In the first chapter of her book joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee, describes the people of Tirana, Albania, watching Edi Rama, the city's mayor and a successful painter, cover decrepit gray buildings in red, yellow, turquoise, and violet paint. That act transformed the city, and "strange things began to happen," Lee writes. People stopped littering. They started gathering in cafes. Shopkeepers removed metal grates from windows. All because of a little paint.The best home builders, architects, and designers turn houses into homes by creating spaces that bring energy, positivity, or a sense of calm to their occupants. And they do it in any number of ways, using proportion, light, natural elements, sculptural details, or a dash of whimsy. Here we celebrate nine pockets of joy from the 2020 Best in American Living Awards.
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