Midweek Covet: Cloud by Richard Clarkson Studio

the original Cloud and, at bottom, the lamp-only Cloud [all photos via Richard Clarkson Studio]

I was saving this for a (literal) rainy day, and today seems as gray and dreary as any. The Cloud, created by New York- and New Zealand-based Richard Clarkson Studio, is an interactive lamp and speaker system that mimics a thundercloud. Using motion sensors, Cloud detects a user's presence and sets off a unique thunder and lightning show dictated by the user's movement. Color-changing lights and a nightlight mode can be controlled by remote, while the speakers are able to stream music from any Bluetooth-enabled device.

This ingenious piece can be had for $3,360, but an equally beautiful lamp-only version is a bit more attainable at $960. Click through to see a video of Cloud in action!