ISSUE NO. 51

An August Issue

Enjoyment doesn’t always arrive in grand gestures—it often lives in the quietest details. The warmth of a morning light, the ease of conversation, the small comforts that ask nothing of us but to be noticed. Some joys pass quickly, others stay longer, yet each carries its own weight. To pause and meet them as they are is already enough.

ARCHITECTURALLY CURIOUS

Inside Out

From the very first steps inside Los Durmientes, stone takes center stage. Locally quarried masonry walls line the corridors, catching slivers of light through exposed wooden beams above. The material is left raw and unpolished, grounding the home in Valle de Bravo’s rugged terrain. Walking through feels less like entering a house and more like passing through a carved-out extension of the land itself.

Fire and Fabric

Inside, the warmth shifts from geology to intimacy. A white stucco fireplace anchors the living space, its clean lines softened by stacked wood, natural fabrics, and a quiet rhythm of muted tones. Linen slipcovers and woven stools invite touch, balancing rustic sturdiness with everyday comfort. It’s a room designed for pause, where even the smallest details—a tree branch in a glass vase—whisper restraint and elegance.

Nature’s Embrace

Step back outside, and the house reveals its full silhouette: stone walls rising into reclaimed wood volumes, set against the dense green of Valle de Bravo’s forested hills. The design reads as both shelter and sculpture, an architecture of respect rather than dominance. Every view—whether through a corridor, a window, or the open layout—frames nature as the true protagonist. It’s not just a dwelling but a sanctuary, built to live in rhythm with the land.

GLOBAL GLIMPSE

Unearthing the Past

This English farmhouse is less a redesign and more an act of excavation. Jobe Burns uncovered hidden brick-arched rooms behind blocked doorways, revealing layers of history waiting to resurface. That sense of discovery informs the entire project: the thick timber beams, weathered doors, and hand-painted vanity are not just nostalgic—they’re narrative devices. Each surface feels like a page of the home’s story, inviting its next chapter rather than erasing the old one.

Light, Shadow, Stillness

Every corner of the house feels intentional in its slowness. A stairwell framed in deep green walls catches a slice of daylight, turning the smallest space into a meditation on contrast. Objects are sparse but meaningful: a porcelain vase on the steps, a worn armchair nearby, a pendant light that doubles as sculpture. The restraint heightens the mood—reminding us that beauty often lives in quiet, overlooked places.

A Table for Time

In the heart of the farmhouse, a long wooden table anchors the kitchen with a sense of permanence. Above it hangs a branch-like chandelier, a poetic nod to the trees outside, while the red brick hearth reminds you this is still a working, breathing home. Chairs mix eras—folding benches, sculptural wood, and sheepskin throws—reflecting Burns’ embrace of both discovery and reinvention. It’s not staged perfection, but a living archive where new memories will gather over food, fire, and conversation.

VISUAL COMFORT

Frozen in Motion

At first glance, this piece feels like water caught mid-ripple, suddenly stilled into permanence. Its translucent surface, full of tiny bubbles suspended within, makes it look as if air itself has been captured and preserved. Set against a stark black backdrop, the table’s geometric “T” form stands out in quiet defiance—an object both minimal and monumental. It is a reminder that the simplest of shapes can hold extraordinary depth when light, texture, and material converge with intent.

The Language of Glass

Up close, the brushed edges soften what could otherwise feel industrial, inviting the eye—and even the hand—to linger. The play of light across its surface transforms the piece throughout the day, sometimes opaque, sometimes glowing as if lit from within. This duality—solid yet ethereal, ancient in form yet modern in execution—anchors the work in timeless design language. More than furniture, it acts as a lens through which we experience both materiality and atmosphere, collapsing the distance between object and environment.

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

What I'm Listening to in August

Not every joy needs to last to matter. Some stay for a moment, others remain with us longer, but each carries its own fullness. When I remember this, I feel a kind of peace—like the reminder that nothing more is needed than what is already here.

I’ll see you next week, my friend.

Warmly,
/shane