Shortly before my nephew’s second birthday, we happened to be traveling in Mexico. These visits to Mexico are often a combination of extreme work and also (if we are lucky) personal time and relaxation. We don't always have the luxury to add some R& R time to our Mexico travel, but that time we did. My brother and sister in law decided to host a "Coco" themed birthday party for their 2 year old. The film had been nominated for an Oscar and everything "Coco" was definitely "in." Since we were in Mexico, they asked us to look for a few things...

  Usually one of the first pieces you see when you open the door to your Mexican condo is the sofa. It tends to be the main anchoring point. And the sofa is also one of the most used pieces of furniture in your home. I mean, not all guests make it to the bedrooms or even the bathrooms, but a lot of people do eventually sit on your sofa. So it follows that your sofa is not just a big decorative statement in your Mexican living room but also an important investment.  It is a big decision and one that requires thoughtful consideration. ...

Is it always relaxing in Mexico? The first time it happened I nearly fell off the bed with the jarring noise coming from outside! Somebody in the small town was driving through the streets early in the morning with a megaphone on top of a small car advertising propane gas. Later the same day someone went by advertising eggs and produce in the same way. This happened over and over as we traveled through Mexico’s small towns. Dogs barking, fireworks exploding, horses galloping, roosters crowing right outside the door. Eventually I began to find ...

As you might imagine, we’ve traveled to Mexico a lot in the last 15 years. Some of our visits to Mexico have been more relaxing than others. The month we spent in San Miguel de Allende was mostly about rest, relaxation and enjoyment of the culture. That was an unforgettable, exciting, beautiful visit. Many other trips to Mexico have been about a jam-packed agenda, many meetings and multiple cities in one trip.  … dealing with lots of traffic, lots of visits to artisan workshops, fabric suppliers, delivery companies. We try to manage to at ...

If you are reading this blog, chances are you have felt the "call" of Mexico. You may plan to travel to Mexico soon, or perhaps expect to be moving there. Perhaps your plan is to establish an investment property in Mexico and you need to furnish it right now. But not for yourself, rather for your tenants.  Some of our clients begin their moving to Mexico process quite early. It is wise to do so. They visit, they decide on a place they love, they purchase a property. This gives them a place to vacation throughout the year. The rest of the t...

  At the turn of a new year, I get excited to find out what the new interior design and furniture trends will be. I'm not sure if it is because by that time most of the USA is parched for color, for the flowers and the birds to return with the spring, or simply because I love perusing the changes, the trends, and what it could mean about our societies. For me, color, design and new style trends are some of the most fun aspects of owning Gringo Furniture. Other than the chance to travel to Mexico, that is, but for obvious reasons that oppo...

  This morning I have been contemplating the many changes we have observed over the past ten years in Mexican style and furniture design. Ten years ago, most of our clients wanted our help to furnish their homes in Mexico using Mexican rustic furniture. I still remember fondly one of our very first clients, a delightful couple with 2 children who had purchased a home in Mexico for 30,000 US. They were planning to vacation there several times a year and rent it the rest of the time. We helped them completely furnish their home at that time...

  One of the joys we find in our Gringo Furniture business is the ability to travel while we work … and to work while we travel. We have had some amazing trips to Mexico throughout the years, including our exciting and beautiful month in San Miguel de Allende last year. Part of the fun of it was getting furniture inspiration, meeting new artisans, enjoying sights, new food and making new friends. It’s probably what you enjoy as well, when you travel to Mexico or decide to buy a home in Mexico. Our business allows us to work hard and ...

It is no longer to soon to be talking about your holiday entertainment plans. With foliage and a change in the light and in air temperature, many of us are thinking about the holidays. And for some, that means traveling to your home or condo in Mexico where you will welcome (some very lucky) guests who will get to enjoy the sunshine, the ocean, the Mexican holiday foods and costumes with you. A holiday season to remember! So now is the time to begin thinking of that additional bed or sofa, those gorgeous regal looking hacienda arm chairs ...

Is it a tree? Is it a table? It’s parota!! A lovely warm Mexican wood starts taking center stage in furniture We have been hearing about parota wood for many years in our Mexican travels. And in fact there exists a kind of “lore” about it. I remember that the first time I heard about parota I was sitting in the gorgeous Mexican living room of a dear friend near Cuernavaca. She told me, "In my beach condo in Puerto Vallarta, the furniture is all parota.” But it’s tough to find artisans who make it because they can end up getting sick unle...