Casa Paros is a deeply personal home born from the owners’ connection to both the Mediterranean and Baja California landscapes. Inspired by the serene white architecture of the Greek island Paros, the design by MERCANTIL by Hillary Kent reinterprets that tranquility through local Mexican materials and craftsmanship, creating a sense of belonging rooted in place and memory.
Though the architecture provided a strong foundation with its high ceilings, thermal walls, and lime-washed surfaces, the interior design transformed the home into a fluid, sensory experience. Soft transitions and open layouts blur indoor and outdoor spaces, with bedrooms opening to gardens and patios filtering natural light. Every element prioritizes living experience over rigid function.
Furniture and decor were custom-made using local artisanal techniques: teak wood from Miraflores workshops, handwoven lamps from La Paz, embroidered textiles from Cerritos, volcanic stone, and ceramics from Todos Santos. Natural materials like untreated woods, cottons, and linens create a warm, authentic atmosphere unified by polished concrete floors.
Symbolic touches enrich the home’s narrative—such as a mature olive tree in the courtyard, evoking the Mediterranean and anchoring the space with living presence. These subtle details invite introspection, where texture and shadow tell quiet stories, making Casa Paros a space of intimacy and calm.
A key commitment is to local sourcing and sustainability: over 75% of materials come from nearby, supporting communities and minimizing environmental impact. Lighting draws inspiration from fishing baskets, tiles are handmade and stamped locally, and textiles are dyed with natural pigments. When necessary, materials come from other Mexican artisan hubs like Oaxaca or Guadalajara, maintaining quality and ethical craftsmanship.
The layout suits practical living, avoiding fleeting trends: two bedrooms in the main house, a guest casita, outdoor areas linked by stone paths, and a woodworking studio integrated into the garage for the owners’ craftwork. The rooftop serves as a quiet lookout with a firepit and Pacific views, while the lap pool faces optimal daylight and is surrounded by native plants, preserving the local ecosystem.
Building in Baja California Sur posed challenges—water scarcity, material access, skilled labor—but the owners’ dedication and the design team’s approach ensured steady progress. Casa Paros stands as an alternative to generic tourism-driven homes, embodying sustainability as a lived value and design as a slow, intentional lifestyle.
For MERCANTIL by Hillary Kent, this project embodies a design philosophy based on dialogue, respect for place, and material excellence. The home layers story, technique, emotion, and climate subtly, aiming not to impress but to invite belonging. The true success is not in admiration for its design but in a desire to stay and dwell peacefully. Casa Paros transcends being just a seaside house; it is a statement of values, merging ethics and aesthetics into a singular experience.
Team:
Interior Designers: Mercantil by Hillary Kent
Construction: Casa Baja Workgroup, Richard Arteaga
Photographer: Tomas Laffavye
Materials Used:
Fabrics by Justina's Blankets, Casa Textil Arte Zapoteco, Sunbrella Mexico, Perennials.
Furniture: MERCANTIL by Hillary Kent
Tile: La Perla Mosaico Artesanal, Todos Santos BCS
Firepit: Chili Boys
Artwork: Galería de Todos Santos, Margarita Ruiz
Plant scaling: Bohemia Verde
