- Interior
Everyone's career has certain key moments. For interior designer Bernardo Chavez Péon, this project symbolises his first steps on a road he is taking entirely on his own. In Los Durmientes, you imagine yourself alone in the world, nature being your only companion. The vastness of the place silences you and proved the perfect stage to unleash his creativity.
Even in his childhood, Mexican Bernardo Chavez Péon was very impressed by design and architecture. He could always marvel at the details of special houses or hotels, so it seems as if fate decided that one day, he would pursue this career direction himself. Becoming an architect had therefore been his dream for a long time. After several years of gaining experience in the industry, Los Durmientes marks the beginning of his own studio. Indeed, it is the first project that is entirely his own, which is already promising for the future. The wilderness is his friend, as evidenced by the love with which he unflinchingly brings nature to the fore. Not only did he manage to work out a design that captures the imagination, but it is also a clear reflection of what he wants to stand for. 
According to the interior designer, a home should give you a sense of protection while allowing the occupant to develop the strongest possible connection with the outdoor environment. He has already more than mastered this duality himself. As a starting point, he argues that a design should always wrap the client in comfort. Sincere happiness, good memories and a relaxed atmosphere are requirements for any project of his. That was exactly what he achieved here, in Valle de Bravo. More specifically, the concept was designed to bring together large family or friend groups during weekends. In addition, the owners wanted them to be able to make it equally cosy just with the family. So not an easy task, but the combination of his previous experience and the willpower for his craft brought everything to a successful conclusion. 
A combination of his previous experience and the willpower for his craft brought everything to fruition
Apart from the exceptional location and the need to incorporate it into the living experience, he was also inspired by the style of old barns and their wooden structures. Another influence he finds in traditional Japanese woodwork. This expressed itself directly in the materials. Wooden beams feature prominently, for example, as does stone. Consistent for the palette is the roughness he was looking for. Although the elements used look simple and straightforward, it took a lot of effort to achieve this. Péon says he selected materials that were as natural and pure as possible and age with time. In the bathroom, details include marble, and for the floors they also turned to Mexican volcanic stone. As a plus, everything is as local as possible; there had to be as little to no foreign components involved. The colours, in turn, follow the range that the location put together on its own. Different shades of brown come together with the grey of stone, accompanied by other neutral tones. Note, for example, the organically shaped spiral staircase in white and the subtle decoration that blends with the bigger picture.
As a country retreat for a family of five, the house contains so much more than the basic necessities. For a start, there is an equal number of bedrooms, plus an extra sleeping area for guests. The property has two kitchens: one inside and the other on a terrace. Both are connected via a kitchen garden. Somewhat similarly, there are two dining areas separated from each other. When only the family itself is present, this allows them to sit at a smaller, cosy table. If there are guests, tall windows, reaching from floor to ceiling, can be opened to create a continuous space. Inside, there are plenty of things to marvel at, but the real showpiece of the project is outside. There, the interior architect added a large swimming pool, at the foot of the mist-shrouded mountains all around. On both sides, he provided several loungers. 
Thanks to the coherence of all interior elements, the whole exudes a minimal aesthetic. However, this is certainly not synonymous with barrenness or coldness. The opposite is true, as every glance at the design encourages you to step inside yourself. By significantly reducing the boundary between interior and exterior, he proves how decisive the location of a property is.
Want to read more about this impressive project? You can read about it in the December 2023 edition of Imagicasa Magazine.
Photography by Fabián Martinez
Text by Cara Jacobs