“Next time you come home, do you want to take some [gelatin] molds with you?” my mother asked me over the phone. She entertained a lot during the 1970s and 1980s when elaborate gelatin molds created “salads” that were all the rage. I’ve always wanted to try and recreate a delicious one I had in the 1980s that was red and tasted like the soda, Tahitian Treat. But that was until I realized exactly how many molds my mother owns. I thought, “What am I going to do with all of these?” I found the answer while interviewing
Jan Johnson for this month’s semi-annual homes issue. With the help of interior designer Jen Cirone, Johnson found creative ways to blend her love of antiques with modern design. Take, for example, what Johnson did with her doughnut-shaped mold—she filled it with mini succulent plants and placed it in the middle of her patio table to create an elegant centerpiece that allows an umbrella to go through it. It’s a beautiful and unexpected
decor element. Now my mom wants her gelatin mold back. (Which
