This Mexican election had people mobilized and hopeful like no other. Change was in the air, and it seemed palpable. Social media was abuzz with posts and communications. People just seemed to be more engaged than ever before. For certain it is an interesting time in the history of Mexico and for those of us who travel often to Mexico or have homes or vacationing properties there, Mexican elections are extremely relevant. Earlier in the week, Mexican expats living in the United States were quoted on interviews saying they thought v...

If you love Mexico like we do, no doubt you have your favorite stories, memories and experiences of Mexican beaches. Mexico has so very much to offer: great food, wonderful people, beautiful furniture, amazing history and so many ancestral traditions from which we can learn and be nourished by. Still, many of us think of beaches when we think of Mexico. One of my favorite memories is of a pink small hotel in Mazanillo, right on the ocean, where they used to give you old skeleton keys with which to access your hotel rooms. I remember an early mo...

GOOOOAAAAALLLLLLL!!! Congrats to the Mexican National Team for upsetting Germany in Game 1 of the 2018 World Cup. Said coach Osorio, "We were brave, and defended with our hearts." It would have been great to have the US and Canada in the mix. But short of that, it is great to see the underdog team in green play a beautiful, passionate game and come away with the win. Well done Mexico!  

Our Cancun Coastal furniture line pays homage to the town that brought tourism to all of Mexico Would you believe it? In the Maya language, the word Cancun means “nest of snakes.” Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that prior to 1970, when the area began to be developed for tourism, Cancun had only 3 official residents. You’d never know it when you visit this bustling part of Mexico today.  Beginning in 1970, the Mexican government actually funded the first 9 hotels in Cancun, in an effort to bring tourism to Mexico. Sa...

Sometimes you hear the name of a place and it stays with you, almost in a haunting, persistent way. For me, one of those places is Akumal, Mexico. I have a sense of Akumal as a haven for American and Canadian expats, particularly those of a kindred persuasion to nature, conservation and ecology. It doesn’t surprise me because the name “Akumal” means “place of turtles” in ancient Mayan. These namesake turtle are actually green sea turtles and their populations thrive in the gorgeous waters of this area. Our Gringo Furniture artisans have made b...

Mexican Furniture Made With Pine Pine (Pinus spp.), or Pino in Spanish, is one of the world’s most commercially important trees. Pine species are native to almost all of the Northern Hemisphere, and have been introduced to temperate and subtropical regions around the world. Mexico boasts several native species of pine tree, including the Mexican White Pine, the Michoacan Pine, and the Montezuma Pine. All members of the pine family are fast-growing softwood trees. Because the trees are typically grown on plantations, they are also a sustainable...

  This morning, thanks to our friends at Yucatan Living, I was delighted to find out about a lovely Harper's Bazaar article featuring Merida. How exciting! I knew right away I had to share it with our Gringo Furniture contacts. I will always remember the first time we visited Merida and what a sweet impression it made on us. In a sense it is one of those places that is out of time ... yes, there is a certain and very charming timelessness to Merida. We have told you about this gorgeous city on previous posts. It is a friendly city with ...

In the spirit of a new year, we are offering, for a very limited time, 2 Hacienda Tuscan collection pieces for delivery in the US. Let’s call it a New Year experiment. If your response is – as we hope – big and beautiful, we’ll make it a point to occasionally bring some of these gorgeous pieces into the US and offer them to you. The New Year is a great opportunity to spruce up, de-clutter, and make space for new people, experiences … and of course … furniture J to come into your life. As you de-clutter and create space,  consider upda...

When I found this on my email Inbox, I thought it too perfect to be true. Come on! A song about Mexican furniture? Live from a Canadian Farmer's Market? But it is true, and it is beautiful to see this duo, loving their music, belting their original tune and sharing it live, along with the wonderful rapport they have with each other. So, here it is, no lie, a funny and sweet song about Mexican furniture. Enjoy!  

It is easy to get carried away romanticizing the idea of the Mexican furniture artisan.  It is a powerful image to conjure the picture of the craftsman who has apprenticed under his elders, having learning to use the old-world tools and techniques. Now as a journeyman schooled in the authentic rustic, hacienda and other Mexico furniture traditions, the works have great utility, but also please the eye as artisanal works of art.   The truth of the matter? The truth of the matter is that there a lot of truth to this image for many o...