Rebel with a cause

Living and working in a different country offers life-shaping opportunities. Not only do you often gain intimate insights into a culture that is different from the one you grew up in, but you can't help but learn new things about yourself. During a recent project, Interior Designer and Stylist Jessica Rayment drew from her own immigration experience to tap into that of a well-known chef and develop a conceptual restaurant design which reflects both where her client came from and who he has become.

Born in the south of England, Jessica now calls Australia home. Before leaving the UK, she worked for six years as a project designer on commercial design-builds. After spending a couple of months travelling overseas, she realised she was in need of a big change – which culminated in her move to the opposite side of the planet. "Australia is vast, and after many adventures and lots of interesting jobs unrelated to design, I wanted a more creative outlet and to enhance my skills. That's what drew me to study interior design – the need to get back into the creative realm and bring myself up-to-date with ever-evolving technology and the growing market of suppliers and products that could be found in my new city," says Jessica.

As part of her studies at Sydney Design School, Jessica was asked to create a design for a hypothetical restaurant and bar that would embody Chef Gaggan Anand's food philosophy and reflect his unique and innovative culinary offerings. Like Jessica, Gaggan moved from the country where he was born and raised to pursue his dreams overseas. Since relocating to Bangkok, Gaggan has made a big splash in the international culinary scene and opened multiple fine dining restaurants that have completely altered preconceived notions of what Indian cuisine can be. He has even appeared on popular foodie shows like Chef's Table, Somebody Feed Phil and Top Chef.

Though the chef has been based in Thailand for many years now, his cuisine continues to be firmly rooted in the flavours of India. Jessica was inspired by this connection and the sensory feast that his homeland offers so she spent time studying the country's striking contrasts between vibrant, opulent architectural structures and its often raw, rugged nature.

Resene Wewak spills from the exterior inside, continuing onto the entranceway walls and floor. From there, guests ascend the stairs to the first floor characterised by deep earthy browns – a dramatic contrast to the pink that greeted them. The double-height ceiling and strong finishes exude dominance through rich hues like Resene Barista, Resene Bivouac Green, Resene Burnt Umber and Resene Brown Derby. These are complemented by contrasting textures of warm timber, natural stone and metallic and woven accents. Sculptural feature boxes painted in various shades of brown pay homage to the boxy homes that are prevalent in the less affluent areas of India, and the shadows they cast provide further texture and variety of colour.

Arriving at her specific colour selections involved a multi-faceted approach. "Initially, my inspiration arose from an exploration of India, studying the striking contrast between opulent architectural structures and the country's rawer, more rugged elements," Jessica says. "I drew inspiration from various sources, including images, books and design references to guide my initial colour palette exploration and then used Resene ColourMatch Online to select my paint colours and make sure they sat well together."

But for those who know Jessica, her fondness for vibrant and dramatic colours is nothing new. "I'm known as the 'fluffy designer' among my colleagues as I've always gravitated towards the creative and tactile aspects of design. Growing up, my parents were involved in property development and my mum's love of puffball curtains and garish patterns in the late 90s added to my curiosity of interior design."

As an added challenge, Jessica and her classmates were tasked by their Sydney Design School instructors to take a sustainable approach to their restaurant designs, with a focus on minimal waste generation and off-grid capabilities. "The objective was to create a space that not only provided exceptional dining experiences but also prioritised environmental consciousness. Florist and designer Joost Bakker is the poster boy of zero-waste living and his greenhouse + silo project in London provided Jessica all the inspiration she needed. "If this project were fully realised, we would work with Joost to build a sustainable restaurant that generated as little waste as possible, which would be both off-grid and capable of growing its own ingredients," she says.

"The idea would be to achieve zero-waste, where all products that were delivered to the restaurant would come in reusable vessels. The minimal waste remaining would be organic and therefore compostable, closing the loop. We would also install an aquaponics tank – with the aquatic component growing and sustaining seafood and the hydroponic component producing plants without the need for soil. These systems are symbiotic, where plants are fertilised with waste from the aquatic animals and the plants provide enhanced water quality with reduced algae growth. The aquaponics system would also add a further sensory experience for customers to enjoy and see where components of their meal are coming from."

Not only was Jessica inspired by Resene's extensive range of earthy tones, the company's commitment to sustainability was influential in her decision to specify Resene paints in her design. "If my design were to be built, I know that the highly-durable options provided by Resene would provide a long-lasting finish – reducing the frequency for maintenance and thus further reducing unnecessary waste."

Since graduating, Jessica has relocated to the west coast of Australia where she works as a freelance interior designer and stylist. "After working with incredible stylists such as Megan Morton and Madeline McFarlane, I realised there was a potential gap in the market for me to bring something truly different to the world of interior styling in Western Australia. I'm a lover of beautiful things, both old and new, and little details. I'm an avid collector and treasure hunter so you'll often find me rummaging around at local swap meets and antique shops. With my styling, using local businesses and suppliers is really important to me and there are so many incredibly talented people so close to home. My passion is to encourage and collaborate and to provide another avenue to showcase their work. I also like to bring in weird and wonderful pieces – an eclectic mix of vintage with something shiny – but I aim for a pared-back approach that will showcase the architectural or design details within the space.

Moving forward, Jessica says that she would like her project work to span as many different sectors as possible. "Over the past year, my focus has really changed," she explains. "Most of my work will probably be residential, but because of who I work with, it can definitely expand to include other project typologies. I love to work on interiors projects where there is an opportunity to collaborate with like-minded people. When everyone brings their strengths and individual expertise to the table, the process becomes both enjoyable and productive. It's so fun collaborating and having fun is a very important thing to get out of your work."

Now that her work and passions align, Jessica says she feels like every new project she works on is a dream come true. "It's remarkable how fulfilling it is to pursue and immerse yourself in your true calling. The sense of fulfilment and joy I experience in my work is truly uplifting. My passion is my work. It's more than just a job title for me – it's kind of my adventure. For me, curating stunning spaces isn't just work, it's where my heart finds its rhythm."

Jessica's favourite colours

Since completing this project, Jessica says she continues to be inspired by similarly rich earth tones. "I'm still obsessed with brown and I'm currently doing up a studio bathroom in Resene Mission Brown – ceiling and all. I have a real pet peeve about rooms that are designed using a palette of deep colours and then the ceiling is left white. It you're going dark, I believe you've got to do it all. Be brave and play on the dark side."

Another favourite hue Jessica has discovered is Resene Seaweed, which she also loves for its earthiness. "I've always been interested in taking inspiration for my colour palettes favourite colours from nature. That interest grew while I was in rural Western Australia. Just before I began my studies in Sydney, I became a bird watcher. The colour palettes within their features, eyes, beaks and feet are what we see on the surface but each and every one is very different. Catch one in the light and it will reveal another palette you didn't realise was there," she says.

"Resene's vast colour range allows me to find the perfect hue for any project while their high-quality products ensure durability and sustainability. The availability of the colour tools and digital resources streamlines the design process, and tools such as Resene ColourMatch Online and the Resene Colour Palette Generator empower me to experiment with different colour combinations, visualise my concepts and simplify the decision-making process. As a family-owned business, Resene's values also align with me – fostering a sense of trust and partnership."

› To see more of Jessica's work, visit her website at www.jessicaalicedesign.com.

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BlackWhite magazine

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