BAI Showcases the Mayan Modernist Dream Home

Edwin and Chris' "Mayan Modernist" home is on this year's BAI Showcase of Homes.
Edwin and Chris’ “Mayan Modernist Dream” is on this year’s BAI Showcase of Homes.

We were excited to meet Ed and Chris, two relatively new Centro residents who have opened their doors to the ticket holders of the 8th Showcase of Homes.

This is Fundación BAI’s most popular fundraiser, a self-guided tour through seven of Mérida’s most fascinating private houses. Yucatán Expat Life is proud to be a Platinum sponsor of this event, as well as its media sponsor.

Ed and Chris’ home is distinctly modern. In fact, we wrote about it here two years ago, when it was on the market.

We had a few questions for the couple now living the dream:

The "Mayan Modernist" home is a BAI Showcase of Homes highlight.
The “Mayan Modernist Dream” is a BAI Showcase of Homes highlight.

Yucatan ExpatSo can you please tell us a little about yourselves: What is your professional background, and where have you lived previously? Are you in Mérida full time?  

Ed: I’m from Goshen, N.Y. My professional background is in pharmaceutical manufacturing, working for Lederle Labs in Pearl River, N.Y.; Barr Labs in Rockland County, N.Y.-Bergen County, N.J., Croatia, and Lynchburg, Va.; and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in Lynchburg, Va. I retired in 2010 and moved to West Palm Beach, Fla.

Chris: I’m from Altavista, Va., and worked in manufacturing at Barr Labs in Lynchburg, Va., and was a wine consultant in West Palm Beach.

Ed: Chris and I moved to Mérida in September 2015, and we classify Mérida as our “full time” residence.

The "Mayan Modernist" home is a BAI Showcase of Homes highlight.
The “Mayan Modernist Dream” is a BAI Showcase of Homes highlight.

Tell us about the house and how you found it. Is it meant for entertaining, or more of a private hideaway? 

We were familiar with the Yucatán. We owned a condo in Cozumel for several years. After watching House Hunters International’s episodes on Mérida, we researched “quality of life aspects” including the homes for sale, and a few days later we came here for a week to look for ourselves. During that time we looked at numerous homes, but decided on our current residence — the one Chris and I really liked when we were looking at Mérida homes for sale. It was listed as “Mayan Modernist Dream.”

Our house is in Santiago, walking distance to all major activities within Centro. The house is a contemporary design, consisting of four buildings. Building No. 1 is the entrance and garage; No. 2 is the formal living room and bath, a second-floor guest bed and bath suite and third-floor rooftop terrace. Building No. 3 has the outside pavilion and kitchen. And the fourth building has the laundry room and master bedroom and bath suite. The entire facade is covered in vines.

The "Mayan Modernist" home is a BAI Showcase of Homes highlight.
The “Mayan Modernist Dream” is a BAI Showcase of Homes highlight.

Did you decorate and renovate it yourselves? 

For the past year we have made numerous upgrades, with some help from designer friends from Palm Beach. The most notable change has been the landscaping which was done by a local designer.

How would you describe your style? What overall effect were you going for? 

Living in Florida we appreciated how our home’s natural environment integrated nature and home as one, and wanted the same in our home here. We got it!

The "Mayan Modernist" home is a BAI Showcase of Homes highlight.
Edwin and Chris put their own stamp on the “Mayan Modernist Dream” home.

What advice do you have for a new homeowner in Mérida who wants to renovate and decorate? 

Don’t assume your real estate agent has your best interest! Do your homework, ask questions, speak to local expats. Surprisingly, this is a “small town” where everyone knows “the good, the bad and ugly.” (Don’t get me wrong; this should always be done whenever/wherever you are buying a home.)

There are great, helpful, honest, real estate agents and contractors here who will do a great job. They are very easily found; just ask!

We love living here.

Yucatán Expat Life is a proud Platinum Sponsor of Fundación BAI and affirms their mission to prevent teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and provide free HIV testing on the Peninsula. 

The 8th Showcase of Homes, a self-guided tour of seven outstanding Centro houses, is 1:30 – 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13.  Buy tickets and a printed map, for a donation of 450 pesos/200 pesos for students, at Hennessy’s, Cantina La NegritaBollicine, Robert Abuda Salon and Kate Miasik Salon, or call 999 292-8436. Tickets are limited in number. 

Fundación BAI’s sponsors

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