Casamidy

Anne-Marie Midy and Jorge Almada, partners in business and marriage, have established a thriving design business in the picturesque hilltop town of San Miguel de Allende.

Anne-Marie, previously a graphic designer who worked for Martha Stewart Living, is now a furniture designer, interior decorator, and co-owner of a home furnishings boutique. She and Jorge have created customized pieces for many of the top interior design firms in the U.S. and Europe.

Anne-Marie collaborated with her husband on the Casamidy furniture line, after moving to this Mexican city for proximity to traditional craftsmen skilled in working with iron, leather and tin. She aspires to be an artisan. "A lot of design is so perfect, it loses its human quality." And, "To me, only antiques and handmade things have true personality."* We couldn't agree more!

Casamidy designs respect the colonial traditions, but their fresh interpretations have a modern sensibility.

The Varenne Opera Chair, below right, is Anne-Marie's take on a Louis XVI design. Likened to "a line drawing of an armchair"* it has almost become a classic in its own right.

Most of the Casamidy line can be custom ordered to fabric and color specs.

Their charming, unpretentious Paris apartment:

Interior designs and Mitu Atelier:

Click on images to enlarge.

And, have a look at these interiors of the small boutique hotel, Oasis, located in downtown San Miguel de Allende. If you're like us, you'll want to take the next flight out!
Interiors by Anne-Marie Midy. Photos from Oasis.

* House & Garden, 01/05
Top photo by François Halard, for House & Garden, 01/05.
Interior Designs, top 2 photos by Pieter Estersohn for Elle Decor, 04/03.
Other photos from casamidy.com and oasishotel.com
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TT SHOPPING TIPS FOR AUTHENTIC MEXICAN AND LATIN AMERICAN DECOR:

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Casamidy: Contact them directly for purchases, or contact Colcha, a shop in Venice, CA, which is the exclusive Southern California retailer. Vivre is now also carrying some items.

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For Mexican folk art, ceramics, glassware and candles, check out zocalostyle.com and zocalofolkart.com. Here are some of our favorites:

We love: black glazed ceramic flower vase, 10"x7", $49 • set of 6 engraved goblets in clear, aqua or red, $123 • Oval copper tray with silver trim, 19"x13", $121.50 • ceramic glazed pineapples, 18.5"x12", $179.
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Santa Rosa handmade candles with stamp (the warm color is achieved by melting amber into the wax), 3"x6" pillar, $14.75

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For latin american antiques, you'll find a wonderful selection at Dos Gallos.

Click on image to enlarge.

We love: painted buffet from Guatemala, shown in House Beautiful Show House 2005 (interior design by Peter Dunham) • hand carved and hand finished wooden mirror from Guatemala, 55"x84" • 19th century terracotta capones from Guatemala

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