Home on a plate

Nicole Aquillano trained as a civil engineer; now she's a potter and puts images into porcelain with a knife. Here is here "Home" table setting -

She's used the staircase on other items, such as this cleverly shaped serving dish -

Other work features buildings and bridges - very fitting. And a nice twist on that perennial favourite, blue and white.

Seeing this has got me thinking about why we decorate our tableware. Shouldn't the food "hold the stage" rather than compete with patterning?