When working on HOVNÄS, we brought in Daniel Hodierna to learn more about this fascinating area. He’s an award winning lighting designer working with ÅF Lighting in Sweden. “Certain characteristics of lighting do evoke different emotions,” says Daniel. “But there’s been no real solid scientific way of researching that.” The first time Daniel saw the HOVNÄS lamp, he was reminded of fireflies dancing above tufts of grass. He noted the sparkle and brilliance of the bulbs, thinking people would find them exciting. He shared his insights about the human connection to lighting.

We learned that UVB rays from sunshine enable our bodies to create vitamin D, for instance. And, certain hormones we produce, like cortisol and melatonin, are affected by light too. What we can’t really measure is our emotional response. “Most people look up and go ‘ooh, ahh, wow’ when they see fireworks,” says Daniel. “It’s a natural thing to be drawn towards flashes of lights and sparkles.” But why?

“It is a connection with nature. Sometimes you cannot explain it in this modern world, but it makes you feel good,” says Elin Wrengler Dias, an IKEA product developer. “HOVNÄS is like static fireworks that are always on,” Elin continues. “There’s something with this sparkly object that adds to the atmosphere and ambience of the room. It just makes you feel at peace. It’s very relaxing and soothing to see a lot of small lights.”