Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness

by Ingrid Fetell Lee

While brightness is important, creating joyful, energizing light is more than just a matter of lumens. When I posed the question “What is joyful light?” to lighting designer Rick Shaver, he started by calling my attention to what it’s not. Describing an office he’d recently been to, he noted that the even rows of fluorescent lights made it feel like the place was covered by an “overcast sky.” Offices are designed for uniform lighting, so that there’s enough light to read wherever you sit. But that flat, even light creates a dull energy. According to Shaver, who has designed lighting schemata for the Getty Museum and countless private homes, “it’s those streaks of sunlight coming through” that create “a joyous environment.”