A new Mexican restaurant in Guadalajara is making waves for its highly unusual interior. The concept restaurant is named ‘Hueso’ (Spanish for ‘bone’), and true to its name, it uses animal bones as the mainstay of its decor.

Mexican architect Ignacio Cadena is the brains behind the beautiful yet haunting design that plays with the sculptural elements of deconstructed skeletons. The exterior or ‘skin’ of the renovated 1940s building is made up of handmade ceramic tiles with zigzag patterns that resemble stitches and sewing patterns.

Inside, thousands of bones adorn the walls, some real and some cast aluminum replicas. “Influenced by a Darwinian vision, the inside skin covers almost every vertical square inch of the interior with over 10,000 collected bones,” Cadena explained.

You can find whitewashed mandibles, vertebrae, skulls and more on view in display cases, lined upon shelves, and stacked inside nooks. They match perfectly with the white kitchen utensils put on display, reminding diners of the fact that bones were once used as forks and spoons by humans. A single bone hangs over the entryway, as a hint to what lies within.

Although a skeleton-based decor sounds macabre, Hueso’s interior is surprisingly classy and refreshing. Its pleasing aesthetics and off-white color palette, combined with the reclaimed wood seating area and exposed kitchen, provide a welcoming space that encourages patrons to dine at ease.

I’m not sure vegetarians or animals activists would feel comfortable eating at Hueso, even if it’s just a salad.

Photos © Jaime Navarro

via Designboom