The Owners Loved Their Home's 1960S Architecture, But It Felt Too Serious — Look What They Did Instead
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A young couple in Mexico City asked architect Andrés Gutiérrez to make their inherited 1962 home feel more playful without losing its modernist character. The renovation restored original elements, including the living-room library, and added colorful interiors, Mexican-made furniture and art by Mexican creatives.

Architect Andrés Gutiérrez has reworked a 1962 modernist home in Mexico City’s San Ángel neighborhood for a young couple who inherited it, preserving parts of the original architecture while giving the interiors a more colorful, contemporary character. Livingetc’s report describes a project that restored the home’s library concept and used Mexican-made furniture and artwork to connect the owners’ tastes with the house’s history.

The house was designed by mid-century architect Jaime Ortiz Monasterio. According to Livingetc, the owners valued the building’s architectural heritage but felt its interiors were too serious for them. They hired Gutiérrez, founder of A-G estudio, to make the home feel younger and more personal without discarding its original character.

The redesign retained the floors and extensive woodwork where possible. Gutiérrez said some timber was replaced and the window frames and glass were renewed. The project also brought back the living room’s nearly floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, which had been removed by previous owners, restoring the library as a central feature.

The new interiors combine lilac rugs and sofas, duck-egg-colored walls and pea-green upholstered chairs with sculptural furniture. Livingetc reports that all the furniture was made in Mexico, including pieces by designers and studios such as Antonio Attolini Lack, Ad Hoc, Bibi Bibi and Comité de Proyectos. Some pieces were customized, while Gutiérrez designed several items himself. The artwork is also by Mexican creatives.

At a glance
reportWhen: Renovation details reported by Livinget…
The developmentLivingetc reported on architect Andrés Gutiérrez’s renovation of a 1962 Mexico City home, balancing preservation of its original design with a brighter, more personal interior.

Preserving the House While Changing Its Mood

The project shows one approach to updating a home with a strong architectural identity: change the experience of its rooms without replacing the features that give the building its character. Here, the reported work focused on restoring the library and retaining important materials while changing the furnishings, colors and artwork.

That distinction matters to owners who inherit or buy historically significant homes. A renovation can express a new household’s preferences without treating the original architecture as an obstacle. Gutiérrez’s account also highlights how locally made furniture and art can contribute to a contemporary interior without relying on decorative clichés about national identity.

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A San Ángel Modernist House

San Ángel is an affluent Mexico City neighborhood known for colonial architecture as well as modernist landmarks, including the house-studio associated with Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, according to the source report. The renovated home’s 1962 design places it within the neighborhood’s modernist history.

Gutiérrez told Livingetc that the owners wanted a distinctly Mexican identity but did not want the design to fall into folkloric clichés. He described research and engagement with Mexican culture as part of his design process. In this house, the report points to locally produced furniture and art, along with works referencing the country’s pre-Hispanic past, as elements of that approach.

“They wanted to take away some of its seriousness and make it feel younger, fresher, and more reflective of who they are.”

— Andrés Gutiérrez, architect and founder of A-G estudio, speaking to Livingetc

Renovation Scope and Timeline

Livingetc’s account does not provide a completion date, renovation budget or full construction schedule. It also does not specify how much of the original building fabric was replaced beyond noting work on some timber and the renewal of window frames and glass. The report presents the owners’ goals and the architect’s description of the work; it does not include separate comments from the owners or an independent assessment of the renovation.

No Further Project Milestones Reported

The available source is a feature report on the completed design, not an announcement of work still underway. It gives no upcoming construction milestone or planned follow-up from the owners or architect. Further details about the renovation’s cost, timing and the extent of repairs would require additional information from the project team.

Key Questions

Where is the renovated home?

It is in San Ángel, Mexico City, a neighborhood with both colonial and modernist architecture.

Who designed the original house?

The home was designed in 1962 by architect Jaime Ortiz Monasterio, according to Livingetc.

What original features did the renovation retain or restore?

Gutiérrez said the project kept the floors and much of the woodwork, replaced some timber, renewed window frames and glass, and restored the living room’s floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

How did the redesign add a more playful character?

The interiors use bold colors, sculptural furniture and Mexican artwork. The report names lilac, duck-egg and pea-green tones among the palette.

Were the furniture and artwork made in Mexico?

Livingetc reports that all furniture was manufactured in Mexico and that the artwork is by Mexican creatives. The article names several Mexican designers and studios whose pieces appear in the home.

Source: rss

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