Nanoleaf has made a name for themselves with light panels that become part of your room – and your personality. Their latest, the Nanoleaf Blocks, take that same idea and blow it up – literally. Compared to the company’s smaller hexagons and triangles, these are oversized, unapologetic squares – 231mm on each side – designed to stand out rather than fade into the background.
When I unboxed them, the first thing that hit me was just how big they are compared to the Lines we reviewed a while back. With the Blocks Combo XL Smarter Kit (the complete bundle that comes with a mix of small and large panels, as well as textured squares and shelves), you can’t just slap them on a wall as an afterthought – they immediately demand a bit of planning. The matte finish keeps them looking fairly neutral when switched off, almost like minimalist wall tiles, but the moment you power them up they transform completely. They go from quiet, geometric shapes to glowing squares that feel more like a design statement than just lights.
Living with the Blocks
The Blocks are certainly not cheap. The Combo XL and Textured Squares add-on seen here will cost more than S$400.
Installing them is straightforward, even for those new to Nanoleaf. The mounting plates still use sticky pads, so there’s no need to drill holes. But do plan carefully, because these pads hold surprisingly well – pull them off in the wrong way and you might take some wall paint with you. The linkers snap together with a satisfying click and feel sturdy too. The real challenge is getting them perfectly straight. The large size makes even a slightly crooked panel stand out. I found myself stepping back, re-levelling, stepping back again – until I finally gave up and decided that it can never be a hundred percent perfect.
Once they’re up, though, they do what Nanoleaf does best: throw colour across your walls in ways no regular lamp can. The app gives you endless control, from subtle static glows to chaotic animations that dance across each panel. I ended up losing an entire afternoon fiddling with colour gradients and trying to make custom effects.
The app has improved over the last couple of years, but it’s still not perfect. Occasionally a block would lag behind during scene changes, or the app just refused to connect until I restarted it. It’s not a deal-breaker, but little glitches like this do break the immersion when everything else looks so polished.
Some panels like this Light Pegboard panel should not be taped to the wall because of its weight (900g), requiring drilling instead. Especially if you intend to hang devices such as keyboard on it.
Where the Blocks really shine is in ambience – literally. The larger surface area means the light spreads evenly, with no obvious hotspots like you sometimes see in smaller panels. Gradients look buttery smooth too, which makes them great for subtle mood lighting or full-on statement pieces. I can imagine them being installed in a bedroom, where a warm amber glow worked as a replacement bedside lamp. Or in the living room, where it can also work as a statement wall, although you’ll need quite a lot more panels to make it stand out. The mood they create completely changes depending on where you put them.
The only catch? You can’t really get away with just one or two panels. On their own, they look stranded, like unfinished wall art. To get that wall-filling, dramatic look, you’ll need a handful at least – and that means the cost adds up fast. The starter kit that Nanoleaft sent over for this review isn’t cheap at S$309, and if you want to expand, the Blocks Small Squares Add-on Kit (four panels) goes for S$59, while a pair of Textured Squares costs S$89. Build out a proper installation and you’re easily looking at a few hundred dollars more.
But that’s kind of the point – these aren’t meant to be practical lights. If you just want bright, functional lighting, there are plenty of cheaper options. Nanoleaf’s whole appeal is that they’re decor first, lights second. And when they’re glowing on your wall, it’s hard to deny how alive they make a room feel.
My final thoughts
Nanoleaf Blocks don’t come cheap, especially with complex designs that require more panels.
After a couple of months with the Nanoleaf Blocks, I’ve started thinking of them less as lights and more as interactive wall art. They aren’t perfect, of course. The app can be fussy, the panels sometimes get out of sync, and the price makes it tough to recommend casually. And you really need to commit space and money, because a couple of lonely blocks look underwhelming. But once you’ve gone all-in, they do exactly what they promise: transform a wall into something that becomes a statement of your personality.
So, would I happily keep them as the centrepiece of a gaming den or living room setup? Definitely. The Blocks are not meant to be sensible – they’re meant to be fun. And for better or worse, “fun” can be expensive.
So, do I recommend them? Well, yes but like I said above: not casually. If you’ve got both the wall and the budget to commit, they’re brilliant at what they do. On the other side of the fence, you might wonder why anyone would pay that much for glowing tiles. Both reactions are fair. But I’ll say this: after living with them, plain white walls now feel oddly lifeless. Which is probably the biggest compliment I can give the Nanoleaf Blocks.
The Nanoleaf Blocks are available now at Aurazoe’s e-store. Click here to buy.