• SumoMe

Schoolhouse Electric is everything that I love about American innovation and creativity. Here we have a company started by a guy who said, “I don’t like those light bulbs. I’ll make my own.” That is one of the coolest things ever.

The idea that an entire showroom and company can be formed around the aesthetics and design of a light bulb is both intriguing and encouraging for the outlook of American-based ingenuity. Schoolhouse Electric makes art out of light bulbs, and while these bulbs will run (a lot) more than your mass produced bulb, the purpose of these bulbs is not for you to turn them on–they turn you on.

They turn you on to thinking about finding news ways to bring the past into the present, and appreciate the artisan nature of early light bulbs. It’s so easy these days to buy objects and just assume they popped out of thin air, and with automation the way it is, that’s probably not too far off from reality. However, there’s something special about knowing a light bulb was given than handmade touch and care.

It’s sort of like going to a meat packing plant to learn where your meat comes from–this concept, whenever applied to everyday objects, is just as poignant. Schoolhouse Electric is awesome because it reminds us that there is another way, a better way, a more interesting way, to do something we do all the time–make and use light bulbs. Schoolhouse Electric allows us to re-think the ordinary, and that is beautiful.

What do you think of Schoolhouse Electric and their approach to re-thinking the ordinary? Let’s talk in the comments below.