Create an ideabook for your next remodeling project!
Browse more than 1,500,000 photos from top designers and save your favorites
Mexican Design to Inspire a Home Anywhere
Brimming with courtyards, churches and creativity, the Yucatan Peninsula is a fountain of ideas for design lovers
I am a freelance editorial and wedding photographer and Houzz contributor based out of Hershey, PA. Come visit me at 'A Nest for All Seasons' where I write about design, photography and modern garden living!
I am a freelance editorial and wedding photographer and Houzz contributor... More »
From the city lights of Cancun to the small-town charm of Valladolid and a host of tiny villages in between, the art and design of Mexico inspire me. From colonial towns to ancient Mayan ruins, Mexico is bursting with fascinating designs. This fall I will be headed back to Mexico to drink in more architecture and all the fruity beverages I can manage. But for now, join me in a quick tour through a few of my favorite sites in and around the Yucatan Peninsula — and check out the ideas we can take home from them.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Churches and Monasteries
The churches and monasteries throughout Mexico all have intriguing designs. Bright white against a deeper cream or ivory accents the architecture.
The churches and monasteries throughout Mexico all have intriguing designs. Bright white against a deeper cream or ivory accents the architecture.
| Bring it home: Try this effect in reverse with white trim over a deeper ivory background. Notice how your eye is immediately drawn to this beautiful arched ceiling. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Exterior Landscaping This gorgeous church stands across the square from those awesome street seats and is the focus of the entire town. I love the symmetrical palm trees and short wall that accent the design of the church. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Bring it home: Try palms in large pots for the same symmetrical framing effect. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Street Seating Locked at the elbow, these sweet seats provide the perfect conversation area for two, turning people toward each other instead of seating them side by side. |
| Bring it home: Think about how furniture functions for your family. Consider creating more intimate seating arrangements, with guests turned toward each other to encourage conversation. |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Shops
Instead of city blocks coming to a point, some shop owners shave off the corner of the block so that their front entrance faces the street. The business is immediately visible and inviting to passersby.
Instead of city blocks coming to a point, some shop owners shave off the corner of the block so that their front entrance faces the street. The business is immediately visible and inviting to passersby.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Bring it home: Would angling a corner of your home to the street make it more inviting?
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
What struck me as I walked through the streets on a previous trip were the doors that individualized each home or shop. When closed for midday siestas, the doors told their own story of the spaces behind them. Wooden and metal, from bright orange to deep red, each door was unique and intriguing.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Bring it home: Does your home say something about you at first glance, or does it look exactly like your neighbors' homes? Maybe a brilliant royal blue door is the way to say, "Hello, world!"
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Open Walkways
Throughout Mexico open-air living is the norm. Walkways are created under balconies, and hammocks are hung between the pillars for midday naps. Could there be anything more relaxing?
Throughout Mexico open-air living is the norm. Walkways are created under balconies, and hammocks are hung between the pillars for midday naps. Could there be anything more relaxing?
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Bring it home: You may have spaces around the house not living up to their full potential. Are you missing an opportunity for a relaxing hammock? Are you letting in the fresh air? Would that tiny bit of concrete be the perfect space for a small outdoor seating area?
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Open Courtyards From inside many Mexican homes, hotels and monasteries, you can get a glimpse of the sky. Open courtyards are typical in Mexican design, from the smallest houses to the most opulent fortresses. The open yet protected feeling is priceless, and I am still looking for a good way to integrate this feel into my home. |
| Bring it home: How could you open up skyward views and bring in the clouds? Even a small courtyard or an open shaft can add significant light to your space. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Inventive Gardens Even when Mexican homeowners don't have much space, they often customize their spaces to reflect their interests. This simple concrete wall has become a celebration of life, full to bursting with a large variety of plants and pots attached. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Bring it home: Perhaps you too have a plain, blank space that could be filled with living things. A literal wall of plants is now simpler than you might think. Check out these hanging wall planters designed for indoor and outdoor use. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Embellished Surfaces Another Mexican homeowner added a personal touch to a basic concrete square using shells from the beach around the corner. |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Bring it home: Does your home have a little piece of your creativity wherever you look? Does it reflect to your individuality and locale?
In the mountains of Wyoming, Rapid Canyon Ranch designer Becky Pickrel used locally sourced fish fossils in her shower stall. "Swimming" in layers of earth, the fossils pay homage to the Wyoming setting.
In the mountains of Wyoming, Rapid Canyon Ranch designer Becky Pickrel used locally sourced fish fossils in her shower stall. "Swimming" in layers of earth, the fossils pay homage to the Wyoming setting.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| From the arches, balconies and courtyards to the colors that abound in every shade, Mexico is certainly a melting pot of inspired design and individual creativity. It is eye opening to become immersed in another country, and one can't help but come home with new ideas and a fresh vision. I simply cannot wait to visit this country to be inspired all over again. |
Ideabook published on Oct. 20, 2012.
What are you working on?
News From Our Partners
Latest Ideabooks
People found the photos in this ideabook after searching for:
View over a million photos:
sanmarc - thanks for that -- I tried to find examples that were quite distinct from Mexican spaces to show the crossover. I appreciate you catching it!
Yoli -- I too adore the open courtyard. Your grandparent's home sounds heavenly, especially during a rain :)
I can only emphasize the appreciation for courtyards. We do have one and it is absolutely priceless. Unlike most of the other ideas, you can't just "bring one home", but you can create a private outdoor area, a sanctuary where nobody can see you, in almost any setting.