38 Years in Luxury Lighting Design
For nearly four decades, Adaptive Design Group has stood at the intersection of artistry, engineering, and architecture — redefining what luxury lighting design truly means. In a world where lighting is often treated as an afterthought, our philosophy has always been clear: light is not decoration, it is structure, emotion, and experience.
Today, as lighting design becomes more prevalent among integrators and builders, it’s easy to mistake quantity for quality. Anyone can saturate a ceiling with hundreds of recessed fixtures and call it “bright.” But brightness is not beauty — and illumination without intention does a disservice to both the home and the homeowner. True lighting design requires coordination, restraint, and a deeply methodical process that respects architecture, materials, and human experience.
That belief is what led our founder, Glenn Merlin Johnson, to develop the ADAPTIVE Method® — a trademarked process built around eight distinct layers of light:
Architecture · Decorative · Art · Path · Task · Interior · View · Exterior
These layers form a disciplined framework that allows lighting to enhance a home without ever overpowering it. When applied correctly, the lighting feels natural, effortless — almost invisible. The best compliment we receive? When homeowners don’t “notice” the lighting, but feel the way their home lives, breathes, and glows.
Glenn’s work has shaped the industry for over 38 years, including authorship of “The Art of Illumination,” a foundational text used in more than 25 colleges and universities. His approach isn’t about trends, products, or shortcuts — it’s about mastering the art and science of light and being relentlessly engaged with the latest technologies to serve the architecture, not fight it.
In luxury residential design, success is never accidental. The most refined homes are built by a fully formed Technical Team — architect, interior designer, lighting designer, and integrator — working in true collaboration. When one of those disciplines is missing, it shows. Poor lighting can flatten even the most extraordinary architecture, turning a refined home into something that feels over-lit, chaotic, and visually exhausting.
38 Years in Luxury Lighting Design is no accident. Purposeful, Precision and delivering projects that exceed expectations.
At Adaptive Design Group, we don’t sell fixtures or chase products. We focus purely on design, engineering, and documentation — ensuring that every lighting plan is buildable, intentional, and worthy of the home it serves.
If you’d like a deeper look into our process, philosophy, and how the ADAPTIVE Method® continues to influence luxury lighting nationwide, we invite you to register for the CEPro Webcast Series and discover what’s possible when lighting is treated as an art form. Reach out today to explore how we can elevate your next project through light.