Mexican-Inspired Apartment in Madrid

Step into a Mexican inspired apartment in the heart of Madrid.

Mexican inspired apartment in Madrid
Sierra + De La Higuera Study Project. Photography by Germán Saíz. Images courtesy of WOW Design.

How do we bring Mexico closer to Madrid? This question was the starting point of an interior design project designed by Estudio Sierra + De La Higuera in 2022. The project consisted of an apartment in the Madrid neighborhood of Conde Duque, the new home of a young couple with Mexican and Galician roots.

The couple sought to reflect on their trips and experiences in this apartment. And, of course, also one of the owner's Mexican ancestry. Surprisingly, the Madrid design studio found the answer to that question in color.

Let's look at what elements of this beautiful and colorful apartment bring the essence of Mexico to the heart of Madrid.

The project

The starting point was an old but spacious apartment in the central Madrid neighborhood of Conde Duque. With over 1,600 square feet, the classic apartment with traditional and compartmentalized spaces had to be updated as the home of a young Galician-Mexican couple.

Of course, the renovation was a total overhaul. The narrow spaces, the dark hallways, and the small rooms became spacious and bright. These open spaces allow the beautiful light to shine through the different areas of the house. Architectural details (such as arches or large glass French doors) help to generate this opening and make the light—which enters from a large terrace—travel between the different rooms.

Natural materials are a true hallmark of the entire project. The wood that covers the entrance hall's walls (visible from all-day spaces) and the ceramic tiles that cover the interior and exterior floors are the true stars of the project. The result is cozy and warm interiors, complemented by the artistic and energetic tone provided by the abundant color.

The importance of color

As we said, bringing a little of Mexico to Madrid was the objective of designers Sierra and De La Higuera when tackling this project. So, when decorating the interior of this apartment, the tradition and heritage of the couple (she's Mexican, he is originally from Galicia) had to play a vital role in the renovation. The aim was to achieve all that through color. 

The color palette of this apartment includes reds, greens, and earth tones with abundant yellow tiled floors. The materials chosen are mostly small ceramic pieces from the company WOW Design, which are complemented by bright white walls. Using color in the lower part of the rooms while leaving the walls and ceilings white creates a fresh and airy effect, giving each room greater spaciousness. 

Speaking of these small colored tiles, the designers affirm that the reason for choosing ceramics was because it is a very expressive artisanal material. It allows for a greater variety of colors that bring Mexico closer to Madrid through color, which was the goal.

Thus, the vibrant and cheerful color serves as a nod to Mexican culture. But it also helps to separate the different environments. Small-format ceramic pieces are used, and their placement is played with to create continuity or separation between the different spaces.

For example, the yellow tile is placed in a herringbone pattern in the entrance hall. At the same time, it continues horizontally in the living room, thus creating a subtle distinction between the environments. But, at the same time, that yellow tile continues the same horizontal coloring on the terrace (visible through a glass door), giving continuity to the interior and exterior.

The kitchen-dining room is separated from the rest of the house with a floor of small square earth-colored slabs. An emerald green tile is used in the kitchen space to create symmetry and is repeated in the living room with a small sofa of the same color.

In the bathrooms, vibrant shades of red and blue are used. But neutral and calm tones, which inspire relaxation, are chosen for the bedroom. Our favorite detail? The plinths, created from white and colored tiles that are interspersed, softening the separation between colored floors and white walls.

Studio Sierra + De La Higuera

This young interior design, furniture and architecture studio works on spectacular projects throughout Madrid. Founded in 2017 by Inés Sierra, Mercedes Sierra and Javier de la Higuera, the keys to their work lie in versatility, purity and beauty, and the balance between classic and contemporary (something evident in all their projects).