The NeuroDesign Academy has announced a full day of education planned during the Fall High Point Market at the Suites at Market Square. Presented in partnership with ANDMORE on Friday, Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the seven sessions will deliver innovative insights into the field of science in design and take NeuroDesign education to the next level.
The NeuroDesign Academy’s Emotional Design Series “Emotional Design, the Power of NeuroDesign to Nurture, Mind, Body and Soul” will feature 14 speakers, who consist of some of the brightest minds, thought leaders and experts in our industry. The expert speakers bring cutting-edge knowledge from neuroscience, marketing, sensory design and material innovation — fields reshaping how we design for health, emotion and well-being. Their insights will connect the dots through hands-on training and practical tools that go beyond theory, offering real-world strategies and applications that help interior designers stand out and create spaces that clients truly connect with.
Designed by The NeuroDesign Academy’s founder, Linda Kafka, whose background in education, design and neuroaesthetics is renowned throughout the United States and Canada, and who is regarded as one of the first thought leaders to bring the ideas around science in design to the larger design and trade community. The NeuroDesign Academy’s presentation of the “Emotional Design Series” brings new insights with meaningful in-depth conversations that spotlight NeuroDesign as one of the newest and most innovative fields emerging for A&D professionals and attendees at High Point Market. To inspire a full day of forward-thinking education, all built around the overarching theme of NeuroDesign, the series pairs hands-on discovery with the power it offers to nurture mind, body and emotion.
Kafka and Nicole Baxter of Nicole Baxter Design worked together to curate the content for these exclusive series of CEU-accredited talks, which highlight new and groundbreaking approaches.
“Every session is more than a presentation—it’s an experience,” said Kafka. “The talks are designed to build on the previous one. Attendees won’t just listen, they’ll be asked to participate, explore, engage and contribute.
Examples of the interactive elements woven into the sessions include: neuromaterial experiments demonstrating how we nonconsciously respond to textures and how touch and temperature of materials influence our emotions, hands-on wood staining workshops showing how the same stain transforms differently across wood species, doodling and sketching exercises that reveal why hand-drawn creativity improves focus, productivity and mood; and color intuition activities using swatches to uncover how designers make subconscious color choices and why designers should use their intuition with color selection.
There will also be a special sensory scent bar demonstrating the emotional pull of olfactory in design and nostalgia storytelling exercises where objects and images evoke the timeless appeal of memory and emotion.
“Unlike traditional lectures, each session integrates an experiential component, giving attendees the opportunity to actively participate in the science behind design choices,” said Kafka. “These sessions are more than basic education you will find at the market. We are helping our audience explore and capturing nonconscious facial expressions when we look at marketing elements and understanding from a neuromarketing perspective — the brain science behind client attraction and sales, alongside “real-time” biometric demonstrations measuring non-conscious responses to scent, textures, materials and temperature.”
As the design and trade industries are seeing an increased focus on human-centered spaces that not only look good but also feel good and support health and well-being, designers are beginning to specialize and be recognized as neurodesigners, setting themselves apart with this emerging expertise. This curated day of conversations and education delivers fresh insights from leading experts who explore the emotional impact of color, texture, materials, nostalgia and even the neuroscience behind client decision-making, known as neuromarketing.
“These aren’t boring, dull lectures,” said Baxter. “They’re interactive, experiential sessions designed to spark creativity and curiosity. Attendees will have the chance to explore ideas through hands-on activities, color workshops, tactile material explorations, olfactory and live biometric facial expression demonstrations, and so much more.”
Topics presented by The NeuroDesign Academy’s Emotional Design Series
- Designing the Emotional Home: Where Well-Being Begins
- NeuroMaterials: How Touch, Texture, and Temperature Influence Emotion
- From Forest to Feeling: The Emotional Power of Wood
- Rethinking Color: A Talk for Designers Who Trust Their Intuition
- Timeless Appeal: Why Nostalgia and Story Stir the Soul
- Doodle to Innovate: How Small Scribbles Spark Big Ideas
- Neuromarketing for Interior Designers: The Brain Science Behind Client Attraction
Each session is free to attend, but advance registration is encouraged, especially for those who wish to participate in the hands-on components (due to limited hands-on workspace). Between select sessions, attendees can join NeuroDesign Community Meet-Up for a chance to connect, network and share with other neurodesign experts to build new and valuable industry relationships. The full day’s program concludes with a panel on neuromarketing, equipping designers with strategies to communicate their value and inspire clients to invest in their services.
Experiential participation is limited to the first 50 registrants (due to workshop space limitations). Early registration is strongly encouraged.
