Mexican cocinas (kitchens) beckon with their colors, simmering aromas, humming activity and cherished implements that exude time-honored traditions. One of the most captivating and busy rooms in the Mexican home, the cocina is rich with traditional design elements–a bright array of ceramic tile, handcrafted furniture, and local crafts. Each Mexican kitchen, especially those in old colonial homes […]
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Sun-drenched colors of burnt ochre and red ignite massive walls and bring stone-chinked surface patterns to life. Antique wooden doors punctuated with hand-forged iron clavos open to reveal cool, tiled salas with lofty, wood-beamed ceilings and rustic colonial furniture. Brightly-tiled kitchens beckon with well-worn tables, glazed ceramics and utilitarian objects in stone, wood and copper. […]
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In the late ’90s we became captivated by the richness of the Yucatan region’s hacienda architecture and the history of its multilayered civilizations. Trailing through myriad Maya villages and down overgrown dirt paths, we encountered many hacienda revivals in full force, as well as dormant treasures untouched by modern hands. While researching our second design […]
Continue ReadingIn their sixth book, authors/designers Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr travel through Mexico and the Southwest in celebration of the character-rich details of Mexican furniture, architectural elements and hand-crafted accents that resonate beauty and ingenuity. From chip-carved benches and hand-hewn tortilla tables to painted trunks and carved-stone moldings, the soulful nature of Mexican design […]
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Once Upon A Time . . . – The Historical Overview Part 1 The influence of Mexican design on Christian work has been the subject of much controversy. Bernard Bevan in the “History of Spanish Architecture” claimed that the influence of Mexican designs was practically negligible in Mexico and whatever seemed that way was due […]
Continue ReadingOther than a great view of the lake or mountains, there is nothing that takes a new homebuyer’s breath away like the interior of a brick dome. Traditional Mexican residential architecture is variable in style however, in the colonial range, a brick dome or cupola can be very attractive. And a maintenance problem. The use […]
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While perfect storms have been ravaging parts of America north of the Mexican border, Mexico itself — and especially Mexico City — is currently enjoying idyllic weather, a veritable Indian summer ahead of the approaching winter. For visitors to the capital, particularly the Centro Histórico, it is a delightful time to make the most of […]
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From the book “CASA MEXICANA” ©1989 Tim Street-Porter, published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York. Reproduced by special permission of the publisher and author. The haciendas were the landed estates of Mexico, some with territories as big as Belgium. For visitors to Mexico, they conjure up surreal images of ruined palaces; still possessing a faded […]
Continue ReadingTraditionally, the water pressure in your Mexican home would be supplied by a tank of water up on the roof of your home that is called a tinaco in Spanish. Water draining from the tank flows under the force of gravity to the various water fixtures inside the home. This traditionally open water system provides a constant […]
Continue ReadingFive places in Mexico are on the list of the world’s 100 most endangered heritage sites. “The World Monuments Fund (WMF) is the foremost private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of endangered architectural and cultural sites around the world. Since 1965, WMF has worked tirelessly to stem the loss of historic structures at more […]
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