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Design Reflects Food Trends Part 1: Eco-Friendly and Made from Scratch
Design Reflects Food Trends Part 1:
Eco-Friendly and Made from Scratch
It is not surprising that design often reflects what and how people eat. After all, for most of us food is a huge component of our lives, and most of our lives are spent in spaces where we work or live. Quite simply, you are what you eat, and you are where you work, play and live.
Today’s consumers are choosing food that is eco-friendly, made from scratch, health-focused and stress relieving. How does that correlate with design? We strongly believe that the design trends of eco-friendly materials, artisan goods, health-enhancing products, and focus on creating a relaxing environment reflect overall and changing personal and societal values.
Since Sensory Six’s inception six years ago, we have been incorporating these values into our designs for clients because quite simply – we believe in them.
Restaurant owners, for example, are working with us to design distinctive spaces that provide these qualities in order to create a memorable customer experience that reflect what diners value most.
Even if you don’t own a restaurant, these ideas can be applied to the design of your business or home space. In Part 1 of Design Reflects Food Trends, we examine two trends: eco-friendly and made from scratch.
Eco-Friendly = Rethinking Materials
You can no longer use plastic bags for groceries. Many restaurants have stopped giving out plastic straws. Your take-out comes in recycled paper containers. Food packaging is smaller, often reusable and generally recyclable.
Welcome to the age of an eco-friendly food industry. Finally. And welcome to an eco-friendly building and design industry that has designers and their clients rethinking materials for the spaces they are creating. Here are a few examples of eco-friendly materials we are currently using:
- Bamboo. Experts believe bamboo is one of the best eco-friendly building materials on the planet. Highly renewable, bamboo is exceptionally durable which makes it a good choice for flooring and cabinetry.
- Cork. Like bamboo, cork is a fast-growing resource. Flexible and resilient, it is an excellent material for floor tiles because it has noise and shock absorption abilities.
- Cardboard. Cardboard is a great material to work with because it is so light weight and durable. It is 100% recyclable and biodegradable.
- Reclaimed or recycled wood and metal. Recycled metal is a long-lasting material that does not need frequent replacement making it a viable option for roofing, structural supports and building façades. It's also water and pest resistant. Like recycled metal, reclaiming and reusing wood helps reduce the environmental footprint. Reclaimed wood can be used for including structural framing, flooring, siding and cabinetry.
We’d like to share some examples of Sensory Six’s use of eco-friendly materials:
Reclaimed Wood used for the bar area at Seneca Restaurant in Saratoga Springs, NY
Cardboard lights used at Cantina Restaurant in Saratoga Springs, NY
Made from Scratch = Artisan Goods
Handcrafted lighting, furniture and accessories are pivotal pieces in a room, reflecting the creativity and interests of the client. For commercial establishments like office buildings, restaurants, and hotels, artisan goods set a differentiating tone and create a positive customer and employee experience.
Handmade functional art whether it is lighting, flooring, cabinetry or furniture tells a story and infuses a space with authenticity and originality. One of the best and most extravagant examples is the chandelier in the Bellagio Hotel made up of 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers created by world-renowned artist, Dale Chihuly.
Here are some examples of Sensory Six’s use of artisan goods sourced from creative talent throughout the world:
Artisan plates used as wall décor at Cantina Restaurant in Saratoga Springs, NY
Artisan Votives used at Cantina Restaurant in Saratoga Springs, NY
Interested in finding out how health-focused and stress-relieving food trends are being reflected in design trends? Stay tuned for our next perspective.
Photos:
Cantina Restaurant : Shawn LaChapelle Photography
Seneca Restaurant : Brian L Jones Photography
