I stumbled upon a vacation-rental remodel through a friend who recently bought a vacation home in Mexico, and I jumped at the chance to help him remodel it for the rental market. I knew him pretty well, and wanted a strong concept that would photograph well. I also wanted to create a design experience for the people who were going to be vacationing there.

Photos by Elle Decor - Please read more about this project at House Tour: A Miami Penthouse

 The two-floor apartment, with stunning views of the old town and ocean, had been slightly remodeled mainly by replacing the original clay tiles with polished white ceramic tiles. The new owner wasn’t thrilled, but I saw it as the perfect opportunity to mix modern and traditional Mexican furnishings to create a contemporary design. I had recently seen a project that Jean-Louis Denoit designed in Elle Decor (inspiration photos in this blog) and wanted to play off of that inspiration for this project.

Our major concept is Duality implemented by using:

·      Monochromatic color palette of white and royal blue (we have since introduced purple into the bedroom. Sometimes you have to work with what you can find at the market, but it was a happy accident 100%)

·      A mixture of found and purchased traditional Mexican furniture and contemporary designs (we are even high gloss painting some of the original furniture)

·      Organic and geometrical shapes (in furniture, plants, and terrace design)

We also wanted to create a signature brand that is both completely livable and artistically inspiring. Follow us along as we go through the design process of concept, furniture plan, Guadalajara furniture shopping, and more as we venture further in the world of Mexican design. This process has changed me in many ways. I’m not a huge crier, but I’ve cried of joy, of friendship, and of complete frustration on every recent trip to Mexico. Guadalajara was rough to say the least. Luckily, I’m not one easily deterred by a challenge or emotions. There will be tears, but I’m always up for the challenge.