Mesquite

What does mesquite really look like and how can I know that what I am buying is really mesquite. Many furniture companies claim that the furniture that they have is made of mesquite but it is really easy to tell if it is mesquite. First of all very few places in Mexico are licensed to use mesquite in crafting furniture. If you are one of the lucky people to have found a source for real mesquite furniture you are most fortunate.

One of the ways of identify this wood is by seeing the grain and color of the wood. Many times a dark stain is used to hide and conceal the grain of the wood. In this blog you will see the wood that was used to hand-craft the dining table and then see photos of the colors and grains of the wood. People need to be careful that they are getting real mesquite.

EQUIPALES with upholstery

The order finally arrived and we were all very excited to see how the equipales would look. We ordered a love seat, two chairs and a coffee table for a client with Sunbrella fabric. The result was outstanding. The combination of brick coloured leather and linen sunbrella was beautiful. The set cost $900.00 and will last a long time.

I have posted the photos, but we were so excited that we didn't unwrap the whole love seat but you will get an idea of how they look!

EQUPALES Care and Maintenance

It is good to remember that equipales are made of pigskin and as such should be treated like leather. Every few months they need to be cleaned and conditioned to protect them.

I just discovered a remarkable product that matches a cleaner and conditioner and I have tried them several times and the equipales look even better after this treatment.

Lexol Ph: Summit Industries 1-800-241-6996.

There is a gel cleaner and leather conditioner.

If you look after your equipales they will last a long time.

Copper Top Tables

Just as the base of a Mexican Colonial or Hacienda table can be wood or wrought iron, the tops can vary greatly from wood to marble to copper. We have found some beautiful examples of copper that can used with different bases. Generally it has a lustrous patina finish like the examples in the photos.

More Mexican Alder Furniture

After I looked at the Chinese Furniture that was being repaired I noticed two beautiful new Mexican Colonial pieces carved in alder. One was a small dresser that mesaured about 48 inches wide and was priced at $600.00 and the other was a carved bench that was about 52 inches long for $500.00.

What a contrast. You have to see the difference to believe it!

Photos of the Dresser and Bench!

Mexican Furniture vs Chinese Furniture

Last week I had the occasion to check out some furniture in a shop in Baja and noticed that they were doing some repairs on a bed that was purchased in a furniture store in the US. The rail had come loose where it attached at the column. I was astonished to see that the column was totally hollow and the surrounds were a heavy carboard; however, even more amazing were the beautiful "handcarved" decals which turned out to be heavy plastic. The couple had paid over $3,000.00 for the bed.

The veneer was so thin that you could easily scratch it off.

In Mexico you can purchase a magnificent bed similar constructed of "wood" for less!!

Photos to see!

MEXICAN COLONIAL FURNITURE IN ALDER

After so many years of making Mexican Colonial furniture using mesquite, old pine and rosa morada, skilled artisans are using kiln-dried alder from Canada. Alder is a hard wood but can be easily carved into many beautiful designs. This is a photo of a chair that you will find in a San Francisco store for $3,500.00. We can make this same chair and you can send us the fabric of your choice and it can be made for $600.00. Notice the beautiful details and workmanship. You can choose the stain for the wood and your own fabric to make it really one-of-a-kind.