What if the little lamp in your hallway could do more than glow — what if it could quietly tell you the bins go out tomorrow? That is exactly the idea behind this minimalist smart lamp, a snap-together print that pairs open-source WLED firmware with Home Assistant to become both a gentle nightlight and an at-a-glance notification light.
The magic here is that everything stays approachable. Most of the lamp is 3D printed, and the electronics are kept deliberately simple: a small ESP board running WLED drives an addressable LED ring, while push-in lever connectors handle the wiring. No soldering iron, no fiddly headers — you press the USB-C power module into its slot, click the LED ring into place, and the parts hold each other together.
Once it is powered on, WLED gives you a friendly web page to pick colors, brightness, and effects from your phone. The clever twist is reserving a couple of the LEDs purely for alerts. Because WLED links neatly into Home Assistant, you can wire those LEDs to real events in your home, so a warm amber pulse might mean "recycling day" and a soft red could flag a door left open overnight.
To build your own, print the housing, shade, and LED-ring holder, then assemble the electronics with WAGO connectors so nothing needs to be soldered. Flash WLED onto your ESP board, connect it to your Wi-Fi, and add it to Home Assistant as a light entity. From there you create simple automations that change the notification LEDs based on whatever matters to you — reminders, sensors, or calendar events.
Try it on your printer. This is a perfect weekend project if you want your first taste of combining prints with smart-home electronics. Print the parts in PLA at 0.2 mm layers, keep a light-diffusing shade in white or natural filament, and take it slow on assembly. For more beginner-friendly builds, filament tips, and printable projects, visit Flarelab and start making.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know how to solder to build this lamp?
No. This design leans on push-in WAGO lever connectors and snap-fit parts, so you press the USB-C module into place and click the LED ring in without a soldering iron. That makes it a friendly first electronics-plus-printing project.
What is WLED and why use it here?
WLED is free, open-source firmware for addressable LED strips and rings that runs on an inexpensive ESP32 or ESP8266 board. It gives you a phone-friendly web interface, dozens of lighting effects, and easy integration with smart-home hubs like Home Assistant.
How does the lamp send me notifications?
A couple of LEDs are reserved for alerts. In Home Assistant you create automations that change those LEDs' color when something happens, such as a bin-collection reminder or a door left open, so a glance at the lamp tells you what needs attention.
What should I print this in and at what settings?
PLA prints cleanly and is fine for a lamp that stays cool. Use a 0.4 mm nozzle, 0.2 mm layer height, and 15 to 20 percent infill. Print any light-diffusing shade in white or natural filament with 3 to 4 walls so the glow spreads evenly.
Inspired by a project shared via Adafruit's #3DThursday, originally designed by danuvius on MakerWorld. Rewritten and expanded by Flarelab.
Originally published at flarelab.com.
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