Interior Design for Wellbeing: A special presentation at the Helms Bakery Design District

Interior designer Sarah Barnard photographed by Ace Misunias.

Hosted by OM and PLP SoCal, the inaugural session of OM Chats gathers leading voices in architecture, interior, and product design for a morning discussion about the ideas shaping home design and wellness. Speakers include Sarah Barnard, WELL AP + LEED AP, principal of Sarah Barnard Design, Julie Smith-Clementi, AIA, IDSA, architect and product designer, and Adaeze Cadet, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C, vice president at HKS.

The discussion centered around how to design spaces and products that reflect a broader — more empathetic — understanding of the human experience in the workplace, health care spaces, educational facilities, and wherever people gather and live.

Sarah Barnard is a WELL and LEED accredited designer and creator of environments that support mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. She creates highly personalized, restorative spaces that are deeply connected to art and the preservation of the environment. An advocate for consciousness, inclusivity, and compassion in the creative process, Sarah’s work has been recognized by Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, Real Simple, HGTV and many other publications. In 2017 Sarah was recognized as a “Ones to Watch” Scholar by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).   

Sarah Barnard Celebrates Over Ten Years of LEED Accreditation

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP) designers bring their expertise to every project, creating healthy and environmentally responsible spaces for their clients. LEED certified buildings and homes provide lasting benefits for users, the surrounding community, project stakeholders, and the environment at large.

Photos by: Brad Nicol

A sustainably designed, constructed, and maintained LEED-certified building positively affects the health of its employees or residents by improving air quality, reducing exposure to toxins, and ensuring adequate levels of natural light. LEED buildings yield lower operating costs and higher resale values and lease-up rates for property owners. They also consume less water and energy, reduce carbon emissions, and divert waste from landfills.

LEED-certified homes benefit not only their inhabitants but the community and environment. Green homes offer year-round comfort and healthy indoor environments. They, too, use less water and energy, which is a win for homeowners’ wallets but also reduces strain on the community’s resources. LEED-certified homes are known to sell faster and for more money, which can raise property values for the entire neighborhood.

Sarah Barnard is an interior designer, WELL AP, and Legacy LEED AP who recently celebrated the 13th anniversary of earning her LEED credentials. Legacy LEED AP is the title given to early participants in the program who passed the LEED exam before 2009 when the U.S. Green Building Council introduced specialties.

“I care about the future of our environment and work to ensure that my home design projects support wellness for people and the planet,” says Barnard. “The Legacy LEED AP credential demonstrates my long-standing commitment to healthy, sustainable design.”

As a leading expert in her field, Barnard has given lectures at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), California State University, Northridge (CSUN), Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), and SCALE: The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) National Student Summit. She has presented at the LA Home and Garden Show, Pacific Design Center, California Preservation Foundation, and Textile Arts LA. Most recently, OM Chats hosted Barnard and fellow design leaders Adaeze Cadet (AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Vice President at HKS) and Julie Smith-Clementi (AIA, ISDA, Product Designer and Architect, Smith-Clementi) to take part in a multi-speaker conversation around the role of empathy in home design.

In 2017, Barnard was recognized as an ASID Ones to Watch scholar in the program’s inaugural class. ASID created the leadership development training program to promote diversity and propel the industry forward. Barnard confers with a national network of her fellow interior design scholars to share research and feedback.

While the LEED rating system focuses on the design, construction, and operation of buildings, the WELL Building Standard emphasizes the health and wellness of the people inside of them. The LEED and WELL programs are complementary and receiving accreditation with both has informed Barnard’s holistic approach to healthy, sustainable home design.

Barnard is an advocate for consciousness, inclusivity, and compassion in the creative process. Through her speaking engagements, pro-bono work, and writing, Barnard hopes to draw attention to these critical design objectives. Barnard is creating a future that includes greener buildings, healthier interiors, and enlightened home design.

Healing Spaces: How Designers Can Cultivate Wellness in the Built Environment

Empathy can uncover the deep needs of humans in private and public spaces. Leading practitioners in LA's a+d community gathered Friday, October 11th at the Helms Design Center for a conversation about the role of empathy in creating extraordinary experiences.

Hosted by OM and PLP SoCal, this inaugural session of OM Chats gathers leading voices in architecture, interior, and product design for a morning discussion about the ideas shaping design and wellness. Speakers include Sarah Barnard, WELL AP + LEED AP, principal of Sarah Barnard Design, Julie Smith-Clementi, AIA, IDSA, architect and product designer, and Adaeze Cadet, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C, vice president at HKS.

The discussion centered around how to design spaces and products that reflect a broader — more empathetic — understanding of the human experience in the workplace, health care spaces, educational facilities, and wherever people gather and live.

Photo by: Steven DeWall

Transcript of Sarah Barnard’s presentation:

In my practice, as a WELL and LEED accredited interior architectural designer, I specialize in creating environments that support the occupant's mental and physical wellbeing. An empathetic approach is the foundation of my process.

As a neurodivergent person, with sensory processing differences, I know all too well that we live in a world designed for neurotypical people. Normative built environments can be extremely uncomfortable, even traumatic, for many people. For example, individuals with Post Traumatic Stress and folks on the Autistic spectrum may both have sensitivities to sound, light, textures, and odors. People with chronic migraines and people who are chemically sensitive might also have overlapping reactivity to fragrances, sounds, and light.

Photo by: Steven DeWall

The reality is, most humans will have experiences during their developmental years that forever impact their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Research indicates that traumatic experiences don't just happen to some people; they happen to most people. In the late 1990s, Kaiser Permanente conducted a study on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). They asked more than 13,000 of their members to complete a 10-question survey on traumatic childhood experiences and to report any health issues they were currently facing.

From this pool of respondents, about two-thirds had at least one ACE. 12% of the population reported an ACE score of 4 or more. An ACE score of 4+ nearly doubles the risk of heart disease and cancer and increases the risk of attempted suicide by twelve times. Understanding that the health impacts of trauma are not a "special population" issue, but a general population issue is critical to our ability to design with empathy.

Artwork: Deborah Cansler, Photo: Chas Metivier

No matter our circumstance, it can be challenging to share details about ourselves that may be perceived as a disability. So, while we can't always ask, we can understand that many of us may have unaddressed environmental needs.

Even neurotypical people, without exposure to trauma, can easily experience cognitive overload in intensely stimulating environments. Activities like commuting, social interactions, processing large amounts of data, being exposed to fragrances, and repetitive auditory disturbances, can impact our mental and emotional resilience in unseen ways. Because of the magnitude of stressors in public life, humans benefit in measurable ways from a restorative home environment. Restoring at home makes us stronger in the workplace and the world at large.

Interior Design: Sarah Barnard, Artwork: Renae Barnard + Ruben Vincent, Photo: Steven DeWall

When designing commercial office environments for clients like National Geographic Entertainment, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation/ Life Rolls On and the National Immigration Law Center, I consider the intersections and overlap of the community members and develop strategies to accommodate the highest possible needs.

Though it is vital to remember, as we have access to an ever-growing body of research that informs our practice of designing spaces that encourage wellbeing, it is nearly impossible to soothe all humans with a single design solution. So, meeting clients where they are and creating a safe, judgment-free dialogue is the first step in designing inclusive, supportive spaces.

Interior Design: Sarah Barnard, Artwork: Jose Ramirez, Photo: Chas Metivier

 In my experience, being mindful and empathetic to diverse sensitivities creates an opportunity to design spaces that inspire a sense of peace. Armed with the understanding that we can't expect anyone to share the details of their pain, nor ask for what they need, designers must consider the most sensitive populations, so more environments feel safe and empowering to all.

 How do we do this?

We must think about an expansion of universal design principles to include physical, mental, and emotional health. For example, we know that biophilic design can reduce physiological and psychological stress. Having a comfortable place to meditate can reduce anxiety, depression, and pain. Exposure to natural light can regulate our circadian rhythms and increase serotonin levels.

Artwork: Ruben Vincent, Photo: Steven DeWall

When access to nature isn't readily available, art is an excellent alternative solution. Viewing original works of art can stimulate the brain, providing an imaginative connection to the mind of the artist and a momentary transcendence into another reality. In 2011 a University of London study found that viewing art produces a similar effect in the brain as falling in love, causing a rush of pleasure producing dopamine.

Just as we consider the positive impacts of nature and art on health and wellbeing, we place equal importance on the selection of materials and how they can shift the feeling, light levels, and acoustic qualities of a space.

Interior Design: Sarah Barnard, Artwork: Kevin Moore, Photo: Ace Misiunas

Because truly non-toxic materials are in limited supply, our studio regularly designs textiles, wallpapers, furniture, and light fixtures, working with local craftspeople to fabricate safely and responsibly.

 While we are mindful of avoiding materials with VOCs,  some non-toxic materials like linseed oil, tung oils, and even citrus-based solvents can cause distress to people who are chemically sensitive, people undergoing chemotherapy and people with COPD.

Interior Design: Sarah Barnard, Artwork: Kevin Moore, Photo: Ace Misiunas

In 20 years of professional practice, I have learned that empathy and mindfulness are critical in creating healing, supportive environments. Contemplating design strategies that can benefit all populations, is not a trend; it's an evolution in expanding our quality of life.

 Together, we are part of a movement to be mindful, empathetic, and collaborative, supporting one another to make all built environments healing, restorative spaces.

Interior Design: Sarah Barnard, Photo: Steven DeWall

Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art. With a contemporary approach that employs traditional vocabulary, Barnard’s range of style is innovative yet time-honored. The ideas most essential to her practice and design process are wellness, historic preservation, and the infinite ways in which design can enhance life.

How Empathy Creates Extraordinary Experiences: Leaders in Wellness Design Explore Designing for Human Experience

PROGRAM DETAILS

7:30 - 8:00 check-in and breakfast

8:00 - 9:00 presentations and conversation

Why Should You Attend?

Empathy can uncover the deep needs of consumers, students, employees, caregivers. The design world is ideally situated to leverage these profound understandings to build better and healthier products, spaces, solutions. This session will address:

• How do we think about empathy not only as a practice of being but as a practice of doing?

• How do we design products that reflect a broader understanding of human experience in the workplace, healthcare spaces, educational facilities, and more?

• What is empathetic product design and how does it fit with empathetic space design?

• What are some examples of empathy at play in product and space design?

• What are the implications of empathetic design for the future?

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SPEAKER BIOS

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VENUE MAP AND PARKING

The Design Center is located in the center left of the map below, in the atrium surrounded by the green numbers 11-15. Free parking is available to the right, at the circled P.

How Color Impacts Feelings and Emotions

The color of your bedroom could be impacting your ability to get a good night’s rest. This rich indigo scheme neutralizes stress and provides a sanctimonious space for sleep.

Imagine your favorite color. Classic, reliable, and looks great on you. By some metaphysical magicalness, this inanimate projection of light makes you feel something. It can’t explain it- but it quiets the storm, inspires the artist, and invites introspection. Like a Netflix original series or the air we breathe, we can’t get enough of it- but why? What gives color such a powerful influence?

The answer exists somewhere between science and socialization in an area of study called color psychology.

Color is a fundamental element in life. It can alter an individual’s mood, behavior, even their appetite. Although some studies suggest that color interpretation is based on ‘pseudo-scientific assertions’ rather than scientific data, color psychology is the study of how the way we experience color has long been a valuable facet of the human experience.

Taking into consideration the healthy lifestyle of the residents, Sarah opted for a coniferous green as a symbolic tribute. Green is a great shade to liven up a space with a natural look.

Color psychology is the study of how color impacts mood and behavior. When studying color’s effect on mood, a color’s hue, saturation, and brightness must all be accounted for. Color perception can be affected by a series of factors, and the same color may appear different to various people.

Intro to color psychology’s kid brother: Color Theory.

While there are multiple definitions of Color Theory, there is a basic knowledge that helps define the essence of it. Color Theory is not only the series of hues known as the color wheel, but it is also a valuable structure of guidance to mixing color, and the visual emotions it invokes.

The color wheel is composed of primary, secondary and tertiary colors. The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. These three pigments remain solid on the color wheel, as they cannot be formed by the combination of any other colors. Primary colors are the true originators- hues from which all other colors are derived. Secondary colors are created when mixing primary colors; resulting with green, orange, and purple. Tertiary colors are formed by mixing a primary and a secondary color, creating yellow-orange, red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, and yellow-green. Colors are categorized into three hue variant descriptors; cool, warm and neutral.

It’s easy to feel energized in this Bungalow bathroom covered head-to-toe in orange tiles. This cheerful and vibrant secondary color combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow.

By mixing colors and exploring different color combinations, one can reap the benefits of different colors’ impacts by carefully integrating them into a single space.

Interior designer Sarah Barnard (WELL AP + LEED AP) further explains, “In spaces like the minimalist coastal retreat where the dominant color scheme is a pure, dove white- the minimal use of color is emphasized by contrast. The analogous color scheme [colors adjacent to one another on the color wheel] like yellow, green, and blue, inspire a light, energetic space that feels alive and vibrant.”

Personal possessions, plants, and even food can provide additional color. Grouping the dragon fruit and star fruit together brings two distinct pops of red and yellow.

In this personalized family home, each room embodies its own personality, attributed to the diverse use of color. Home to 3 children, each impassioned youth expressed themselves by participating in the selection of colors in their room. In one space; a rustic orange courts a creative, comfy atmosphere. While in the other, a softened lavender beckons a certain subtle sophistication blended with an imaginative air.

It’s not all about the striking shades. “Neutral tone-on-tone schemes create a very harmonious, feeling of cohesiveness. It’s organic and natural, evoking an earthly feeling of connectedness.” Sarah Barnard goes on, “When brighter colors are used to accent these more neutral scenes, we see more distinction in the color due to contrast. These cool, warm, and neutral tones can communicate everything from peace to activity.”

Sarah Barnard uses the ocean as a focal point of this penthouse living room by utilizing a beautiful neutral color scheme that prevents the eye from becoming too distracted or strained.

In 1666, Sir Isaac Newton discovered that pure white light, when viewed through a prism, separates into the visible color spectrum. However, our understanding of color’s unique mood enhancement and health benefits extend far beyond this point in history. Ancient cultures around the world embraced the power of color and practiced chromotherapy. Chromotherapy, also known as ‘light therapy,’ employs colors to heal various ailments and is still currently used as a holistic or alternative method.

This treatment uses the color red to stimulate the mind and body, and increase circulation. Yellow to stimulate the nerves and detoxify the body. Orange heals the lungs and increases energy levels. Blue is believed to soothe or treat any illnesses or pain, while indigo shades are used to treat skin problems. Regardless of the scientific validity of the practice of chromotherapy, color is an indisputably important feature in our visual environment and can create a sanctuary in which we manifest healing.

There are color interpretations that have an ordinary meaning. For example; traffic lights—green means go, yellow indicates a yield, and red most recognizably signals a stop. However, most color perceptions tend to be subjective and contingent on the application.

A red room might make some feel anxious, while blue walls can induce a sense of calmness or relaxation. There are plenty of reasons why a person might react a certain way towards color, and an explanation can be the location or amount of color used even the culture someone comes from, or their personal experiences. As in all things, there exists a duality to every color archetype. While bold hues of red have given some evidence to have adverse effects in cognitive ability in children and adults, there is also evidence to show it can increase appetite, enhance athletic performance, and spark feelings of excitement and arousal. While a red bedroom may inhibit sleep, a red locker room can rally a team for competition.

Sarah Barnard illuminates the topic further, “It’s important to consider the space you’re occupying and the emotions you would like to experience there. Is this a place of rest, work, or activity? These are some of the elements I consider when introducing color to space.”

Due to this variation in interpretation, many psychologists express skepticism of the validity of color theory’s effect on an individual. In truth, this variation exemplifies the way the usage of color can be just as impactful as the color itself. Complimenting the fluidity of Color Theory, this allowance grants validity to each of our experiences that have helped inform our perception of color.

The color blue is very versatile in that, while it can be used as a calming element, it can also symbolize energetic forces like the ocean or provide a masculine touch depending on its tones.

By juxtaposing projects like the custom-built bedrooms of this California family residence with the masculine townhouse, we can see the breadth of emotion just one shade can bring forth. Both utilize a similar palette, a combination of vibrant blues and natural greens against natural wood and white backdrops. Despite their similarities in color, both spaces pique very different energies. A blue surfboard emanates the raw excitement of the open ocean, while blue bunk beds manifest a dreamy, youthful coziness reminiscent of pillow forts and camping in the backyard. Because of their application, the blue tones inspire very different moods, although they are similar in hue and saturation.

In this boy’s room in the California family residence, Sarah utilizes the duality of the color blue to create a space that encourages both play and relaxation. See you in dreamland!

Proper color selection is crucial in our everyday lives. Color can be overwhelming or healing, so it is crucial to understand how color can affect the dynamics of a room and the people in it. Interior designers deeply believe that color can drastically alter moods, feelings, and emotions. Before designing your space or switching up your color scheme, pay close attention to the way your mind and body feel when you experience different colors and consult with your designer.

”It goes beyond creating something beautiful to look at- it’s an integration of the self into the space we occupy and nourishing ourselves. The colors we see affect how we feel and how we engage with the people around us.” Sarah Barnard concludes, “It’s absolutely vital.”

Regardless of age, it is evident both adults and children are affected by color in a multitude of ways. While color interpretation can vary between cultures and people, we are unified in the power of color- the magical and visceral ways it influences us as we move through our day. It can provoke us to be more active or optimistic, or it can be the visual lullaby we need to rest peacefully at night. Positive and thoughtful applications of Color Theory have many benefits; inspiring us to play, grow, and find peace.

Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.

To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.