Interior Design Alchemy

Casa
Mexico
Puerto Vallarta
Interior Design Alchemy

Puerto Vallarta Interior Design Studio | Renovations & Furnishings | Bilingual Team

30/04/2026

Not every space needs to revolve around a TV. Sometimes the best rooms are designed for two chairs, a small table, good light, and an actual conversation.

27/04/2026

We just got back from the most amazing five days in one of my favorite places on earth: Mexico City.

We did so much, and yet the more I learn about that city, the more I realize we are only scratching the surface — especially when it comes to food, art, fashion, and design.

But if I had to pick one highlight, it would be visiting the taller — or workshop — of Paolo Angelucci, a leather artist of the highest order.

He’s known for his incredible handbags, wallets, belts, and more recently, jewelry. When Poncho and I first started dating, I admired one of his wallets and told myself that one day I would procure one of my own.

That day was yesterday.

What I did not expect was to discover that Paolo is now also creating the most stunning lighting, furniture, accessories, and rugs from leather.

The large, sexy fixtures shown here are headed to a house in Ibiza. Even Lenny Kravitz owns some of his pieces. This guy’s work is no joke.

Everything is custom made, soulful, sculptural, and wildly unique.

And now I’m officially on the hunt for the right client who wants something extraordinary.

You?

24/04/2026

Design stop: Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Mexico City.

This place feels less like a library and more like an architectural fever dream — all floating stacks, exposed structure, glass floors, suspended walkways, concrete, steel, greenery, and that incredible sense of vertical drama.

But what I loved almost as much as the architecture? The furniture.

Mixed throughout the space are these gorgeous mid-century pieces — lounge chairs, reading tables, sculptural seating, warm wood tones — that soften the industrial scale of the building and make it feel surprisingly human. It’s a reminder that even the most dramatic public spaces still need intimacy, comfort, and places where people actually want to sit.

That contrast is what makes it so good:
monumental architecture,
quiet reading corners,
hard materials,
soft moments,
and furniture that gives the whole place soul.

Mexico City really does design on another level!

Third photo by Brad A. Johnson.

22/04/2026

One of the easiest ways to make a big-box kitchen feel more custom? Tile and paint.

This kitchen started with a solid foundation, but like so many builder-grade spaces, it needed more personality. By adding a sculptural backsplash and using a deep, moody paint color, the whole room immediately feels more intentional, more layered, and far less off-the-shelf.

It is a good reminder that you do not always need a full gut renovation to create something memorable. Sometimes the magic is in knowing which surfaces to elevate.

Materials matter.
Contrast matters.
And a little boldness goes a long way.

Full disclosure: I used AI to remove some blue construction tape from a few surfaces in my iPhone photos so the images would read a little cleaner!

20/04/2026

Hi guys. Kristen here.

Real talk: if you’re building, remodeling, or redecorating in Mexico, lower your expectations.

Not because it can’t be beautiful.
Because it probably won’t happen as quickly, clearly, or perfectly as it would north of the border.

Mexico is beauty, chaos, inspiration, and challenge—all at once. And culturally, people often have a hard time saying no directly. So a “yes” doesn’t always mean yes in the way many foreigners expect it to.

Once you understand that, a lot starts to click.

Projects here require patience, persistence, flexibility, and a willingness to let go of the fantasy that everything will be seamless, tightly managed, and perfect the first time around.

It will be messier.
It will be slower.
It will be less exact.

And sometimes, far more soulful because of it.

If you’re looking for someone to help you on your Mexican design journey, give us a shout.

14/04/2026

Don’t be afraid of using bright color in a bedroom. And definitely don’t be afraid to mix patterns.

The best rooms usually have a little tension, a little personality, and little confidence. When the colors speak to each other and the patterns each bring something different, the result feels layered, intentional, and decidedly not boring.

08/04/2026

Designing in Portland and designing in Puerto Vallarta are different in a hundred ways.

Different light.
Different materials.
Different rhythms.
Different expectations.
Different realities on the ground.

But the core of good design is exactly the same.

It’s about flow.
Function.
Light.
Texture.
Patience.
Problem-solving.
And knowing when to push and when to adapt to reality.

Portland taught me one kind of design intelligence.
Puerto Vallarta has taught me another.

I like to think I am better because I’ve done both.
And that balance—between beauty and real life—is still my favorite part of the work.

27/03/2026

Planning our wedding reminded me how much I love the creative process. Long before interior design, I worked as a PR executive and one of my favorite parts of that world was concepting and planning events. This gave me a chance to dust off that skill set and bring it into a completely different kind of project.

We built the celebration around a modern Mexican theme, layered with traditional elements I love—La Lotería, colored glass, and barro. And honestly, it felt a lot like designing an interior: telling a story through color, texture, materiality, and the small details that make people feel something the moment they walk in.

At the end of the day, whether we are designing a home or a wedding, the goal is the same: create an experience that feels personal, thoughtful, and unforgettable.

19/03/2026

Love, design, and a finished home to share - our March newsletter.

https://mailchi.mp/interiordesignalchemy/love-design-and-a-finished-home-to-share

18/03/2026

Back at work, basking in the post-wedding bliss. This incredible project is wrapping up, and several exciting new ones are on the horizon. We're booked solid until December and already have 2026 projects underway. Whew!

11/03/2026

We are coming down from our wedding high at this fabulous boutique hotel in charming San Pancho. I may not be back to work yet, but my brain is still working and this is the perfect place to inspire future design projects.

09/03/2026

If you had told me five years ago that I’d be here today, married, happy, and doing so in a country I once planned to stay in for “just a year,” I would have laughed in disbelief. What I didn’t realize then, was that I wasn’t taking a detour, I was walking straight into the life
I was meant to have all along. Thank you to our friends, families, and clients who have supported us from the very beginning. Our wedding weekend was positively spectacular, and we have you to thank for that ❤️

Dirección

Puerto Vallarta

Teléfono

+15037576815

Página web

http://www.interiordesignalchemy.com/

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