Where Other People See Trash, They See the Light

The dedicated thrifter has a very specific problem: there are far more intriguing objects than uses or places to put them. Thankfully, there’s a social media account that offers a path forward. The premise of Rory Shamlian and Clay Mohrman’s charming joint project is simple, to the point, and exactly what the name promises: Will It Lamp? And if so, how? 

The pair film their videos in a shared studio space, often with a backdrop of simple wooden shelves against a white wall, loaded with the tools of their trade. Much of any video will simply be the two of them trying things out—examining objects, turning them over in their hands, and holding up various potential shade options. They’ve "lamped" a mannequin foot, decorative duck plates, a bowling ball, a carved gourd, Bag Balm tins, green plastic bowls, and even, in one memorable video, a clear glass head that Mohrman found at Goodwill. They’re dedicated to found materials, and periodically, they post a thrift store haul, showing off their latest acquisitions for possible lamp treatment. "I got this over at the lamp shop the other day, when I was literally looking at their trash," Shamlian once casually revealed.

Their style as hosts is chatty, collaborative, relaxed, and playful. Now and then they do funny little voices in the unguarded manner of close friends goofing around. Sometimes, they work in companionable silence; sometimes, they intersperse their work with expressions of delight. Mohrman in particular is prone to "oh my Godddd."

The pair met and became fast friends bartending in Burlington, Vermont, while working to get their own firms off the ground. ("When you’re starting a business up, the hustle is real," says Shamlian.) Mohrman, who worked previously at a Boston-based company that manufactures architectural lighting fixtures, now does sculptural lighting design as Clay Mohr Lighting, where he creates most often with wood and LED. Shamlian runs Rory Pots, a ceramic lighting studio; her designs have appeared in Dwell and Architectural Digest. She started off doing tabletop wares, but a part-time job at a lamp repair shop steered her work in a new direction. The experience also gave her exposure to a broad range of design eras: "We had everything come through, from original Art Deco chandeliers to Louis Poulsens," she says.

Will It Lamp? came about after Mohrman and Shamlian rented a studio together, about two years ago. "We really felt like there was a connectivity missing on social media—there’s this lack of, I don’t know, real collaboration that’s shown," says Shamlian, referring to "the weird decisions and the wrong decisions and the little mess-ups" that tend to come up during any design process.

"We were like, let’s just put something positive and creative out there and see what happens," she adds.

They brainstormed several ideas, initially: Will It Sconce? Will It Shade? Will It Pendant? But they chose Will It Lamp? for their first video, and it stuck: "Everyone knows what a lamp is," says Mohrman, and there’s a lot that fits under the general category. They knew they wanted to launch with a bang, so they filmed something like 30 videos to start with, so they could roll them out on a regular, fast-moving schedule, starting in November 2024. And they led with a showstopper, a seashell-like iridescent glass bowl, which quickly amassed 1.5 million views.

The project offers both Shamlian and Mohrman a creative outlet outside of the sometimes more regimented demands of their other work. "It can be so isolating running a business," says Shamlian. "Going into something in a joint way is just the best feeling ever, especially someone that we come at it with the same collaborative energy." And, too, she explains, there’s a feeling of collaborating with the original owners of the items they’re repurposing "who saw the potential in this original piece and somehow it ended up in an estate sale or a thrift store and we also saw the potential in this piece. And now we’re breathing new life into this piece and giving it its lamp era."

"The reality of objects we care about and have a deep emotional connection with in our own homes is that sometimes we have things that you’re like, I don’t have anywhere right now to put this," says Mohrman. "A lamp can occupy a whole different space in your house."

Their partnership runs on a shared love of thrifting and sourcing interesting objects. Both are lifelong thrifters, and the project has unlocked a new layer of appreciation for the objects they encounter. "It’s like thrifting for the first time," she says. "Thinking about objects in a whole new way of what could it be—you start looking at everything in the store that you maybe wouldn’t put in your house as-is, but you’re like wow, that as a sconce!"

As for what "lamps," Mohrman explains: "I’m always looking for those things that are solid wood, or crafted by a designer I love, or just have a beautiful design, that’s handmade and well made. Anything like that has the potential to be a beautiful lamp, I think."

However, Shamlian did attempt to institute a new rule: no new acquisitions. "We have a lot of stuff." Or at least, no new acquisitions without a vision for the object while standing in the thrift store.

For those interested in attempting to lamp, they have some pointers:

• Start with a straightforward rewiring job: "You’re not starting from scratch," says Shamlian. "Look at what’s already there, and then you can mimic that with new material." 

• Rechargeable bulbs are your friend: "We’ve seen a lot of people use those rechargeable bulbs for renter-friendly light fixtures," says Mohrman. "They’re not hard-wiring it. They don’t need a canopy or a junction box." 

• …but you’ll only learn so much that way: "A rechargeable bulb is a really great, approachable object to make a light, but I would not say that you would be experiencing learning how to lamp," cautions Shamlian. "You’re not learning the wiring or anything like that. But that would be a great place to start if you just wanted a sculptural lamp in your space, or something decorative."

• Choose your materials wisely: "Without fail, every time we try to drill through thin glass, it does not go to plan, because it’s just so delicate," says Shamlian. But "ceramic, wood, stone, and metal have all been surprisingly user-friendly for our drill press," says Mohrman.

• Get to know your local lamp shop: "It’s an incredible resource for lampers who are starting off," says Mohrman.

The pair have also recently launched their own series of tutorials—How To Lamp, naturally—starting with wiring up a plug for a lamp, breaking down the process step-by-step. "We’re working on it slowly, but we really want to debunk the lighting world, because there is so much to know and it’s frankly very overwhelming," says Shamlian. 

"Being able to share lighting with people and get people excited about lighting is ultimately so fun, because it’s truly one of the most transformative things you can do for your space," says Mohrman. He also loves debunking the idea that good lighting requires a huge budget: "You can have good taste and design sensibilities and learn to create beautiful lighting for your home and your space and really help to improve it."

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