HOUSE & GARDEN TOUR

Special features for the House & Garden Tour
By Jennifer Hamilton


House & Garden Tour
Sun, Dec 9, Noon
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
US$15 or 150 pesos

First House

This magnificent 21 acre ranch was purchased in 1995 and occupied for six years until the owners moved to Mexico after retirement.

The property was named for the ancient 17th century capilla (chapel) on the grounds which is still used for special occasions, but since it was never consecrated it is not used for religious Catholic services but rather non - denominational or spiritual Shamanistic rituals. An outside altar is of the same era. Upon entering this beautiful chapel, one can see the original artwork including a Chichimeca Indian above the entrance and statues on the walls. Many of the workers’ cottages are scattered throughout the grounds and their inhabitants are bilingual, in Otomí and Spanish. The stables prior to 1995 were the original main house, and sheltered the seven horses only in severely inclement weather. For the most part, they roam the property freely and happily. What is now the ranch’s 1,000 square foot living quarters was planned by local designer Marsha Brown. The owner’s love for reco
nstruction and design can be seen throughout— first at the fountain which came from an old estate in Querétaro and an ancient calvario placed by the terrace. It’s difficult to tear oneself away from here, the views toward the distant countryside and far-off mountains are astounding, and the roar of silence, save for the clacking of the chickens and the occasional whinnying of the horses, is almost a religious experience—yet the main highway is only a few hundred feet away. From here can be seen the large alfalfa field, mesquite trees and cacti which surround the property as does impressive walls of organós (organ cactus). The inside of the house is comfortably furnished with deeply plushed seating areas, books, saddles, antique objets d’art, child-sized mariachi suits and several ojo de buey windows. The main bathroom has a window to part of the back garden, and cemento pulido floors and bathtub. A colonial trunk in the living room is topped with personal knick-knacks and was originally used to store vestment
s. Interestingly enough, it has two locks (some had three) and the keys were distributed between separate key holders for safekeeping to prevent theft or pillage of the trunk’s contents. Throughout, this property was designed to fit in with its ancient roots and offers its owners and visitors a feeling of living in days of yore.

Second House

When the owners first saw this house they were so discouraged by its state of disrepair that they almost didn’t purchase it. But with imagination and insight, plus their brilliant mind for reconstruction work, they have turned it into a cozy, delightful and colorful home.

Originally thought to be a tannery, as the majority of homes were on this small street, they installed new stone flooring and cantera fireplaces, and dramatic old wood pilings (gualdras) which they used for ceiling beams and supporting girders. The ceilings throughout are dramatically high and the walls two feet thick as was the norm in colonial days. The sitting room even contains its original window seat where in days of old suitors would romance the daughters of the house through the iron bars. The only new construction is the kitchen and the second level studio/workroom. Cemento pulido (polished cement) is used for countertops and some of the flooring as well as in the bathrooms. The intimate dining room contains a charming niche and round table, and an arch leading to the kitchen is decorated with colorful hand-painted bowls. An outside ramada (entertainment area) facing the patio and fountain is supported by gualdras, and the petrified supporting beams came from a deserted hacienda. The owner designed the enchanting bedspread in the master bedroom by scouring the embroidery ladies who sell their handiwork through the streets and tiendas of San Miguel, and after many painstaking years had collected enough of them to patch together and voila, an outstanding comforter for their beautiful metal carved bed. Note the matador’s traje de luces (suit of lights) hanging on one wall. Passing through the jungle-like back patio where their daughter’s bedroom is located, are steps leading up to the room on the roof deck. Spacious and bright with a large patio, it is filled with an abundance of plants, vines and flowers, and offers impressive views of both La Parroquia and Las Monjas church domes. The house throughout is filled with impressive objets d’art, books, antique rugs, and wonderful artwork all merging magnificently with the colonial architecture of this 300-year-old structure.