House & Garden Tour
By Jennifer Hamilton

Space to entertain, a baby grand piano and 18th-century made modern

1. This huge and beautiful property consists of vast lush gardens and several Mexican colonial-style villas. The arched entryway, with a beautiful mural above the door, opens into large high rooms.

A whole area of the house is built in Moorish style. The large kitchen is decorated with colorful Puebla tiles and two center islands. The comfortable living room has large stained glass windows, lots of cantera and a hand-carved chimney. Throughout the property are five additional casitas with individual access to the gardens, patios, pools and Jacuzzis. Decks offer outstanding views toward the north and west. The ironwork throughout is certainly spectacular, and was fashioned by one of San Miguel’s mounted policemen! By the pool at the main house is an indoor/outdoor entertainment area/terrace, and at the bottom of the garden, 18 meters below, is a large event area with cooking facilities, music and dancing areas for outdoor picnicking, weddings and family reunions. From here, a stone bridge curves over a large p
ond leading to a steam bath room. Don’t miss the outstanding one-piece cantera stone sculpture at the fountain representing the eagle and serpent found in the center of the Mexican flag.

2. Rife with light, open spaces, high walls, and mezquite and cemento pulido floors, this ultra-modern home is a real showcase, interspersing modern architecture with antique furniture, old pieces with new, modern, traditional and old paintings, all blending effortlessly in this classically contemporary home in a newly developing neighborhood of San Miguel.

 A baby grand piano under the open stairwell is backed by a nicho containing beautiful Asian-inspired sculptures and red plantings purchased locally. The bathrooms contain oblong-shaped sinks hand-carved out of a mixture of cement and cantera by artisans from Morelia. The bed-sitting room serves as a library, entertainment area and guest bedroom and is filled with modern art, a floor-to-ceiling glass wall and French doors affording views of many of San Miguel’s downtown church spires and the tree-filled Parque Las Cachinches. Two roof decks offer spectacular 360-degree views overlooking the town and surrounding hillsides. Through the lush foliage of the park can be seen Fábrica la Aurora, which lies just a few steps away, and on the opposite side are the ancient amphitheatre and chapel that are part of the original hacienda.

3. This gracious colonial property combines the charm of colonial architecture—an effect achieved by having combined two small 18th century houses into one—with all the comforts and amenities of modern living.

Serious cooks will instantly recognize the exceptional merits of its professionally designed kitchen with its state-of-the-art imported appliances and equipment, mezquite counters, handsome copper hood and convenient pantry. The formal dining room faces the patio’s fountain, which is also glimpsed from the back rooms and from the outdoor sala, which has colorful purple and yellow walls, and is warmed in winter by a cheerful wood-burning fireplace. The spacious, sunny living room with marble flooring is cozy and comfortable, and among its elegant features are beautiful crown moldings, beveled glass doors and a generous fireplace. Upstairs is the romantic master suite with its arched ceiling and two guest bedrooms, each with its own terrace leading all around the second level. The owners have an impressive compilation of cacti for their roof garden. In true Mexican fashion, all rooms in the house face and are brightened by the serene, sunlit and tree-filled central courtyard.