Lighting has always played an essential role in humans lives.

At first it was mainly provided by fire. But our scientific progress made it possible to use oil lamps (mainly olive oil, fish oil or beeswax) and candles made of beeswax. From the beginning of the middle ages the best candles was made out of animal fat, later by whale oil and finally by stearin and paraffin which both increased the longevity and quality of the light.

It was not until 1879 when Thomas A. Edison invented the carbon light bulb that we had an electrical lamp for indoor use. In the 1930 and 1940 the Neon light and the fluorescent light was invented.

Until recently we made use of an array of all these light sources but due to the development of the advantageous and increasingly cheaper LED light, this light source is now increasingly being used for most purposes.

At first the main reason for maintaining light was security but it soon became essential in order to be productive after sunset and religions found a large use in rituals and ceremonies. Even the egyptians used lights at temples, homes, on streets and public places. Today we use lights in a large variety of purposes and commonly divide it in ambient, directed and task lighting.

New interesting trends has evolved and light and lamps has no longer only a supporting role in interiors (and exteriors) but are on many occasions taking the center-stage.