Traditional or Modern? Exploring My Project’s Aesthetic

For my final project, I am making a spice spinner for my mom, inspired by traditional Mexican ceramics and pottery. My main aesthetic is based on the ceramics designs, which often have bold colors with hand-painted designs, and a rustic feel. Many Mexican ceramics are made from brown clay, so I want to bring that style into my project by using wood as the main material. A wooden base will give it a natural, handcrafted look, similar to how Mexican artisans create pottery. To tie in ceramic-style elements, I plan to add decorative details to either the lids or the base, inspired by Talavera tiles or other Mexican pottery patterns. I want the spice spinner to feel like it belongs in a kitchen with all the other kitchen supplies.

While my main aesthetic focuses on a traditional and handcrafted look, I also thought about an alternative design that would be completely different. Instead of using wood and ceramic patterns, I could make the spice spinner out of metal for a modern and industrial look. This version would have a sleek, structural design with clean lines and polished surfaces. Instead of bright colors and painted details, it would be a minimalist color palette with blacks and grays. This design would feel more precise and engineered, which is the complete opposite of the handmade aesthetic of my original idea. Instead of sketches, I included pictures of two different spice spinners. The main difference between these two designs is what material I am using. So below is one spinner made of wood and one made of metal to show the difference between these two styles.

Both designs would serve the same purpose, but they would create very different feelings. The Mexican ceramic-inspired version would feel cozy, artistic, and full of character, while the metal version would feel sleek, minimal, and modern. I know that I want my spice spinner to reflect my heritage and my mom’s love for cooking, so I will be following my original aesthetic. Also, I did get one comment on my last post asking if I was going to buy a spice spinner and just add the designs to it. I will not be buying any spice spinners. I plan on creating the whole thing by myself from scratch.

Citations:
[1]. 16-Bottle Chrome Revolving Spice Rack. (2022). The Container Store. https://www.containerstore.com/
[2]. Hold Everything Revolving Spice Rack. Williams Sonoma. https://www.williams-sonoma.com/
[3]. Laura. (2023, August 9). Tazas Mexicanas. Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/
[4]. Michoacan Pottery – Etsy. (2020). Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/