Casa Picasso is a project that turns every square inch of available surface area into a functional space. Indoor-outdoor interactions serve as the foundation for the project’s design, and the use of regional materials and textures typically found in the Yucatan Peninsula provides a sense of identity.
Located in Merida’s historic downtown district, this 145-square-meter house is an oasis in the city. Designed as a vacation house, this two-bedroom home offers its owners refuge from cold New York winters.
Throughout the home, light colors have been used to transform the small space into one that feels spacious and inviting. These light colors can even be found in the Polish white concrete floors, which keep the space feeling fresh. Vegetation and natural wood accents add to the feelings of relaxation and comfort.
Upon first entering Casa Picasso, you find the living room and a double-height staircase, which leads to the first of the two bedrooms. With a closet, bathroom and small terrace that looks down to the pool, this room is where the house’s name originates: here, a piece by the artist Pablo Picasso is on display.
Going back down the staircase, you might notice its double function as a small library. Hanging above it is a painting by the Mexican artist David Serrano.
Before entering the kitchen, there is a service area with a powder room, storage and washing station. Next to it, there is a niche for the refrigerator. The white quartz kitchen counter is set against a backsplash of handmade tiles. Opposite the countertop, a small wooden table and two chairs sit facing the terrace and pool outside.
The main patio is surrounded by stone walls and lush vegetation, and it is completed with a chukum finish (a natural tree resin). Serving two purposes, it both creates the perfect atmosphere for the hot Yucatan days, and it introduces those who enter it to the outdoor-indoor relationship that is central to Casa Picasso’s design. At the back of the property, a wooden deck floats over the pool, leading to the master bedroom , where a vibrant hammock swings gracefully in greeting.
The master bedroom, with its high ceilings, is filled with natural light and is well ventilated, all of which contributes to making the space feel larger than it actually is. The bathroom is decorated with the same tile design found throughout the house; its floral motifs complete the space, integrating with the shower and the vanity.
Surrounded by vegetation and natural elements, Casa Picasso merges the inside world with the outside, resulting in a relaxed and sophisticated space.
