Ausi Table Lamp: Cardboard and Brass by Graypants

Ausi is the most compact of the Graypants Scraplights table lamps: a rounded shade of recycled corrugated cardboard, 8 in across and 10 in tall, lifted on a slim brass frame. It weighs just 0.8 lb (0.4 kg), so it moves easily from nightstand to bookshelf to console.

Choose Natural, Blonde or White. Every Ausi is handmade and made to order for you.

The Design Story

"I ended up making a series of four chairs from found materials, and then out of that, I took the scraps from the chairs and made lights."

Seth Grizzle, Graypants founder, speaking to Business of Home

Scraplights is the flagship line of Graypants, the Seattle and Amsterdam studio founded by architects Seth Grizzle and Jonathan Junker. The line is built from corrugated cardboard, and the table lamps bring the same ideas to a bedside or desk. Ausi is credited to Graypants Studio and designed in Seattle, Washington.

The Scraplights line has been used in commercial projects too, including Graypants' work for the NBBJ office in Columbus, Ohio. Ausi is the small, personal version of that thinking.

How It Is Made

Scraplights shades are cut precisely from corrugated cardboard, assembled by hand with a non-toxic adhesive and treated with a non-toxic fire retardant. For the table lamps, the shade sits on a sturdy brass frame, and a black fabric cord with an inline rocker switch completes the lamp. The glow comes through the layered board softly rather than as a hard glare.

Why You'll Love It

Ausi gives a small surface a handmade focal point without taking it over. The brass frame adds a warm metallic note against the matte cardboard, and the inline switch sits within easy reach of the bed or chair. Use the 2700K warm white bulb Graypants recommends and the shade lights with a soft, flattering glow.

It is designer lighting at a friendly scale: a lamp made from unexpected material, built to be used every evening, and light enough that rearranging a room is never a chore.

Made for Real Life

Place Ausi on a nightstand, a narrow shelf, an entry console or a desk corner. The 6.5 ft (about 2 m) cord reaches most outlets, and the lamp takes any standard E26 LED bulb up to 15W (not included). Keep it where there is room around the shade and out of direct sunlight, as Graypants advises.

Product Details

Handmade for You

Ausi is handmade after you order, so the lamp you receive is made for you. Because every piece is crafted to order, every order is final sale, and we are glad to answer any questions about finish or placement before you buy.

Not the Right Fit If

Ausi is made to order, so it is not for last-minute gifts. At 8 in wide it is a small lamp, so if you need a broad pool of reading light, Ebey or Moon offer a larger shade. It is for dry, indoor rooms only.

Questions We Hear Most

Is Ausi small enough for a nightstand?

Yes. The shade is 8 in across and the lamp stands 10 in tall, with a lightweight 0.8 lb build, so it fits on most bedside tables without crowding.

Which finish should I choose?

Natural shows the warm corrugated tone, Blonde is a lighter cardboard shade, and White is crisp and bright. Natural and White take about 2 weeks to make, and Blonde about 3 weeks.

Which bulb does it need?

One E26 LED bulb, up to 15W. Graypants recommends 2700K warm white. The bulb is not included, and dimming depends on the bulb you pick.

How does the switch work?

The black fabric cord has an inline rocker switch, so you turn the lamp on and off along the cord rather than at the shade.

Is a cardboard shade safe near a bulb?

The shade is treated with a non-toxic fire retardant. Stay within the 15W LED limit, use an LED bulb, and keep the lamp where air can move around it and away from direct sunlight.

Can I use it in a bathroom?

No. Ausi is rated for dry locations only.

How do I clean it?

Use a dry duster or compressed air. Avoid water or cleaning sprays on the cardboard.

Why We Love It

Ausi proves a lamp does not need to be large to be memorable. A cardboard shade, a brass frame and a warm bulb are all it takes to make a small corner feel considered.

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