Ever since the first Neolithic man stuck a flaming wooden torch in a crack in the wall of his cave, wall lights have been an important element of any home's interior design. They provide warm, comforting light on cold winter nights, can serve to illuminate artwork or particularly interesting design features and can even make their own bold design statements.
The wall light was first widely used in the austere surroundings of churches and religious buildings, where candle-bearing sconces were used to create the appropriate atmosphere for religious observance, whilst at the same time solving the problem of how to hang a candelabra from a church or cathedral's extremely high, ornate ceiling.
The arrival of the electric light bulb revolutionised wall light design, as it did with all interior and exterior lighting. The electric light bulb was initially invented by Henry Woodward in 1874, and later refined and developed for widespread use by Thomas Edison.
The bulb opened up new possibilities for wall light design, allowing interior designers to create modernist, art nouveau pieces typified by the famous Splügen Bräu beer house in Milan, designed and constructed in 1960 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni.
The world of wall light design has never been more vibrant. Designers like Paolo Rizzatto create unusual, highly modern light fittings, with the power to lend any home’s interior design a daring and unusual element.
Iconic Lights stocks a range of wall lights, including high quality reproductions of some of the most interesting examples of contemporary wall light design, such as the Studio Tetrarch-designed Pistillino Lamp and the Paolo Rizzatto inspired Costanza wall light.
For more information about any of our wall light designs, get in touch with the Iconic Lights team on 0161 837 6092 or e-mail us.
