Architecture Wednesday: Casa Karina

Casa Karina is a luxury home in San Miguel de Allende—one of the places in which I would love to retire—which perfectly blends contemporary design with eye-catching rustic elements. The attention to detail is second to none and the home features both indoor and outdoor living areas which are mindfully designed to complement your mood.

One enters Casa Karina through a commanding 19th-Century River Teak door which was imported from Rajasthan, India And are immediately welcomed by a handmade hammock which sits next to a fireplace. The floors and beams are made from recycled hardwood ‘Trojes’ from the state of Michoacán, which is prominent in the blue tones of the kitchen’s ceiling. All of the doors in the home are made from heavy antique mesquite wood, also from Michoacán.

The living room has a double-height ceiling which fills the floor plan with natural light, some of the light streaming through the glass-bottomed rooftop pool. The chef’s kitchen perfectly blends contemporary functionality—a complete range of Viking appliances—and vintage-chic finishes like raw quartzite countertops and a sink sculpted from a large river stone.

The ground floor hosts one of the spacious bedroom suites, which opens up to the main living room area. This bedroom is furnished with a king-sized bed and has a fireplace while the en-suite bath features a double vanity with sinks upscaled from coffee mortars, quartzite counters, and tan river stone flooring. The room is complete with a bathtub and shower.

The second bedroom is located on the upper level and also features a king- sized bed and fireplace along with a cozy reading nook-window seat which captures sight of the Parroquia. The en-suite bathroom is finished with grey shaved stone flooring, a river stone sink, and a large walk-in shower. Also on this floor are a TV room with a custom L-shaped sofa and an office with a desk and a Balinese day bed.

This stylish home—located at the top of a quiet pedestrian street [Callejon] just below San Miguel’s main lookout point—has another great selling point: a rooftop terrace that captures sweeping panoramic sunset views, including sight of the town’s most famous landmark—the Parroquia de San Miguel—and features a heated glass bottom swimming pool, a black marble firepit with wraparound seating, an outdoor kitchen with a Viking barbecue grill, a half bathroom and laundry room.

You could live up there!

Dwell

Architecture Wednesday: Casona 59

Although a home in Merida, Mexico, the renovation reflects the Belle Époque for French art in its balustrades, irregular wall finishes, and arches throughout. The idea of the renovation of Casona59 was to preserve the spirit and memory of the building, restoring the cedar wood doors and windows, removing several layers of paint from the walls revealing old times and colors, and remodeling the bathrooms so that the “new” elements were placed in such a way that they did not touch the original walls of the house to maintain a respect for the old building. While the existing spaces changed their functions, the kitchen was restored in the original space and new areas such as swimming pool, terraces, garage and bathrooms were added.

There are two ensuite bedrooms, the primary with a walk-through closet, as well as a living area, central sitting room, dining room, and kitchen with large pantry. Outside is a covered terrace and a small pool in the central courtyard … a whole design to enjoy the benefits of the sky, the sun, the light, the shadow and the visuals.

And it’s in Merida, one of the most beautiful spots on Earth.

As always, click to emBIGGERate ...

Amazing Architecture

Bobservations

The other night I was cleaning up after dinner and I saw something on the countertop and I politely said to Carlos:

“What in the holy hell is this Jed Clampett, petrified wood  contraption doing on my counter?”

“I was hoping you’d see it.”

“See it, it confirms that we are officially white trash.”

The ‘it’ in question was a whisk that Carlos thought needed a bigger handle so he went into the yard and cut a branch off a tree and turned that into a handle. He then, apparently, used the whisk to stir the Special Roadkill Stew he’d prepared for dinner.

It’s not really much of a struggle for Tuxedo, but he is doing his part and being very patrioti-cat.

It’s kind of shocking that Florida can build a Concentration Camp in the Everglades in four days but can’t help its own citizens in an actual hurricane.

There’s a reason why the “Big Beautiful Bill’s” Medicaid cuts don’t hit until 2027. The GOP planned to blow it up after the Midterms to blame the Democrats whom they are afraid will be taking over Congress.

Don’t forget the truth.

Sometimes, just walking through a meadow in the middle of nowhere you can spot some cakes in the wild.

The other morning after breakfast I was in the bedroom changing into a pair of Causal-Lay-About-The-House-Because-It’s-Sunday-and-I-Want-To-Read shorts … specifically the black ones. I said to Carlos:

“Have you seen my black shorts?”

“I haven’t seen any black shorts in about three years.”

I guffawed.

“Blind humor is funny. But I can’t find my black shorts.”

“Are they in the laund-“

“No.”

“Are they in the hamp-“

“No.”

“Are they in another drawe-“

“No.”

“Are you wearing them already.”

Silence.

“And they call me the blind one.”

Last week y’all weighed in on The Great Kitchen Island Debate going on at Casa Bob y Carlos where Carlos didn’t want his sheet pans stored on the other side of the island from where there are now because he didn’t want to have to walk the 24 inches …

This week I spoke with the cabinet maker and they have faux door panels so we can move the door to Sheet Pan Central to where it’s always been and leave everything else as designed with faux door panels making it all look seamless.

Happy now?

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has sent a group of firefighters and rescue personnel to help search for flood victims in Texas. After all the hate from this regime. After all the racism toward brown people from this regime. After all the anti-immigration policies aimed at brown people. She helped. She did the right thing … for a Red state that would never do the same for her.

That’s leadership and power; that’s a woman.

Julian Morris is a 42-year-old British actor who is married to fellow actor Landon Ross and likes taking off his clothes; but enough about that, Would You Hit It?