How to add the special sauce at home

Why the fifth taste is the magical way to think about the often missing ingredient in every stylish home

Cooking analogies can be useful when it comes to interiors. They are commonly understood and can provide a way to understand the intricacies of layering that make for a great space. I may talk about friction, mix and mismatching, or that element of spice that elevates a space. But can you picture what I mean? I’m going to explain…

Photo by María Fernanda Morales on Unsplash

Instead, let’s consider the four main taste sensations: sweet, salty, bitter and sour. If we applied these to a room, then perhaps the bitter is a dark 100% cacao brown wooden flooring with a salty sweet sofa set-up, all sharp velvet upholstery with an array of personalised cushions (think monogrammed, tasselled, fringed and patchwork = sweet). Then sour? That will be your contrast hue, the sharp hit of which brings out the colours and flavour of your more muted backdrop.

So what’s missing? That final sprinkle of fairy dust. The missing ingredient that truly personalises. The savoury sauce — umami.