The mushroom plush nightlight is the perfect companion when it gets dark. It’s designed with a small child in mind so the stem is easy to hold. The mushroom plush can also stand on its own so it can be placed on a bedside table or where light is needed. While the red fabric is opaque, the white dots are made of a more translucent material to allow the nightlight to softly glow through the spots. They’re intentionally placed in clusters so that one side is brighter and the other, with fewer spots, is less bright. Rotate the mushroom depending on where you want the light directed.
For this prototype I used felt for the stem, knit fabric for the mushroom cap and a woven fabric for the white spots. For the final plush I am considering a more textured fabric for the red cap (like corduroy?). It may also be nice for the material of the white spots to make a crinkle sound when touched.
Ideas for iterations: I thought it would be cool to make the stem detachable with its own light so the user could have the option of a more pinpointed flashlight as well.
UPDATE:
I’ve been thinking about the material for the white spots. I could keep the fabric OR what if I had a more 3d semisphere (like half a ping pong ball or something 3d printed).
Love this! The idea of creating a warming glow of a mushroom (evokes woodsy, earthy, cold, damp) for a rainy day plush nightlight is really cozy and nice. The tangible nature of holding the mushroom is delightful, picturing a kid holding it. It’d be fun to consider scale — is the mushroom laughably big to hold? or realistic like a regular mushroom?
Your prototype looks great already – I really like the fabric choice for the stem.
The idea of separating the stem from the top is awesome. I feel like it could be doable!
Photography wise… honestly I like your tiktok subway location lol. And subways are similarly dank, dark, cold places sometimes. Could be kinda funny to have it there. But more realistically, it would be fun in a kid’s fort. Or, I’m going camping in October, I could take some in-tent photos for you if you want!
I think it feasible! And the idea of glowing mushrooms is so interesting. I think if use the breath light would be great.