Episode 53
The Unexpected Power of Color - with Laura Guido-Clark
Color Expert, Laura Guido-Clark discusses the transformative power of color in design and the emotional and physiological impacts of color in communities and workspaces.
Designer and color expert, Laura Guido-Clark talks about the transformative power of color in design. She discusses how color acts as a conduit for human connection, its physiological impacts, and the influence it has on mood and productivity. Laura shares insights from her work with renowned organizations and her nonprofit, Project Color Corps, which uses color to bring hope and joy to underprivileged school communities. The conversation also covers practical advice for incorporating color into workspaces and the importance of creating environments that respect and nurture human needs.
BIO
Laura Guido-Clark is the world’s foremost color expert, Laura Guido-Clark – their color, materials, and finish. Throughout her twenty-plus year career, Laura has analyzed the conscious and unconscious influences that drive buying decisions. She has been dubbed an 'Experience Consultant' because of her ability to translate those influences into prescient forecasting and concrete applications of color and finish for new products.
In 2017, Laura launched her groundbreaking color methodology called LOVE GOOD COLOR. LOVE GOOD COLOR integrates science and the senses, enabling designers to factor in emotive response when using color. It is a language-based system that facilitates selection confidence and efficacy while simplifying and reducing iterations. The digital tool is currently in development. LOVE GOOD COLOR has been used by designers from various firms including Gensler, IA, Adobe, Rockwell Group, Atlassian, and Studio O+A.
Laura has helped companies such as Herman Miller, HP, Samsung, and Toyota use color and materials on their products that resonate with consumers and succeed in competitive markets. Her textile and pattern design includes work for HBF, Pallas, Carnegie, and FLOR. Laura’s expertise ranges from textiles to consumer products such as automotive, electronics, and major household appliances. Learn more about Laura’s design work at Laura Guido-Clark Design.
In 2011, Laura founded Project Color Corps™, a nonprofit organization dedicated to painting urban neighborhoods with color and pattern that impart positive messages of optimism and hope. The organization is now flourishing in four cities across the country.
Laura was honored as the IIDA Northern California Chapter recipient of the 2014 Leadership Award of Excellence. As a result of her expertise, Laura speaks both nationally and internationally on design and the creative process and was an expert design blogger for Fast Company.
CHAPTERS
05:40 Why color is so important in design
08:50 The effect of color on physiology and mood
10:45 Colors in schools
13:51 Punitive colors and the humanity of color
16:04 Project Color Corps and transforming underprivileged schools
21:50 Students’ reactions and impact
23:49 Transforming “grown up” spaces with color
26:30 How leaders can interact with color
31:55 Color dosage and why do certain colors look better on us than others
38:18 The relationship between light and color
43:00 How to achieve a sense of belonging through color
44:50 Bringing personality back to retail environments and logos
48:35 Designing to contrasting preferences
51:39 The importance of programming and Adobe Founders Tower
LINKS
Ep. 37 Exploring Respite, Place Attachment and Hotelling with Ryan Anderson
Ep. 6 How Architecture Affects Human Animals - with Andrea De Paiva
Herman Miller - Laura Guido-Clark
Fast Company - Laura Guido-Clark
IMAGE CREDITS
Clare’s childhood and high school photos - Clare Kumar
Adobe Founders Tower - Gensler
Adobe logo - Wiki
Herman Miller logo - Herman Miller
HP logo - Wiki
TD Wallpaper - Clare Kumar
Scotiabank wallpaper - Clare Kumar
Jet Ski photo - Clare Kumar
Car photos - Wiki Commons
Clare’s office - Clare Kumar
Clare’s splurge dress photo - Clare Kumar
Project Color Corps logo - Laura Guido-Clark
Footage/ of Project Color Corps projects and schools - Laura Guido-Clark
Laura’s headshot - Laura Guido-Clark
Other images and videos - Canva
Learn more about and follow Laura Guido-Clark:
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Highly sensitive executive coach and productivity catalyst, Clare Kumar, explores the intersection of productivity and inclusivity exploring how we can invite the richest contribution from all through improvements in design and culture. She works bottom-up - coaching individuals in sidestepping burnout and cultivating sustainable performance, and top-down – working with leaders to design inclusive performance thereby inviting teams to reach their full potential. As a speaker, Clare mic-drops “thought balms” in keynotes and workshops, whether virtual or in-person. She invites connection through her online community committed to designing sustainable and inclusive performance, the Happy Space Pod. Why? Because everyone deserves a Happy Space.
Believing that productivity is personal, the podcast is produced in a variety of formats so you can enjoy it in the medium you prefer:
Listen to the audio right here or on your fave podcast platform.
If you prefer to watch video, check out the episode on YouTube. And look for the Shorts playlist for clips.
If you prefer to read, please see the transcript below.
Ready to learn more, or want to find out more about coaching with Clare or hiring her for your next engaging event? Contact Clare here.
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If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a heartfelt review as this will help other listeners discover the podcast. Please invite your colleagues, friends, and family to listen as well. Together we can design a more inclusive world where everyone can make their richest contribution.
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And don't forget, everyone (including YOU) deserves a Happy Space. 😊
CREDITS
Audio and Video Editing: Jaclyn Enchin
Production Assistant: Rafael Dona
Song Credit: Cali by Wataboi / wataboi
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Music promoted by FDL Music • Cali - Wataboi · [Copyright-free Music]