Casa Malay is set within a newly built home in Mérida’s Barrio de Santiago, where clean lines and pale surfaces called for warmth, texture, and a stronger interior rhythm. Studio Zada approached the project as an exercise in balance: restraint and character, clean architecture and lived-in ease, local craft and a more collected sensibility.

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At the center of the house, the courtyard became the project’s quiet anchor. A built-in bench with concealed storage and integrated lighting gives the pool court purpose, turning it from a passage between rooms into a place to sit, gather, and spend time.

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Inside, vintage and contemporary pieces, locally made furniture, woven textures, and custom details soften the architecture without overwhelming it. Sage walls in the living room, cream tones in the kitchen, and warm taupe in the bedroom create subtle shifts in mood while keeping the home connected as a whole.

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Art gives the interiors their sharper point of view. Works by Amelia Opalinska introduce color and movement, while a vintage Kuba cloth from Zaire brings pattern, history, and contrast to the kitchen. These pieces do not simply decorate the house; they give it memory and depth.

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Through Studio Zada’s intervention, Casa Malay becomes more grounded, inhabited, and complete.