For Her First Renovation, a Mérida Designer Went “Mistake By Mistake”

When architect Aranza García purchased a house in her hometown of Mérida, Mexico, around the corner from Chuch Estudio, her vibrant design manufactory, she went in with a small budget and zero plans or renderings. The home was built sometime in the 19th century, so it took a lot of guesswork to even find the plumbing, and it took time to understand the space before she could begin filling it with the custom furniture and bold colors she’s known for. "It’s my first architectural project, and at first I thought it was going to be a lot easier," says the 25-year-old Dwell 24 alum and September/October 2022 issue cover star. "I thought I’d just paint, change the sink, I don’t know." A crew of contractors located the plumbing; Yucatán humidity required repairing and plastering a few walls. "I thought I was going to do it in, like, three months," she says with a laugh.