Beethoven composed an ode to it, Pixar made a movie about it, and exceptional design sparks it every day. We’re talking about joy (!), and we could all use more of it — at work, at home, in traffic (especially in traffic), and even in the quiet moments when we’re alone.

In the Spring issue of Perspective, we’re investigating and celebrating joyful design, giving you an inside look at exactly how interior designers infuse joy, awe, and surprise into their work and spread happiness through the built environment. Here are just a few of the delights you’ll find in this issue: a “joy diary,” in which two Argentinean product designers who are partners in work and life tell us about moments of professional and personal joy during a week in their lives; insights from Dr. Upali Nanda, Global Sector Director of Innovation at HKS, on the power of awe, and how to spark that emotion through design; and a highlight reel of our favorite joyful and unexpected moments from Milan Design Week and Salone del Mobile. That’s just a teaser — there’s so much more inside this issue.

Color and Joy with Tekla Severin

“It’s always about finding balance. It’s hard to put into words the sensuous feeling when certain colors sing together,” Severin says. “Color is always relative, never absolute. It’s what you put next to it that defines it.” The cooler-than-cool multi-hyphenate designer, colorist, and photographer walks us through how she became obsessed with color, and shares how you can too. Read more

Members-Only Exclusive

Discover one thing every space needs to feel joyful, the most underrated design element, and the utopia-made-real that touched her deeply — our rapid-fire questions with Italian designer Serena Confalonieri. Read more

Cover Story

"Joy, for me, is a sensory experience. I try to design objects that speak not only to the eyes but also to the heart," says Serena Confalonieri. Step inside her world and you’ll find yourself immersed in bold color, playful form, and the kind of emotional resonance that makes design feel truly alive. Read more

5 Joyful Product Designs

We highlight five products from designers working around the world that both evoke, and are inspired by joy. Inspired by dancing cherry blossoms, cookies, and even cleaning brushes, these pieces draw from culture, regional tradition, and even whimsy through materiality, form, and function. Read more

10 Joyful Moments that Lit Up Milan Design Week 2025

We take a look at Milan Design Week 2025. Looking back the most interesting, exuberant and savvy design installations. These designs made us smile, slow down and take in the joy of creation. Read more

Joy Diaries: What Brings Designers Bliss

We asked three designers to keep a joy diary, jotting down something that brings them joy each day for one week. See what brings this trio of designers delight and a deep sense of contentment. Read more

Upali Nanda: Achieving Awe

Upali Nanda's riveting talk during IIDA's 27th Industry Roundtable begs the question, when was the last time you experienced awe? Nanda dives into the obsession of awe and how to use the idea of awe to enhance the built environment. Read more

Nick Epley: It's Not What You Think

Epley discusses the power of human connection during IIDA's 27th Industry Roundtable. How do we connect as humans and how can designers foster those experiences through the built environment? Read more