Baking and Interior Design: Two Creative Passions with Surprising Similarities
Recent birthday cake design
As I recently sat working on the interior design of my client's bedroom and then switched to designing a birthday cake, I was reminded of the parallels between my two passions - baking and interior design. Check out how I think these creative pursuits complement each other and perhaps reflect how your own creative pursuits (e.g. photography) could help your next interior design project.
I love the baking process - from shopping for the ingredients to mixing them up and adding the finishing touches. And the best part? Seeing the delight on everyone's face when they take that first bite. It’s just like the rush I get from seeing a homeowner’s joy, from the beauty created initially and then when they use the space!
Baking and interior design both require a creative eye, attention to detail, and an understanding of how different elements come together to create something beautiful.
Creativity and Design
At the heart of both baking and interior design are creativity and design, which require an eye for colour, pattern, texture, and detail. As an interior designer, I envision how different elements will work together to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing space. Similarly, as a baker, I need to imagine how different flavours and textures will come together. In baking, this might mean pairing the right flavours and textures, while in interior design, it could be choosing the right colours, lighting or shapes of furniture to create a cohesive look.
Experimenting
Contemporary dining area
If you’re struggling to envision a scheme for your home or would like a little change to freshen it up, a relatively inexpensive way to experiment is to play with paint colours or move existing furniture/ accessories around your home. For example, try moving the accent chair you originally purchased for your living room into your study to create a cosy reading nook; change how your furniture is laid out in your current room to create better flow; swap the table/floor lamps between rooms for a change in ambience; or play around like I recently did with my dining area. What have you learned from experimenting in your home?
Sometimes experiments don’t work out yet there is value in what we learn from them. In the baking space, I chose a cake recipe for my niece's birthday that included natural live yoghurt for her violet gin-flavoured cake (her bedroom was violet-coloured as it's her favourite). I thought it would be cool to try out a new ingredient for a change….although a beautiful-looking cake, I’ll be avoiding recipes containing live yoghurt in the future!
Attention to Detail
Technical drawings of a hallway
Both baking and interior design require attention to detail. As a baker, I have to measure ingredients precisely and often follow a recipe, while as an interior designer, I measure the room to ensure the correct amount of paint is ordered and the furniture fits. Both require an eye for detail and a willingness to make adjustments as needed. Many of the tradespeople who have worked with me know how demanding I can be when it comes to achieving the look I envision but also appreciate where I'm able to pivot to achieve the goal but in a slightly different way on occasion.
Colour
Dulux and Farrow & Ball fan decks
Both baking and interior design rely heavily on colour to create a visually appealing result. As a baker, I may use food colouring to add colour to a cake or pastry, while as an interior designer, I might use paint, wallpaper, or accent pieces to add pops of colour to a room. In both cases, I carefully consider how different colours will work together and how it will make those who see the finished product feel. Have you ever used your passion for photography to inspire your colour scheme?
The 60/30/10 Rule
If you’ve got a neutral scheme in your room at the moment but want to add a fun element to it, why not add a few coloured cushions or pieces of artwork to change how it looks and feels? What I would recommend is using the 60/30/10 rule - you might use a neutral cream or grey as the dominant colour for the walls and sofa (60%), a deep blue as the secondary colour for curtains or an accent wall (30%), and then a pop of yellow as the accent colour for throw pillows or a vase (10%). This creates a cohesive and balanced colour scheme that is visually pleasing to the eye.
The Use of Patterns and Texture
Patterns and texture are important elements in both baking and interior design. As a baker, intricate designs may be piped onto a cake, while as an interior designer, I may use patterned wallpaper or fabrics in a room. Similarly, texture is a key element in both. For example, a cake could feature a smooth and creamy texture, whereas a room could incorporate plush pillows and textured rugs. Pattern and texture give personality providing depth and interest, but it's important to consider how these different elements could work together. Look around your living room and think about why the patterns and textures work so well together.
The Power of Personal Expression
That personality filled cake! All but the trolley is edible too!
Baking and interior design offer opportunities for personal expression and creativity. Every time I bake a birthday cake, I always think about the person I’m baking for. When I was creating this cake for my nephew's 18th birthday, I really wanted it to capture his personality and interests. I knew he was a big Disney fan, loved his Seat car, and had a thing for burgers, chips, and chicken. So, I decided to incorporate all of these things into the design. To start, I drew inspiration from the dominant colour in his bedroom, which is grey, and used it as the base colour for the cake. Then, I added some hand and Mickey's head shapes, as well as the Seat emblem and car key, to reflect his love for Disney and his car. Finally, I added some chocolates and sweets, as well as a nod to his first job as a trolley assistant at Tesco.
Similarly, when designing your room, you can also use your personality to create a space that reflects your individuality. Of course, I'm not suggesting that you scatter models of chicken around your room! As an example, if you're a big fan of all things Disney with a fun personality which you'd like to shine through, why not add pops of colour by introducing cushions or Disney inspired wall art against a neutral backdrop? Look at your choices, thinking about the statement you want to make and the story it tells the users of the space about you. Of course, I’d avoid bright colours (like yellow) in the bedroom as that’s where most of us want to unwind and relax rather than be wide awake.
The Joy of Creating Something Beautiful
Both my passions offer the joy of creating something beautiful. I get a real sense of satisfaction from the whole experience of taking raw ingredients or a blank canvas and turning them into something beautiful.
The sense of achievement and satisfaction I got from my home renovation is a prime example, I stripped everything out and designed something completely different, beautiful in comparison.
My technically challenging birthday cake and yes, the shoe is completely edible!
I’ve had this buzz several times in the baking space too, the most memorable being a Princess Jasmine pillow cake for my niece’s 16th birthday which was technically challenging. It was an exceptionally long process and as it was requested by my princess, she had to endure the pain of the long night decorating with me….am I a mean auntie?!
Whether I’m baking a cake for a special occasion or designing a room in your home, the joy of creating something beautiful is a reward in and of itself!
The similarities between baking and interior design go beyond the surface level. Both require creativity, attention to detail, understanding how different elements work together, and a passion for creating something beautiful. The next time you're having fun with a hobby, think about how it can help you create a beautiful interior design too!
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