Global Style: Casamidy

The brainchild of creative husband and wife team Anne-Marie Midy and Jorge Almada, Casamidy is a thriving homewares business in the picturesque Mexican hilltop town of San Miguel de Allende – a place rich in craft and artisanal businesses.

Anne-Marie, previously a graphic designer who worked for Martha Stewart Living magazine, grew up in Paris and met Mexican Jorge in the US, where they were both studying at the time. With a passion for design, the couple married and moved to San Miguel de Allende, where they discovered a wealth of traditional craftsmen skilled in working with iron, leather and tin.

Casamidy was founded in 1998 and has since gone on to be renowned for its elegant global aesthetic. From baroque hacienda-style mirrors to brightly coloured metal Louis XVI armchairs and weathered and worn Moroccan side tables, the brand reworks traditional Mexican aesthetics to create unique pieces that would just as easily suit a London pied-à-terre, a grand Fifth Avenue apartment, or a southern California Spanish-style ranch.

“We tend to design from a very personal perspective, and our products tend to be either inspired by life, travel or an artisan's unique talent in a given material,” says Jorge. “We also don't believe that modernism is the only way to achieve a simple interior. What we try to do is create designs that are contemporary yet handmade. It is the handmade quality that we feel enables our furniture to be mixed with any style of interior.”

After more than a decade in San Miguel de Allende, the couple relocated to Brussels, hoping to expand their business abroad and give their family the added experience of living in a European city. “We chose Brussels because of the multi-linguistic qualities for our sons and because of Belgium’s strong design aesthetic. It felt like an adventure!”

Alongside the success of Casamidy, the couple have expanded the business to include an interior design consultancy, which marries their irreverent aesthetic and skill at creating customised gems. A further extension of their style are the beautifully decorated apartments in Brussels, Paris and Mexico - some of which are available for rent.

Each apartment is a striking blend of history and modern style, boasting contemporary furniture lines and artisanal objects, as well as gorgeous textiles, artworks and antiques in striking colour combinations.

When choosing colours for an interior, the couple have a philosophical view. “We believe each house has colours that it will either naturally accept or reject… and besides that, natural light has much to do with how we use and select colours.”

If you don’t plan to be in Mexico or the Continent, here are three decorating ideas to steal from this stylish duo:

[1] We love the way Jorge and Anne-Marie pair hand-crafted designs with bright and contemporary colours. We think a fresh blue paint like Storm, or Tangerine, both See In The Dark from Fired Earth's new The Paint Collection, paired with special souvenirs from your travels and vintage finds, is a great way to get the look.

(firedearth.com)

[2] If a bright palette seems too much for your space, take inspiration from Casamidy's use of Mediterranean colours and use of leather. Their soothing tones are a wonderful way to warm up any European interior and give it a time-worn charm.

[3] Like Jorge and Anne-Marie, mix metals into your décor scheme – opt for metal-finish side tables over the usual wood, go for gilded frames for your art, and pewter accessories and décor. They all work to create wonderful reflections and a sense of luxury in your interior.

(casamidy.com)