Colours of the desert: Death Valley images translated into a bistro interior

Stockholm – Swedish design studio Note drew inspiration from a series of photographs documenting California’s Mojave Desert to create a sophisticated combination of colours and materials for the FineFood Kärlek och Mat bistro.

Shot by Los Angeles-based photographer Jordan Sullivan, the photo series captures the surreal, almost magical character of the harsh landscape of Death Valley. Inspired by the subtle interplay of colours and textures, Note translated the imagery into the design of the interior. ‘We just stumbled upon the Death Valley series and felt right away that it was a conclusion of everything we wanted aesthetically – a clean setting with amazing pastels, the different shades of grey in the rock and just the pure serenity,’ the designers told architecture and design magazine Dezeen.

The main point of focus in the interior is a custom-designed herringbone-tile floor, referencing the different nuances of grey found in the rocky landscape. The bar area and counter tops are covered with green Guatemala marble, evocative of the sinister character of the night shots. Different nuances of green dominate the colour palette, with shades of mint, teal and turquoise set against contrasting salmon red and coral.

We profiled the daring, playful approach of studio Note in 2013. For more examples of its work, see our Portfolio review.