Night Views

Arturo sent me some new photos and he seemed fascinated with the night views. I must admit that I love them too! The lighting looks fantastic....

Details I love...Part II

Here are some more of the details that I think really make our house special.
I love the pasta tile floors. I was worried when we went way over budget on them, but now seeing them I agree that it was the right thing to do. I love how the tile looks down the hallway. It really draws your eye forward and makes the hallway look way longer than it really is. An optical illusion!

I also love the wood doors and windows that Roger had made. I haven't yet seen the front doors or the large door to the terrace, but I am sure if they are as well made as the other wood doors and windows they will be stunning!

A design feature that I insisted on and am really happy about is the storage areas of the house. The walk in kitchen pantry is a full 8X10 room of shelves which should keep the kitchen clutter to a minimum. Both bedrooms have a roomy walk in closet and there is a bodega along the hallway for storage of other items. Roger has also utilized an area under the stairwell (and illuminated it) for additional storage.

So here you have it, some of my favorite features of the Merida house. I know I will find other design features that I love in December when I get the chance to spend a good chunk of time there. I still have the casita and pool designs to look forward to! 

Some of the details I love!

I am really looking forward to spending the month of December in Merida at our (to be finished) house! I am sure that I will find many more details that I love (or not) about it. In August I jotted down a few notes of items that I loved. Details that I thought were brilliant or items that were just right. What are your favorites?Here are a few of mine.

Look up! I loved the concrete roof drain covers. I didn't expect them and had not noticed them on other buildings.

The amber light of the onyx sconces is so warm! Every light fixture is handmade and each one is unique.

The faux painting of the beams adds a rustic touch, 

The design of the wrought iron is simple and beautiful. I love the way it adds so much style to the windows, doors and walkways!

To be continued........

Can I talk about bathrooms?

Carlos and I thought long and hard about some of the requests we made to Roger.  Our bathrooms were important to us. Living in a 60's tract home in Missouri, our bathrooms are small and not very luxurious. We muled to Merida plumbing fixtures via cruise ship. We handed them off to Roger in Cozumel. Now, months later, we have a master bath  that is to die for....

A rain shower head and four body sprays really help make this a spa like experience. Even the spigot allows for a quick wash of our feet after a dusty walk on Merida's streets! The open air shaft allows the humid air to leave the bathroom quickly. I'm sure some greenery will add a special touch to the shaft area. And I love the color of the ticul tiles, it really makes the whole room glow with a rosy light.

A detail I love and requested is that the toilet be one piece rather than a tank and base and I really wanted dual flush toilets. And yes that is what we have in all three bathrooms!

I still need to see how the copper sink I hand carried to Merida looks in our small bath! More on this as the bathrooms develop!

Why are the tree trunks white?

Carlos on Paseo de Montejo last week.. see the tree trunk!

I've googled this question and I have not found an answer that satisfies me. One web site said that the tree trunks were painted white to keep the tree from suffering damages from the extreme temperatures. 

In further research I found the following: "According to the University of Missouri Extension, white latex paint can also be used to prevent the bark of a tree from splitting and cracking off. This can happen when the tree is exposed to freezing evening temperatures followed by a daytime thawing. The painted white trunk will help reflect sunlight during the daytime hours and keep the tree warmer at night." This, of course, would not be the reason the trees are painted in the Yucatan.
Another reason I found was to to save the tree from injury from animals and insects. According to the University of Vermont, adding a small amount of rabbit repellent to the paint will keep hungry rabbits from gnawing on the tree bark. This might be right in some climates, but in Merida the only rabbit I've ever seen is a mascot of a popular eatery.
In Puerto Rico  the beach palms have their trunks painted white. Here it is because people drive between the trees at night and the white paint helps them not run into the trees... the rum may impact their driving skills you know!
Does anyone know the truth of why the tree trunks are painted? If so care to share?