Food-Inspired Design by Jessica Bonness

This is so cool and creative I just can’t get over it — room design inspired by food! This is a guest post by designer Jessica Bonness, who launched her own business, JGB Interiors, this year. She graduated from The Corcoran College of Art + Design in 2008, where she continues to teach.

I can’t think of many people who would look to food when redecorating, but the concept shows the intuitive way Jessica thinks about design.

Here she is, in her own words:

Sometimes I see an image that just screams, “This would make a great color palette!” and I have to file it away.  I noticed recently that more often than not, these images are of food, so thus began my Inspirational Color Palette series.

It all started with beet salad.  In mid-May, the Washington Post’s Spring Dining Guide featured this image:

I loved the cool feminine colors on top of the crisp greens and yellows, and after some digging through some of my favorite resources, I composed a quick little collage of what this salad might look like as a living room:

Clockwise from upper left: Chinese garden stool, Overstock.com; yellow vase, 1st Dibs ; Ray pillow by Walter, 2modern.com; driftwood lamp, 1st Dibs ; coral arm chair, Oly Studio

I adore how the stripes on the pillow resemble the striations on actual beets, and I think the detail on the garden stool is really evocative of the leafy greens.

Feeling good about my Beet Salad Room, I’ve been hunting down more images to play this game with.  I would love to share two more wonderful imaginary spaces with you.

The Orange Room is inspired by this gorgeous photo of squash and soba noodles with tofu from the New York Times food section:

I love the texture amidst the almost monotone palette. It’s so cozy and inviting, but also really vibrant. Putting this room together was an experiment in tactility; the chunky textiles, the shiny mirrors, and the smooth silks coexist in a way that’s true to the dish. There’s also a nod to the sesame seeds — see for yourself:

Clockwise from upper left: Cube cocktail table, Shine furniture; bench, John Richard; Galiano pendant light, Propellor Design; orange chair, a flea market find from Atlanta; Cork wallcovering in Aluminum, Innovations Wallcovering; Scrap Wood Table, Uhuru; Sheesha pillow, John Robshaw

As you know, all goods things end with dessert, so I had to do an Ice Cream Room. The inspirational image behind this collage is one of the most beautiful food photographs I’ve ever seen, of tiny individual take-out portions of ice cream from Quality Meats in New York City.

The garnishes here are just as visually important as the ice cream itself, and the variety of colors and shapes is stunning. The room I envision is anchored in beiges, aquas, and subtle yellows, but would really pop with a bright green plant or two and some chocolate-brown accents (velvet maybe?).

Clockwise from upper left: Circular oak mirror, Sears (yes, Sears!); Effervescent chandelier, Anthropologie; Beverly side chair, Oly Studio; Scales linen pillow, Clayton Gray Home; Aqua Petal pillow, Pier One; white resin stool, Oly Studio; Blocks rug in citrus, Warp and Weft; Hanna chair and ottoman, Oly Studio

I think the nailheads, petals, patterns and lines here really speak to the sprinkles and special touches on the ice cream. The metal finish on the Beverly chair seems to me like a playful spoon that brings these elements together.

Often, my clients or my students ask me if there is a rule about color palettes, or if there is a limit as to how many colors you can have in a room. That’s such a hard question to answer, seeing as how design is an art and not a science, but I think we can all take a cue from these lovely food photographs when it comes to color: Every room is different and can be beautiful in its own unique way. Kind of like a salad.