Everyone has heard the adage “my dog ate my homework.” Educators would say this is an excruciatingly poor excuse for not doing homework. However, "my dog ate my lamp, so I couldn't do my homework" may soon become a legitimate excuse. Thanks to some incredibly creative artists, the lighting world has a new addition, edible lamps. A sweet treat and good for the environment, these lamps definitely bring a new, distinctive quality to lighting.

Lumière au Chocolat

Delicious, scrumptious, and delectable, all words to define a lamp. What's so tasty about a lamp? The idea that it is made of chocolate is a start. A Swedish designer by the name of Alexander Lervik worked with LED specialists from Saas Instruments to create the Lumière au Chocolat (Chocolate Lamp), which was on display at the Stockholm Furniture Fair. Influenced by the concept of polar nights, the lamp, as solid trapezoid of chocolate, is completely dark when turned on. As the heat from an incandescent bulb hits the chocolate, it starts to form holes, allowing more light to pass through. Once the chocolate thoroughly melts down, it slowly forms back into solid pieces for a delectable treat. Perhaps this lamp isn't ideal for homework; it could be a wonderful addition to a restaurant's dessert menu.

BITE ME

Not a chocolate fan? No worries! New York based designer Victor Vetterlein's BITE ME bioplastic LED desk lamp is made from natural, non-toxic ingredients including agar (a gelatin formed from sea algae), flavoring, food coloring, purified water, and vegetable glycerin. Coming in flavors of apple, blueberry, orange, and cherry, this lamp resembles a fruit roll-up with the solidity of plastic. The lamp includes an LED circuit board with an adhesive strip to be placed on the underside of the lamp and two power cords, one to be connected to a low voltage power converter and the other to a USB port. Once the lamp becomes a terrible bore, toss it in your backyard as compost or eat it, of course. Simply wash the lamp with organic soap and warm water and soak it in water for an hour; it will soften and have the consistency and taste of a fruit snack.

Time to Eat

Roald Dahl would be proud; we've gotten a step closer to Willy Wonka's “world of pure imagination.” While we haven't quite gotten to the full-fledged chocolate waterfall or 3-course meal gum, we do have edible lamps. Interested in one of the two, or both? Unfortunately for all of us, these lamps are not currently for sale, but we'll be standing in line next to you when they are.

What do you think about edible lamps? Leave us a comment or visit us on Facebook or Twitter!