“Colorfully arty” appropriately depicts Mariposa Mexico! This is evident in the delightful character of the gated entrance, the painted antique door covered in bouganbilla and in the dreamy view down the lane to the church spire and local market. A hidden arbor path just behind the street entrance leads you seductively along toward days filled with local charm. It is a colorful artist’s “get away” with its own special magic that exudes from within.
The Arbor and Courtyard
Leafy green vines grow in abundance along the arbor walls and overhead arches. A row of central lanterns light the path at night while a succession of niches spot dramatic stone carvings along the walk way. This path ends in front of a stone stair case that leads to a small, cozy front courtyard. Peeking through the gate across the courtyard, one is treated to the first dramatic view of the Colonial facade. High arched glass doors lead to the ground floor bedrooms off the courtyard while a second set of windows balance the symmetry of the building from the second living room level. A large stone fountain occupies a central position between the gridded doors in the courtyard. It gives a splash of freshness to the privacy of this cozy open area. Directly overhead is the bell tower and rooftop terrace of this artistic Colonial town house (And, yes, the bell can be rung). A small seating area is directly across from the fountain in the courtyard. This provides a likely spot for morning coffee. Directly behind the seating is the stairway leading up to the second floor entrance and antique wooden door that accesses the living room and kitchen level.
Ground Floor Master Bedroom
– colors beige, gold and white.
This smart colonial bedroom has light walls and an interesting checkerboard floor pattern that adds real charm. The focal point is the romantic king size canopy bed with white piquet curtains that flutter softly due to the overhead fans. The high mattresses on the beds and super soft pillows and linens of the bedding are divinely comfortable. Everywhere there are tasty things to see and all have a story of their own. The arched gridded mirrors reflect the accessories and give the room an airy, spacious feel. The large St. Peter sculpture, gilded capitols and vingins with airoles all decorate the room with their ageless presence. The “built in” closet has lights that turn on when you open the doors. Comfortable cool mats are “cozy” and the washed beam ceilings give a restful feel to the room. A lovely antique stone fireplace has a carved mantel with assorted gilded candlesticks and a tall overhead mirror that reflects the room in general.
Master Bath
The master bath has a large tub and central “large head” shower outlet. The bath looks out on a tiny private garden complete with a small fountain and romantic lantern. Niches decorate the walls. There are stacks of soft towels and interesting antique accessories. Porcelain bowls are attractively placed inside an antique Mexican table, and a large arched mirror occupies the entire back wall for convenient grooming.
The Guest Room – Beige and Aqua
This fun room has the caché of a bohemian apartment. It has the same checkerboard floors with mats, white washed beam ceilings and overhead fans just like the master bedroom. It also is decorated with lovely period Colonial antiques: a tall pine cupboard, chest of drawers and an antique washstand that is placed right in the room. The two matching single canopy beds have piquet curtains, high mattresses and very comfortable bedding and coverlets. Over the sinks there are also ceiling mirrors that show off the high ceilings and give the room an open feel. The tall pine hutch is decorated with assorted antique books that fill the shelves and the area on top. They end up fitting right inside the beams of the ceiling itself. Wonderful santos, niches and Colonial accessories decorate the room in the faux white and aqua colors. There is a built in closet with lights that switch on when you open the doors. A stone fireplace makes the room very cozy on a chilly day. A ceiling high mirror placed over the mantel reflects the rest of the bedroom, making it “airy and fun.” There is a safe with a key in the bedroom for valuables.
Guest Bathroom
The guest bathroom has a shower and a separate toilet stall decorated with niches and colonial accessories.
Living Room/Kitchen
The second level has an open floor plan and the entire floor is used for the living room/kitchen area. The central part of the ceiling has a “boveda” ceiling with spots reflecting up from the moulding onto the boveda itself. In the kitchen section, there are wood beams. The floors are white faux brick with scattered red tapestry rugs. Two balconies look down on the courtyard below and glass light wells are placed periodically in the kitchen and in the corners of the room. Two chandeliers create romantic lighting in the center of the boveda. Inside a circular alcove, there is a delightful lange ficus tree with ivy extending out on to the boveda ceiling. Behind the tree there is a fountain that spills water into a circular troff around the trunk of the tree. A long bookshelf runs along the entire back wall of the room with two antique wooden doors in the center. Behind these doors are the large flat screen TV and the central stereo system. A wonderful antique desk interrupts the symmetry of the wall. Bright colorful santos and niches are placed in window boxes randomly around the book shelf. These have small spots inside that dramatically light the book shelves. The furniture in the living room is all Colonial period antiques and there is also an “L” shaped sectional coach which is conveniently placed in front of the TV area for comfort and easy viewing. The bright ethnic pillows are fun and decorative.
Kitchen
The kitchen is open and is in the left corner of the room. It has a bar counter with bar stools to one side with a hanging shelf and decorative baskets overhead. The oven is constructed in the Colonial Mexican style with a mantel overhead. Behind the oven is an open light well with plants and decorative hanging kitchen accessories. The stairway leading to the rooftop terrace is in the corner of the kitchen. There is a dumbwaiter that services all three floors of the house.
Rooftop Terrace
This spectacular top floor has a 360° view of the town of San Miguel, the Parroquia and the entire valley and surrounding area. It overlooks one of the most charming Mexican residential streets and has a lovely view of the prestigious and fun rooftops of the area. There is a dipping pool with a fountain and lounge chairs for relaxation and sunning. The stereo speakers that are also placed on the rooftop are a perfect addition. A comfortable dining table seats ten and the delightful, “all-glass” green house is decorated with shelves so it can serve as a buffet area for outdoor dining. The top shelves of the green house have jars of peach blossoms that reach the ceiling. The entire area is lush with plants and pots of flowers. Candlelight gives it a magical feel at night, and it has comfortable air conditioning during the day. The stairs accessing this floor arrive in the green house from the living room/kitchen floor. The powder room is a convenient part of the green house space.
There is a large Mexican barbecue and cupboards stocked with plates and glasses that can be easily accessed for the rooftop table setting. An ice machine is available here so that the white wine is always chilled and the margaritas always ready for a “fiesta!”
Basement Laundry Room
The stairs behind the courtyard seating lead to the laundry room. There is a clothes washer and dryer, an ironing board and a service bathroom with a sink and a toilet.