Light, in whatever form, is arguably one of the most important features of design. This element can make the difference between “good” and “great” work. Sconces have been a source of light for thousands of years. Whether they are made of wood or metal, these supports affixed to the walls are designed to illuminate a space and serve as decoration. In its earliest form, a simple wooden torch fit into a holder already attached to the wall. While some functioned to remain attached to the wall, others were removable so that the torch could be used to enhance the illumination of certain objects in the room. While it's obvious that the technology behind sconces has developed over time, a closer look will reveal how this progression has affected interior spaces. From the time of cultural precedents until the period of antiquity that ended in the late 2nd century, fire was the primary source of light. Maintained by torches, candles and lamps, the variety of lighting was very small and served mainly as a light source with little or no emphasis on sconce design until ancient times. The designs consisted of ornate sculptures that resembled the architecture of the time. The colors of this period were very bold and bright in hopes of brightening up any dark rooms. Due to the poor color rendering index of a natural flame, an unsaturated color would never be perceived correctly inside a building without access to natural light. During the Renaissance era, notably Italian, Spanish and English, torches and candles remained the main source of light. The wall lights were placed at a height allowing maintenance throughout the day. High relief in furniture, in addition to bright colors, also became common...... middle of paper ......in lighting, the 20th century modern movement may not have never produced in the same way. Design as we know it revolves around lighting, and the possibilities for the future of the industry are in many ways limitless. Works Cited Albertson, Karla Klein. “Early American WALL SCONCES,” Early American Life 4 (2001): 4-8. Duncan, Alastair. Art Nouveau and Art Deco lighting. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978. Harwood, Buie, Bridget May, and Curt Sherman. Architecture and interior design: a history integrated into the present. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2012. Newman, Bobby. Email message to author. February 3, 2014. Shur, Michael and Arturas Zukauskas. “Solid-State Lighting: Towards Superior Lighting.” » Proceedings of the IEEE 93 (2005): 3. Accessed February 15, 2014, doi: 10.1109/JPROC.2005.853537. Williams, Lisa. Email message to author. FEBRUARY 11, 2014.