ArtBistro

I think the point is missed by your example, Googles design first and foremost is about disseminating information, helping the searcher interact with the data they are seeking in the most fluid way possible, and their design is absolutely perfect for this task. Finally a well designed page that doesn't slow the reader down by proclaiming itself, with some big distracting header/banner/whatever... I get my data, quickly.
If this is not the very essence of user-centered design then I don't know what is, Im not saying that it's pretty, but for the love of Ganesh that is not what good interaction design is about.
P.S. what about the color blind?
I think you need to rethink this whole article, it feels rushed anyway, like it was written under deadline.

I prefer the understatement of the existing design. This site is intended to be purely functional.

Also, the color scheme was definitely changed when the links became green instead of default blue. I wonder if this experiment might have had more impact for me using a different example.

I guess what we take for granted is how embedded the design is in our psyches. I am not sure if what you did to change it is any better or worse, but what I am sure of is there is some type of familiarity that comes with the google design that is very comforting ( I guess having used it for about 12 years will do that). Also, I think there is some sort of dictionary or "informational" effect that is achieved when there is minimal design; and really the design centers on the text.

my problem with this design is that it's not considering the user objective on this page - which is to identify a search result to follow. by making the masthead more salient it draws the eye more than the results, which is the important part of the page for the user. also by changing the link color from standard blue to green this violates the user expectation of what links look like. the user is looking for links to follow, but they have to stop and pause a moment (and think) because the green is jarring.

I'm not buying. The Google results page is part of why it caught in, in that it's understated and yet clear. In appearance, I found the changed one kind of heavy, between the amount of screen space given to the blue shaded area (which now also lowers the impact of the colors of the Google logo) and the green for results, which felt a little more like "shouting." In function, the blue shade now groups more disparate content, where before it divided two sections of content while also providing additional information.

Cool!