create unique visual effects while illuminating a room.

Better yet, the creative upcycling process is simple enough to DIY – and inexpensive enough to deploy in all kinds of creative ways, from hanging fixtures to strung stacks that reach from floor to ceiling.  

“In each square shown in the extrusion cross sections is where a recycled soda bottle can be screwed in. At the sight of each soda bottle insert is a series of LED lights that will cast light across the soda bottle.”

Spicuzza also came up with some creative ideas for lamps using molded plastic hands, which can interlock together so the user can arrange them in endless ways, and branches, for an organic effect that casts interesting shadows.

“The hands are all completely independent from each other, they’re flexible so you can make them grip things or have them intertwine with one another. The hands are made of moldable plastic with battery operated LED lights inside.”

“This lighting system is a perfect home accessory for the urban dweller. The purpose of this light is to give the room the affect of natural sunlight shining through tree branches. The images above are options for the bottom view of the lights. Made from aluminum. The units would be hung from the ceiling. The user has the option to hang as few or as many of these units as they please.”