mexico home decor

A cheerful decorative item but also a symbol of Mexican culture, this recycled paper statuette is the perfect addition to your home decor, bringing a vibrant cultural accent that will captivate anyone. Handcrafted by the Orozco Family, the artwork is a classic Day of the Dead piece, depicting a carmine skull painted with floral details in a colorful palette.

Mexico's pre-Hispanic cultures honored their dead through celebrations and commemorations; after the arrival of the Spaniards, these cultural traditions became fused with the Catholic church's rituals and holidays, notably All Souls' Day in November which is now commonly known as the Day of the Dead. Influenced by these ancestral customs, artisans have been creating handicrafts using skull imagery for centuries. Jesus and Roxana Hernandez of the Mexican state of Oaxaca present this eye-catching skull-shaped home decor piece carved by hand from copal wood. Against a yellow base color, black lines are drawn to simulate a scaly texture, then the skull is further hand decorated with patches of geometric patterns on the top and sides in red, green, and pink. The dark eye sockets and nasal cavities are outlined in blue and green. Two rows of pearly white teeth complete the colorful cranium.

In Mesoamerican belief, the skull is an very important symbol, not only of death as we know it, but also the afterlife. This white ceramic flowerpot by Aldo Alvarez is an interpretation of the Aztec tzompantli, a rack where the heads of sacrificial victims were displayed as an offering to the gods. One can be seen in the Templo Mayor museum in Mexico City.

Artisan Luis Morales of Mexico crafts a charming ceramic Catrina to grace your mantel or shelf. Formed by hand from clay, her homely ensemble is carefully painted in blue and orange with an ivory apron and black shawl. Her hair is braided and she carries a basket of lilies on her back. The elegant figure is based on a satirical etching created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada around 1910-1913. With his etching, Posada poked fun at those Mexican natives who tried to emulate the fashion and habits of the European aristocracy. Today, la Catrina has become the instantly recognizable icon of Día de los Muertos (Mexico's Day of the Dead).

Catrinas are very popular motifs of Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico and that is why Ana Maria Gonzalez chose the cadaveric, yet enchanting character as a theme for her unique decoupage bookmark design. Crafted from coated paper, it features a faux suede cord to keep track of how far you are with your reading.

In Mesoamerican belief, the skull is a powerful symbol, not only of death as we know it but also of the afterlife. This white ceramic flowerpot by Aldo Alvarez is an interpretation of the Aztec tzompantli, a rack where the heads of sacrificial victims were displayed as an offering to the gods. Carrying great cultural richness, the piece has a hole that allows for drainage.

In Mesoamerican belief, the skull is a significant symbol, not only of death as we know it but also of the afterlife. This black ceramic flowerpot by Aldo Alvarez is an interpretation of the Aztec tzompantli, a rack where the heads of sacrificial victims were displayed as an offering to the gods. Carrying great cultural richness, the piece has a hole that allows for drainage.

Day of the Dead is a Mexican celebration renowned around the world for motifs like calacas, which are human skull or skeleton figures painted with lively colors and patterns. Artisan Margarita Revilla crafts and paints by hand this calaca-inspired ceramic magnet in light pink so you can take home a little part of this unique festivity.

Add a cultural touch to your home or office with this pine wood pencil holder. Crafted by Mexican artisan Ana Maria Gonzalez, this handy item features a cheerful decoupage skull in a traditional Day of the Dead multicolor pattern.