Mexican artisan home decor store opens in Corrales

CORRALES — A home decor store is officially open in Corrales with a focus on unique products.

Mi Casita Home Decor, located near Indigo House and Inhabit Galerie off Corrales Road, celebrated its opening Feb. 25.

“Today is really almost a year ago that Francisco and I sat at Ex Novo and had a couple of beers. On the third beer, I decided I was going to open this business. Thirty days after that third beer, I was off to Mexico at a huge artisan fair, and I started my journey meeting the artists, which is a huge concept for me and the store,” owner Gloria Rodriguez said.

She said she is proud as a Mexican-American woman to have those artisan brands available in her store.

“Whether it’s an accent piece, a kitchen tool or an entire collection, Mi Casita offers elegant, hand-crafted items designed to add charm and soul to your living space,” the store’s website states.

It adds that each artisan pours their corazón, meaning heart, into every piece.

The store carries both traditional and contemporary Mexican home décor, as well as pieces that blend the two. The collection includes a variety of categories, including textiles, embroidery, glass, clay/pottery, metal, wood, onyx and marble, palm leaf and corn husk, jewelry and papercraft.

“Mexico’s artisan communities draw on local resources and time-honored techniques to create pieces that reflect both tradition and innovation, and therefore making their craft unique to their location,” Rodriguez states on her website.

Each piece is hand-crafted and not mass produced.

Some items cannot be replaced once sold, especially when artisans live in remote areas with limited access to shipping resources. Rodriguez personally visits local markets, artisan studios, homes and outdoor patios to purchase directly from the makers, ensuring that customers receive “exclusive finds — and the stories behind them.”

“Mi Casita is a place where community comes together to celebrate the beauty of Mexican artesanía and culture,” she said.

Going forward, Rodriguez will host cultural events monthly to celebrate the artists.

“The way I set up the the Mi Casita is to honor the artists from Mexico, and so when you’re buying local, you’re also supporting the families that are making all of these beautiful products. So, I have little bios in the store. I wanted it to be kind of like a museum where you not only go in and buy things, but you learn about the craft,” she said

For information on Mi Casita, visit micasitahomedecor.com.