Oriental Carpets

One of the best kept secrets to decorating in the "Mexican Style" is the use of Oriental or Persian carpets.

The Russian Kazak is one of the most prized of these carpets due to the colours and patterns. These rugs are hard to find and are usually sold at upscale galleries and auction houses for outrageous prices. The carpets are hardwearing and resistant to damage. Sometimes you will find "abrash" or slight changes of colour due to different dye lots of the wool. Some carpets will have "bleeding" due to the washing of the vegetables dyes. Since these carpets take a long time to produce more wool is required and the dye might not be exactly the same shade as the original.

It is very easy to tell carpets that are hand woven from those that are made by machine. One look at the back will tell you the whole story. It takes many, many hours to make one of these beautiful Oriental carpets.

Attached is a photo of a Russian Kazak. The size is 6 x 9 a really good size for decorating. They look brillant contrasted with the Mexian tile floors.

Hand Carved Furniture Created In Mexico

So many people do not realize what "hand-made" really is. I didn't know until I visited a small workshop in Rosarito and watched the artist at work. The design is pencilled in on the wood and then using 25-30 different tools each swirl and curve is expertly carved to design the pattern. Only wood is used as opposed to "hard wood solids" that makes up most of the store furniture.

Attached are some photos of Bruno at work and the last photo shows the base of a dining table that he made!

Mexican Colonial Chairs

Colonial Mexican chairs come in many different styles and choices of wood. They can be simple or heavily carved. The most expensive are made of mesquite and beautifully carved. Watching the artisans work carving these chairs is quite amazing. I had never realized all the work that was involved in creating these masterpieces until I got to see the process. Everything is really done by hand.
Mesquite has become very difficult to find as the Mexican government has put a very strict count on logging these trees. It is an incredibly heavy wood and shipping costs are prohibitive. Now different woods are being used: rose wood, habillo, antiqued pine. I have included a photo of one of the beautiful styles that compliments the large rectanglar or round hand carved dining tables. If you have any comments or questions, please contact me at lamisionmuebles@hotmail.com

More Modern Mexican Furniture

So many people like a more modern look to their furnishing and we have found some wonderful places that can make copies of Danish Modern to just updated styles. Again these can be made to your specifications and fabrics can be selected by you or you can look through samples that we have at the store. The company that fabricates this furniture has been in Mexico for many years and have a wonderful reputation.

Hand Carved furniture from Michoacan

We have received on consignment several pieces of hand carved, some painted, headboards, benches and night tables. They are all intricately hand carved in sugar pine. The photo that I have attached is a coffee table and two end tables painted a dark green. The peacock is painted in many different colours and would add charm to any room. The price for all 3 pieces is: $700.00 but you can buy only one piece is you like.

These pieces are made in small little towns by skilled artisans.

Modern Mexican Furniture

We have discovered many different manufacturers of furniture in the Baja California area and one in particular has made and is making furniture for a leading American Company. I have attached a photo of a love seat, sofa and coffee table that we can have made in many different colours of microsuede. My husband who is a rather large fellow claims that "this is the first comfortable sofa that he has tried". The wood is alder and unlike furniture that you buy in the US it is not a veneer over hardwood solids. The coffee table is made of alder and alder wood only. If you have any questions or comments please let me know. The pricing on this set is very reasonable for the quality that you would get. I am learning more and more everyday about furniture that is made in Mexico and how it differs from the furniture made in the US and Canada.

Mesquite Wood

Teak, mahogany and mesquite are ranked equally as the most stable hardwoods in the world. For many years this wood was used by Mexican fishermen to construct their boats. This wood will not degrade when subjected to extreme changes in weather. Commercially it has been used in kitchens where it has been washed repeatedly but maintains it integrity.

Unfortunately, 50% of the wood is discarded as the trees are gnarled and knotty and it is difficult to make straight boards. This makes it expensive to use but to artisans the wood is a treasure because of it color and grain. The colors can vary in tone from lemon, honey, carmel to burgundy and the grain includes burled, quilted, bird’s eye and fiddle back designs.

It was used in Colonial Mexico for carved church doors to posts for fences.