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

by Ingrid Fetell Lee

Studies affirm that people generally prefer lighting that is variable, rather than uniform. These hills and valleys of light attract our eyes to points of interest within a space, but even more important, they draw us together. As Alexander emphasizes in A Pattern Language, because people are unconsciously attracted to light, the brightest spots will be the ones where people congregate, making these the most lively and joyful hubs of activity in a space. If a space feels dead, a powerful remedy is to create focal points of light where you want people to be. A sofa by the fireplace, a window seat, a dining table bathed in the warm light of a pendant lamp: these places are always alive because we, like moths, cannot resist the light.