Modern House, Vintage Personality

Here's my only challenge with my big, gorgeous house: the modern architecture.

Monterrey is obsessed with modernity. In the center of the city is a huge, flat, red brick tower sculpture, that projects a beam of light into the sky, meant to represent the economic prosperity of the city. A beautiful, modern suspension bridge spans the dry river bed that runs through the center of town. The majority of the housing communities in my area are gridded white blocks of gridded white blocks. Cubes of white-on-white with gray or black trimmed windows.

While I am fortunate enough to live in a colonia with some variety (the houses are different colors and vary in adornments), the interior of my home is rental house beige with neutral brown couches and beige-y tile floors.

For someone who loves living with color (and in homes that are, themselves, antiques), this has been a challenge: how do I marry the look of vintage / antiques and pops of color I love with the "paint them and it will cost you dearly" square beige walls and black trim?

Here is what my roommate and I have come up with:

First, today's purchases - an antique wooden cabinet (with iron nails and painted leather sides) on a stand assembled of pieces of antiques. It stood out awkwardly when first placed in the modern, tiled dining room, but when we hung a blown-glass flower I bought a few week ago over the cabinet, it somehow brought the room together. It also helped that we hung the orange Turkish tapestry in the dining room across from the cabinet, and moved the green Tt to the living room to go with the new 'ethnic pattern' (according to the tag) patch-work turquoise throw pillows purchased at, of all places, Home Depot, to liven up the couch. (note: I sewed ribbon/yarn to the tapestries, and the batik I bought last week, and hung them from patterned chair rails bought at the Home Depot for about $2ea).




Next, a painted metal mirror in muted oranges and greens (bought at the same place as the antique cabinet) was hung over the very modern staircase to, again, help the wooden cabinet not stand out so much.

Finally, little bits and pieces - a painting I bought in Turkey; drink coasters and tiles from Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Mexico (the ones from Italy are still in Florida, awaiting transport to Mexico); magnets from both me and my roommate's travels; flowers and pottery acquired in Mexico; a Balinese (but bought in MD) windchime; the day of the dead batik (see last post); my roommate's Zabaleen cushions from Cairo; and lots of photos from home and away have made the house finally seem a bit more home-y and a bit less rental-property.

The final purchase was a "well, they are kind of too expensive" pass today, but I think I'll go back and get them now that I've seen how the dining room is coming together: 'rusted' iron barstools with orange leather seats! Photos to come...I hope...if they are still there when I go back in two weeks!