Interior designers Azar Fattahi and Lia McNairy, founders of the LA-based studio LALA Reimagined, have joined Homes & Gardens as Editors-at-Large for By Design. They’ll be sharing their insights on creating personality-filled interiors and the art of blending eclectic ideas into richly characterful schemes. See the rest of their articles here.
Every designer knows the feeling: a creative lull where inspiration runs thin, and even the most beautiful rooms start to blur together. Sometimes, all you need is a reset.
For us, Mexico City offered the perfect antidote – close enough for a long weekend to feel indulgent, yet endlessly rich in room color ideas, craft, and architecture. During Design Week, the city hums with global energy, a vibrant convergence of artistry and ideas that reignites your creative pulse. Even if you don’t travel, the concept of a 'creative reset' can be brought home: refreshing a space with a new color palette, reorganizing shelves, or introducing tactile details like rugs, throws, or ceramics can awaken your imagination without leaving your neighborhood.
Before booking flights, our mission was designing the perfect stay. We knew the right home would set the tone for a truly inspiring getaway. Hotels are convenient, but for a design-driven trip, we wanted a space to gather – a place that felt personal, soulful, and warm.
We found it in Condesa, a leafy neighborhood lined with Art Deco façades and modern architectural gems. Our rental balanced contemporary Mexican design with Japanese restraint, each room offering quiet inspiration through proportion, material, and light.
Arriving a day ahead of our guests, we went straight from the airport to the market – gathering flowers, wine, small bites, and of course, mezcal. It’s the simplest yet most transformative gesture of hospitality: greeting guests – or yourself – with something alive and beautiful. By sundown, every room had blooms, a small act that carried immense impact.
Technically, we were in Mexico City for Design Week – to explore fresh work by emerging artists, furniture designers, and creative studios shaping the global design dialogue. We visited friends like Rudy Weissenberg and Rodman Primack from Ago Projects, the city’s premier art gallery, renowned for its impeccable curation of emerging talent. But if you know us, you know there’s always a market calling our names.
Mexico City’s iconic Sunday market, La Lagunilla, is reason enough to plan a trip – in our case, we even booked return flights around it. Experience has taught us that falling for oversized finds abroad usually leads to a second project: navigating shipping logistics. So we came prepared with one empty suitcase, a roll of bubble wrap, and a pact to 'stay practical' – which lasted all of five minutes.
The magic of the market wasn’t just in the objects we discovered, but in witnessing what each of us gravitated toward – a spontaneous, deeply personal curation. You don’t need an international trip to collect soulful pieces. Local markets, antique fairs, and vintage shops offer the same thrill. Seek items that feel personal and tell a story – these are the details that make a home unmistakably yours.
These weren’t things you could find online or in polished showrooms. These were soulful, imperfect treasures, layered with history and character—the kind of design that humbles and inspires.
We discovered vintage art small enough to slip into our suitcases – sketches, prints, and photographs framed in aged wood, their patina shaped by time. Then came our vintage brass obsession: sculptural birds now perched on shelves, a duck-shaped tray corralling incense and palo santo, and a glamorous 1940s-style candelabra that makes even a Tuesday night dinner feel special. Books, both vintage and new, were also part of our haul – because in great design, the book itself is a tactile work of art.
Filling your home with objects that carry memory and meaning brings a space to life. Every brass bird, every vintage sketch becomes a chapter in your own unfolding design story.
Integrating travel-inspired design into your home is less about imitation and more about translation. Start with the senses – a candle or diffuser can set a room’s emotional tone before a single light is switched on. Embrace imperfection – handcrafted or timeworn pieces add depth and character to even the sleekest modern spaces. Style with story – mix in objects that carry history, whether souvenirs, inherited treasures, or artisan finds from local markets. Honor hospitality – fresh flowers, layered lighting, and thoughtfully set tables invite warmth and connection. Collect meaningfully – let your home reflect your experiences and values, transforming a house into a personal sanctuary.
We returned home with full hearts, fuller suitcases, and a renewed creative spark for the projects awaiting us at LALA Reimagined. Mexico City may be close, but its influence feels boundless. Sometimes, the best creative reset isn’t a plane ride away – it’s taking the time to see your own home differently: curate, edit, and add beauty where it’s been overlooked. And, of course, maybe adding a brass bird or a vintage book or two.
If You Go To Mexico City
Consider wandering neighborhoods like Condesa or Roma Norte, where walkable streets meet inspiring architecture. If possible, plan your visit for October during Design Week Mexico. Arrive early at the Sunday market – and bring an empty suitcase. Don’t miss Casa Gilardi, Luis Barragán’s vibrant color masterpiece. And always pack a candle, a diffuser, and an eager curiosity for beauty.
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