No chef in the world can season a dish to everyone’s taste. That’s why every restaurant has salt and pepper shakers on the tables. If they are arranged in a group with oil and vinegar containers, they form a condiment set. Mellow is a very contemporary version of just such a set consisting of four containers for salt, pepper, oil and vinegar. On first impression, they are inviting to handle, looking as they do like attractive ceramic objects waiting on the table to be used. This first impression is quite correct, because they fit comfortably in the user’s hand like palm stones. Their surface is soft to the touch and the centre of gravity is in just the right place.

The Mellow set has a natural look and their moss or lichen-like colouring gives them an organic character. The containers innovative lid leads the way for another sensory experience. A small wooden ellipse at the top end discreetly indicates the condiment opening. A magnet, built into the base, automatically opens the lid when the container is lifted. The resulting opening is just the right size for precisely the amount of seasoning required. The lid shuts the moment that the Mellow container is put down again, thus avoiding any spillage and keeping the contents dry and fresh for a long period of time.

designer: bewater studio
producer: bewater studio
period: 2011
design award: red dot 2012