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How to decorate your home with the colours of Mexico
Mexico’s celebrated architecture and unique contemporary design scene is an endless source of decorating inspiration
Mexico is the place on many design fans’ lips this year. Milanese gallery Nilufar debuted its cutting-edge pieces in a pop-up in Mexico City while, reciprocally, perhaps, Mexican designers were never far from the spotlight during Milan design week back in April – see Ramses Viazcan’s chairs at SaloneSatellite or Unno Gallery’s celebration of Latin American talent.
For this palette, we are taking our cue from this new Mexican mood and offering a modern take on the country’s tropical colours and rich textures. It’s a palette that is perhaps best expressed by photographer Brad Walls picture of the swimming pool at Hotel Panamera in Tulum, by architecture firm Nopal Studio, featured in his book Pools From Above (see below) – from the terracotta tiles to the deep-blue water and surrounding greenery, it has us dreaming of an escape. These accessories, fabrics, wallpapers and furniture pieces will help you bring that vibe home…
‘Sol Brick’ raffia placemats, La Double J
Mexican craft puts raffia (which is commonly found in countries with hot climates) front and centre, and the textural material looks great on home accessories. La Double J’s ‘Sol Brick’ placemats, which are handwoven from natural Iraca Palm plant raffia fibres are a case in point. £190 for two, ladoublej.com
‘Tide Pools Drop Stitch’ outdoor rug, Perennials
If you can’t have a pool in your garden, arguably the next best thing is a pool-inspired rug underfoot. Perennial’s outdoor offering ‘Tide Pools Drop Stitch’ mimics ripples of water and comes in an array of soothing blue tones. £403, perennialsfabrics.com
‘Corniche’ outdoor fabric, Zinc
In the market for a new upholstery fabric for your outdoor furniture? Zinc’s bouclé is available in this rather escapist contemporary teal shade, ideal for upholstering garden sofas and cushions. £95 per m, zinctextile.com
‘Oasis’ cushion, Elitis
Widely regarded as the king of the jungle when it comes to luxurious prints, French brand Elitis’s tropical cushion cover delivers all the punch and vivacity we’ve come to expect from the brand. A riot of colours and lines, it will enliven any sofa while the velvet material adds textural interest. £186, elitis.fr
Bath towel, House of Nunu
Bring poolside chic to your bathroom with Australian brand House of Nunu’s 100 per cent cotton olive green and cream checked bath towels. Pair with minimalist cream bathroom accessories for maximum impact. £57, houseofnunu.com.au
Linen ticking in ‘Matcha Sorbet’, Rose Uniacke
British interior designer Rose Uniacke has given traditional French ticking stripe a contemporary update by using heavy linen in place of cotton and a fresh matcha green dye that looks good enough to eat. £173 per m, roseuniacke.com
‘Panama Bold’ outdoor seating, Baxter
Though it’s made from a Chilean plywood base, this modular outdoor seating set embodies modern Mexican style thanks to its rust-coloured leather stitching and contrasting marine blue fabric, the creative genius of Paola Navone. Approx £3879, baxter.it
‘Polynesie’ wallcovering, Lelièvre
Not one to shy away from bold tropical prints (Jean Paul Gaultier has a perfume inspired by tropical gardens), the designer has imbued this wallcovering with an intense leafy pattern. The perfect choice, perhaps, to bring a little greenery to a downstairs powder room. £443.30 per roll, lelievreparis.com
‘Pools from Above’ book, Brad Walls
This hardback is not only a great companion for your coffee table, it’s the book that sparked our obsession with this decorating trend as it includes Walls’s overhead photograph of the swimming pool at Hotel Panamera in Tulum. You’ll immediately recognise the striking red-and-white checkerboard floor, palm trees and aqua blue water. £28, blackwells.co.uk
‘Lud’o’ side table, Cappellini
Riding the wave of success that came with Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola’s ‘Lud’o Lounge’ armchair for Cappellini, the designer has developed a matching side table. It features a conical metal base and round lacquered top that can be customised in multiple colours. To nail the Mexican look, we’d suggest this spicy red combined and soft lilac option. £1,230, cappellini.com
‘Karin’s Portiere’ fabric, Cathy Nordström
Nordstöm’s print is a nod to the swimming pool aesthetic found in Hotel Panamera. Painterly ribbons of dark green, light and marine blue flow across the fabric, which the designer says is inspired by organic shapes found in a running stream. £146, per m, cathynordstrom.com
‘Boboli’ outdoor armchair, Molteni & C
Warm woods and rich browns are a classic pairing often found in Mexican interiors and Vincent Van Duysen’s outdoor armchair champions both. Plus, it earns extra points for the woven taupe sides. £2,639, chaplins.co.uk
‘Teresa’ portable lamp, Kartell
Released earlier this year, this lamp by Ferruccio Laviani emits a warm glow over any surface, creating an inviting atmosphere. Its organic, bulbous silhouette is designed to resemble the unfurling of petal. Approx £384, kartell.com
‘Sciara’ long table, Paola Lenti
The glossy top of this table by Marella Ferrera is made from individual pieces of lava stone, with flecks of glass peppered throughout. Each single piece is made by hand and has varying gradients of verdant green, giving every table a unique character. Approx £6,824, paolalenti.it
‘Zee’ tape in ’Olive’, Schumacher
For similar checks to the ones found on the Hotel Panamera statement tiling, we’d suggest the twill-weaved ‘Zee Tape’ in olive. Its checks are ideal for adding a stylish, textural finishing touch to furniture, pillows or window treatments. £48 per m, fschumacher.co.uk
‘Hanway’ garden parasol, Oka
This large, shady parasol takes its name from Jonas Hanway, the first man to popularise umbrellas in England – which actually used to be called Hanways. It comes in a warming oatmeal shade that will look sleek in any outdoor space. £525, oka.com
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