First snow storm of 2012!  Beautiful -- a little impractical for doing business and getting around, but beautiful. That’s what I told my friend on the phone this morning.  She replied, “Oh, it’s really bright and sunny here.”  Immediately, just hearing that, my day felt warmer.  

Many of our friends and family go to Mexico when Canada and the U.S. begin to get way too cold.  There is so much that brings us to Mexico year after year. So much that calls us, inspires us, make us return to Mexico over and over again. What is it?  Well, as you know, it’s a powerful, compelling combination.

We love Mexico for its people

No question about it, Mexicans are beautiful, kind, hard-working people. They do wonders with gardens, flowers, different kinds of woods – they are lovely artisans, as if it were in their blood. They enjoy life. They like to have fun. They are service-oriented. And that’s just the start.

We love Mexico for its restaurants

Such a huge variety!  From tiny delicious mom and pop establishments to ultra chic, sophisticated ones, so many delightful options. Chicago Master Chef Rick Bayless made us a fan of Mexican restaurants and cuisine and we’ve never recovered. And of course, those margaritas, mojitos and micheladas are the perfect accompaniment to the deliciously aromatic, often spicy, and always soul-warming food!

We love Mexico for its markets

Markets are the perfect places to get to know a town and its people. If you want to learn the cadence, the rhythm of a Mexican town, get up early in the morning and go to the market. Get fresh flowers from the little old lady so particular about displaying them in just the right way. Sit at the breakfast bar and order tortillas, huevos and café de olla (coffee with sugar, cinnamon and spices). Browse, practice your Spanish. Get some bright pillow covers for your sofas, perhaps a hammock for your outdoor patio, maybe a few bright pieces of ceramics for your dining room table.

We love Mexican haciendas

Haciendas are old, grand Mexican homes with utmost panache. They take you back in time, they make you appreciate that exquisite details, furniture, antique wood and arches are always in fashion, are always timeless, are always welcome and always grounding. No wonder these residences have inspired an entire style of decoration for homes and furniture in Mexico and elsewhere. Think Tuscan furniture with a tropical twist. If you have a chance to visit Mexico haciendas, go for it. You’ll find inspiration for your life, your home and your gardens.

We love Mexican arts and crafts

For us this goes without saying. From the amazing beadwork and yarn paintings of the Huichol Indians, to the artistry in sugar we see on display for Day of the Dead, to the paper cutouts that decorate all of Tepoztlan during special occasions, to the exquisite pieces of furniture all over the country: rustic furniture, contemporary furniture,  equipale  living rooms, gigantic antique reclaimed doors and wall untis … we never cease to be amazed.

We love Mexico for great deals

Men can still get a haircut in Mexico for 5 dollars. I bought a lovely bunch of flowers at the market for $3. A multi-course breakfast cost me $7. Enough said.

Have we forgotten something you love about Mexico?  If so, please email us and let us know!

Happy New Year!  Yes, 2012 has now officially arrived.  With it comes a desire to make a difference, change something, keep it real, perhaps enjoy life more fully.  As a “central operations hub” and foundation to our lives, our home is essential in supporting all our endeavors: personal, social, relational, spiritual. Home/hearth is a huge key to our wellbeing. Here, with our best New Year wishes, are 3 ideas to ready your home so it can support you, your health, your work and your dreams during this amazing year.

As the year begins, have lucky foods available in your Mexican kitchen

If you are in your Mexico home in January, you may want to entertain your guests with some traditional New Year foods. It’s customary to bake a sweet bread or rosca with a surprise in it.  The person who finds the surprise will be especially lucky in the New Year. People also like to eat 12 grapes to ensure luck in the 12 months of the year. I especially like having citrus fruits (limes, lemons, tangerines and kumquats) in the home this time of year -- I like the way they look and they are quite perfect to decorate mantels, sofa tables, dining rooms. Plus, Asian cultures consider them lucky and able to help bring in prosperity into the home and family.

Clean, de-clutter, and freshen up your Mexican home with paint, accessories, color

Nature abhors a vacuum. If your home is full, cluttered and dusty, it will be more difficult for new things to enter into it and into your life. Start the New Year creating space for the new in your surroundings. Go through your bed linens, clothing, kitchen utensils, souvenirs, decorative items and discard or donate anything you no longer use, is too old or no longer makes your heart sing. Once you clean and de-clutter, freshen up with paint, colorful pillows, or add that special piece of furniture or accessory you’ve been wanting.

Pay special attention to the mirrors in your Mexican home

Mirrors are wonderful. They are very interesting pieces in terms of decoration and home energetics. We all know the advantage of a well-placed mirror in enlarging a room and bringing in light. In the New Year, you want to make sure that your mirrors are clean, polished and clear. You also want to ensure that whatever gets reflected on the mirror – the beautiful Mexican talavera on the dining room table, or the wrought iron chandelier, or the vase of flowers … is in perfect working condition and looks great. The mirror will energize, augment and bring more of … whatever it is reflecting.  Isn’t a mirror, just like a new year, a blank canvas, a fresh start …  a fabulous opportunity? 

We look forward to hearing from you and to helping you furnish your nourishing Mexico home!

If you are visiting our site, chances are you are aware of the special warmth, texture and cozy allure of Mexican furniture.  When it comes to bedroom design, the same characteristics that make us love Mexican furniture can also help us build gorgeous bedrooms to nourish our bodies, our minds and our spirit.

Mexican bedroom furniture as an afterthought

Usually, when deciding what furniture to purchase for their homes or rental property in Mexico, customers give most attention to the common areas -- the areas of the home that visitors will see and share.  While this is of course very important, I would venture to say that this is not the right order of priority. Not for the budget, not for decorating your home in Mexico, not for your potential renters, and especially not for you!

Why the bedroom is key in your Mexican property

Let’s face it: the bedroom is your oasis. It is the place where you recharge, replenish, re-connect with yourself and your significant other. Goodness, it’s the place in which you dream! Many of us tend to place everyone else’s needs ahead of our own. It takes work for some of us to remember that we need to take care of ourselves first so we can truly be there for others. Instead of allocating a large part of the budget and our decision–making process to the living room and outdoor furniture (no, there’s nothing wrong with that), we must first take care of the bedroom. We must take care of ourselves. 

In Mexico, a beautifully furnished bedroom will bring renters

I’ll make it even more practical:   Your renters will be impressed by the façade and entrance to your Mexican home. They will be drawn by the living room and the opportunities to entertain in Mexico. But they will often choose to rent your Mexican property time and again if the bedroom makes them feel comfortable, at ease and allows them to replenish, sleep great and feel rested in the morning. We all know how everything suddenly seems s possible after a good night’s sleep.

So, when considering your furniture priorities for your Mexican condo or home, let’s hear it for the bedroom!

I just recently returned from a trip to Mexico. I know there’s ample coverage in the media regarding safety and difficulties for travelers in Mexico. I am happy to report I experienced nothing of the sort. The people in Mexico are friendly as ever, the food is as delicious as ever and the warmth of the country moved my heart just like every other time if not more. Having said that, I am not going to make a blanket statement regarding safety because things can and do happen.  The key is in being aware, not taking chances, and exercising common sense.

Can U.S. and Canada travelers drive safely to Mexico?

Two or three years ago, you could drive an SUV or camper into Mexico and take with you mattresses, bed sheets, furniture, appliances to furnish your Mexican home.  This is no longer such a smart or viable option.  More and more of our customers now opt for flying rather than driving into Mexico.  Some have driven with no incident, but why deal with the worry and the stress and the uncertainty?  And, just for the record … other customers have had incidents when they’ve driven SUVs, cars and RVs to and from Mexico. Sad, but true.

We can help you navigate the many details of your move to Mexico

Our years of experience, our time in Mexico and our network of contacts help us help you as you consider these decisions. We can offer suggestions regarding which items (for example fine linens and bedding) it’s best for you to bring  in your luggage because they are difficult to find. We can suggest possible places for you to obtain appliances, electronics, housewares.  With some basic guidelines, you can pretty much find everything you need in Mexico. Call or email us -- we are happy to share our knowledge and experience with you.

Is it safe to ship furniture in Mexico?

Well, yes and no. It depends on trust, track record and professionalism.  You have to be very discerning.  People will tell you “yes, yes” but you’d be surprised what “delivering furniture” means to different people. To some, it means they drive it to the place and leave it … you must arrange to get it from the truck into your Mexican property.  To others, it means getting it there, uninsured, poorly packed, whenever they get there. It is extremely important to work with proven, reputable shippers – not just someone who happens to know someone with a truck and can do it cheaply. That is a recipe for disaster!  When customers order their Mexican furniture from us, they know we are committed to getting the furniture to their home in Mexico safely, efficiently.  We work with strong shipping companies and contacts who’ve proven to be professional, thorough, ethical and fair.  Cultivating and growing these relationships is a priority for us so that we can take the fear out of the equation for you … and meet our promise of quality, price and delivery.

Great summer reading in Mexico or elsewhere

While recently on retreat at Wisdom House, I found and began re-reading a little gem of a book, "Gift from the Sea." In it, Anne Morrow Lindbergh shares her experiences during 2 weeks at a beach cottage. The book captures her musings, prompted by shells found at the shore. For me, the book was just what the doctor ordered. Perfect summer reading. Perfect reminder of the importance of having a room of one's own. Perfect reminder of the wisdom found in Nature. Perfect reminder of why I love Cottage style furniture so much, and all it evokes in my heart.

How a beach cottage, be it in Mexico or in your own backyard, helps you simplify

"Gift from the Sea" reminds me of the sweet allure of having a room of one's own. The author gets to her rental cottage and rolls up the area rugs so she can clean the sand more easily from the wood floors. She brings driftwood and seashells from the ocean to help complement the beach cottage furniture ... and she proceeds to thoroughly bask in the joy of simplification.  As she contemplates various shells, the shells bring her lessons of life. The book makes me appreciate not just the easy beauty of a beach cottage, but also the joy in creating space to ponder, write, paint, recharge. A simple, easy place without distractions. I realize that a beach cottage, whether iit is in Mexico or an extension of your own home, can be a sacred place to a woman -- a reminder of her dreams, visions, hopes, wishes. A place she can decorate with the colors, designs, furniture, mementos that uplift and make her feel happy, joyful, inspired. Truly a room of her own.

Why choose Mexico for your beach cottage

In Mexico, many of our clients do find their rooms of their own.  Some of them have found truly amazing deals. When they call us to order their Mexican artisan furniture, they share their stories and we love hearing them. One of our sweetest clients found a small home in Chemuyil, near Cancun, for 30,000 usd! Seems crazy but it is true. They chose some great, simple rustic furniture pieces, and now they travel to Mexico with their children several times a year for some very special, memorable family time and some fun in beautiful, colorful Mexico.

There is something unique about Mexico that invites a slower pace, relaxation and even contemplation. The days while away more easily. The people are warm and friendly. The gardens, colors, all of Nature seems more vibrant there. We think those who move to Mexico in search of the rest and relaxation answer ... and in search of their rooms of their own ... are certainly on to something.