House & Garden Tour
By Jennifer Hamilton February 8, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

House & Garden Tour
Sun, Feb 10, Noon
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
US$15 or 150 pesos
Breakfast at Café Santa Ana starting at 9am

Advance tickets at Biblioteca: Mon–Thurs, 
10am–2pm and 4–7pm and Fri 10–2pm. 
Advance ticket holders receive 15% 
discount on Sundays for breakfast.

After seeing 73 houses here, Olympic ice skating champion Toller Cranston had to look no farther than through the open gate before deciding this would be his San Miguel home. A tannery 300 years ago, it was the first property to be bought and renovated, over 30 years ago, by one of San Miguel’s first North American residents. 

It is among the terraced hillsides of Candelaria just minutes from downtown.

The circular entranceway is bordered by plants, vines and multicolored flowers, with a pebbled cantera fountain. An old hand-crafted wood door leads to the living room, with two heavily draped French beveled-glass doors opening to the garden. Arches abound, set off in the dining room with its bóveda de Iglesia (church vaulted) ceiling. The open kitchen with its island and hanging cookware is juxtaposed with the family room and leads to another part of the garden, with fountains forming arches over the pool and Jacuzzi, where the owners spend summer evenings barbecuing, relaxing and delighting in the pranks of their three young children. An elegant casita was added for guests.

The master bedroom is painted in rich green hues, with ojo de buey windows positioned high above the bed, a brick-backed fireplace in one corner and high French doors leading to one side of the garden. The children’s room adjoins the master suite and has its own vista of the garden.

An outdoor seating area leads from the living room, and is comfortable even on cold winter evenings, thanks to an open wood-burning fireplace. The upstairs bedroom, spacious dressing room and bathroom look out over the beautiful garden which blooms year-round. Two additional guest bedrooms are on the Calle Recreo side. Cranston completed construction of a two-story studio, gallery and apartment in the garden, with many windows to provide light and all-around views. Below the studio is a cozy casita. A third two-bedroom casita at the Sollano end of the property commands a fine view of Parque Juárez from its spacious patio/sundeck.

Before becoming a competitive ice skater as a teenager, Cranston’s first love was painting which he still pursues avidly, evidence of which can be seen through the house. Cranston also enjoys writing and has just published his sixth book. He performed in over 100 ice shows and competitions during his career and is credited by many with bringing a new level of artistry to men’s figure skating.