Bold Colors, Playful Shapes, Handmade Textures: This Mexico City Home Is 100% Joyful!

ABOUT THIS TOUR

HOME TYPE: Apartment

LOCATION: Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, Mexico

STYLE: Contemporary, Organic Modern

BEDROOMS: 3

SQUARE FEET: 1185

“My work blends design and storytelling — each piece has a bit of humor, emotion, and personality,” begins Joy Valdez, the founder and creative director of Joyful Objects, Yes!, a Mexico City-based design studio known for creating “collectible furniture and art objects that celebrate joy, craft, and color.”

A person sitting in a wooden chair, holding a mug, with a decorative wall art, plants, and unique decor items around. — Credit: Leela Cyd

“I love personalizing everything around me: my home, my furniture, even the smallest details,” writes Joy Valdez, who shares this 1185-square-foot live/work space she’s been renting for three years with her husband, Gil Caro, and their dog, Zac, and cat, Vito.

Cozy living space featuring a light blue wall, woven furniture, a potted plant, and decorative art. — Credit: Leela Cyd

“I believe objects should feel alive and carry the maker’s signature energy. Nothing I design is ever just ‘functional’ — it has to have a story, a wink, a heartbeat.”

A black cabinet with a scalloped top stands on tiered legs, next to a woven chair and a white dog resting on the floor. — Credit: Leela Cyd

The light of this space — located in Mexico City’s San Miguel Chapultepec neighborhood — is what initially caught Joy’s attention. “It has these huge windows that flood the space with sunshine all day long — which immediately made it feel alive,” she writes. “The terrazzo floor was another big reason I fell in love with it. It’s such a beautiful, artisanal material that you rarely find in modern apartments anymore.”

Two colorful chairs, one blue and one green, beside a black speckled table with a vase of flowers, and a wavy mirror on the wall. — Credit: Leela Cyd

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“I also loved how open it felt — the studio and kitchen flow together like one big canvas,” she continues. “From the start, I could imagine filling it with my furniture, my objects, and my energy. It felt like the perfect place to create, to live, and to make everything completely mine.”

Colorful kitchen countertop with green tiles, various bottles, and decorative items, including a red vase and wooden spoons. — Credit: Leela Cyd

Before the creative couple moved in, Joy describes the space as feeling like “an old soul — a bit dated, but full of charm. The architecture still had beautiful vintage details like terrazzo floors and a stone-textured wall from the ’80s and ’90s. It had good bones and a lot of light, but it was waiting for a new story.”

Wooden side table with pink glittery legs, decorative plants, and a small figurine on top. — Credit: Leela Cyd

Today, Joy says her home is very much an extension of her design work and ethos. “[I]t’s joyful, personal, and full of character,” she writes. “Every corner has something I’ve designed or customized. I like mixing bold colors, playful shapes, and handmade textures that tell a story. It’s not about perfection; it’s about emotion.”

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