Sara Little Turnbull, an innovative product designer who found inspiration for her work in geisha styles, a Kenyan game park, an American prison and other unlikely places, died on Friday at her home in Seattle. She was 97.

Her death was confirmed by Leta Medina, the director of marketing at the Summit at First Hill, the senior living residence where Ms. Little, as she was known professionally, lived.

Sara Little liked to say that she never invented anything, only made improvements. She traveled the world for design concepts, finding many in nature and human customs, and used them in furniture, storage systems, toys, foods, packaging, fabrics and countless other products.

Operating at a nexus of design, culture and commerce (“applied cultural anthropology,” she called it), she studied geishas and persuaded a cosmetics maker to promote matte makeup. She saw a cheetah grip its prey and got an idea for a pot lid handle whose shape and grip minimized slips and burns. She created rope-twist soybean candy to get children to eat more protein. And for a more pick-resistant lock, she talked to burglars in prison.