IKEA has intended to sell only LED lighting in its stores by 2016.

“No more halogen. No more Sparsam low-energy bulbs. No more fluorescent lights. We’re putting all our development and design efforts behind LEDs because we think  everyone  should be able to afford to illuminate their lives with the most sustainable lighting available.”

IKEA argues that LED bulbs don’t get warm – though that feature  must be design specific, judging from the massive heat sinks that other LED light bulb producers like 3M, Insignia (Best Buy house brand), Philips  and C.Crane  glue to the bases of their bulbs.

Come February, IKEA  stores globally will be glowing with a much broader array of LED based fixtures, floor, table and desk lamps and  portable illuminators.   Novel applications only possible with LEDs include the ONSJO  LED chandelier ($59.99) which  evokes the light and movement of fireflies with LEDs glowing inside loops of plastic tubes, the PS21012 pendant lamp ($99.99) with diodes built into the lamp shade (for less harsh and more evenly  reflected light) and the well named SPOKA night light ($14.99). The latter  comes in two cute ghostly shapes which  have color changing LEDs inside. The rubber textured   creatures glow for 4-5 hours between charges  on the included base, and turn on and off with a squeeze.  Also  nifty and safe  – DIODER battery-operated  LED lamp strips ($14.99) to be placed in drawers, wardrobes and shelves.  This light source has a sensor  to trigger an automatic  15 second turn on when you open the drawer and then  cut off 5 seconds after the drawer is  closed.

“Soon you’ll start to see more LEDs designed into IKEA furniture, included in the flat packs and ready for assembly,” predicted Kirsten Andersson, LED project leader at IKEA of Sweden. “More control  is coming, too, with remotes. And since we’re all much more mobile, we’ll probably need LED lamps that can be used and charged anywhere. But maybe we won’t even see LEDs at all – we’ll just bathe in light from glowing screens.”