Take DIY home decor to a whole new level with 3D printing, whether you’re just purchasing a pre-printed geometric aquarium ornament or custom-designing an object you just can’t find anywhere else. This small-scale, low-impact manufacturing model makes it easy to produce all sorts of complex items, from lampshades and mini-greenhouses to replacement parts for broken objects. Print them yourself if you can, or just turn to a one-stop 3D printing service like FacFox.
Aquarium Flora
‘Waterscapes’ by Haruka Misawa is a series of 3D printed objects inspired by aquatic plant life, intended for use in aquariums for a minimalist look that’s still fun and functional for fish. In addition to sculptural creations mimicking coral, the objects include bubbles of air that fit within the aquariums to make surface-growing aquatic plants the visual centerpiece.
Cityscape Light Bulbs
Cityscapes sprout from the tips of LED light bulbs in the ‘Huddle’ series by designer David Graas, available for purchase at Layers. “Just like the penguins in the Antarctic huddle to survive the extreme cold during the wintertime also people have taken on huddling as a strategy for survival. The megacity, despite its many problems, seems to be our destined habitat now that resources are becoming scarce. It also holds the key to a sustainable future with its concentration of information, technology, and talent.”
Screw It Vase
A slightly curved, connected collection of twelve universal PET bottle screw tops turns a dozen used plastic bottles into a collective vase, each bottle holding one or two stems of flowers and greenery. You can use bottles of various colors and sizes, as long as the three center bottles supporting the weight of the collective vase are the same size.
Tardigrade Bottle Opener
Anyone who already knows what a tardigrade (aka ‘water bear’) is will love this bottle opener, and the rest just need to watch this video about the strangest creature to ever be sent to outer space. Available in a variety of steel colors at Shapeways, it’s definitely an unusual item to have in your house.
Flexible Mini Greenhouse Dome
Got access to your own 3D printer, or a shared one? Try your hand at building some of the thousands of items that have been made available online in the form of printable STL files. This one will print out a kit of parts to build a flexible mini-greenhouse dome with a geometric pot, perfect for seed starting.
City Lights Lamp Shade
Mounting onto the ceiling around a halogen light with a 10.5cm outside ring diameter, this ceiling light shade with a city skyline theme just slides right onto the light and makes it a lot more interesting, projecting a shadow of the city onto adjacent walls. It’s available in black or white nylon plastic.
Second Life Mug
This convenient little handle slides onto a jar to give it a ‘second life’ as a mug. A quick and simple download, this print requires no assembly and can be acquired for free at Cults3D.
Wire Bear Head Faux Taxidermy
A kinder and frankly cooler-looking alternative to taxidermy, this ‘wire’ bear head mounts to the wall as decor. Place it over an LED bulb to make it shine at night. Get it printed up for you at Shapeways.
The Manhattan Project
Got a spare $25K laying around for a desk that puts a metropolis at your fingertips? The ‘Manhattan Project’ is a desk-sized 3D-printed replica of the island of Manhattan, with the laser-cut buildings surrounded by clear acrylic ‘water’ on a slab of plywood representing earth.
Frank Lloyd Wright Candle Holder
This geometric candleholder for architecture enthusiasts takes its design from the Frank Lloyd Wright Storer House, for a touch of midcentury modern style. Available at Shapeways.
Midcentury Modern Table Legs
Quality mid century modern table legs aren’t easy to find – wouldn’t it be nice if you could just print some in the exact size and design you need? Nobody seems to have jumped on that just yet, but you can purchase a reclaimed wood butcher-block side table with raw steel 3D printed legs from UpperLeft Furniture. Smaller pieces are a lot easier for the average person to 3D-print, so these legs are doable whereas longer hairpin legs would be a bit more complicated.
Game Controller Holder
One of the coolest potential uses for household 3D printers is the ability to create custom solutions for random little needs you have – like an Xbox controller holder that holds onto the shelves of your Ikea BILLY bookcase. Thingiverse has an ‘organization’ category where you can find all sorts of bits and bobs like this, including cable organizers, spray can holders, compact tie hangers, and shelves to display mini-figures. Download the files or have them printed for you.
Diamond Pendant Light
This 3D printed diamond pendant light shade made of black nylon is just one of many complex geometric objects made with a 3D printer by the Australian shop, Mutating Creatures.
Hyphae Lamp
Looking like something that was plucked from the sea, the Hyphae lamp by Nervoussystem casts a lace-like shadow on the wall and ceiling. “Hyphae is a collection of 3D printed artifacts constructed of rhizome-like networks,” say the designers. “Inspired by the vein structures that carry fluids through organisms from the leaves of plants to our own circulatory systems, we created a simulation which uses physical growth principles to build sculptural, organic structures.”
City Replicas
Get a full-color miniature replica of the city block of your choice, brimming with tiny details, from 3D printer Ittyblox. Amsterdam, New York City, Paris, Chicago, London, and Miami are among the cities with blocks represented in this collection – choose one that’s special to you to highlight on a shelf, or put them together using optional baseplates.