Tulum, Mexico
Once a small fishing village, Tulum has recently become a top tourist destination and the fastest growing city in Latin America. Home to miles of pristine beaches, exotic wildlife, and the world’s largest underground river system, people come from far and wide to experience the Riviera Maya's trendy, ecological attractions.
Clients
We service Tulum's international property owners who either don't have the time, inclination, or design prowess to create a competitive vacation rental.
Our units are defined by a simple, modern style with a local, Tulum-leaning vibe. Detraform creates spaces that are luxurious, cozy, and durable, and that will sing in your listing photos.
Process
We start with an initial upfront payment and a launch meeting where we define your budget, timeline, tastes and settle on a design personality for your space. You can stay at home doing what you do, while Detraform takes care of the research, orders, custom furnishings, logistics and final set up on location in Tulum.
Our units include:
Luxury mattresses paired with feather pillows, feather duvets, and fine linens from our distributor in Mexico City.
Custom, made-to-order furniture pieces from our local partner carpinteria in Tulum. Our designs use solid, jungle hardwood that is durable and performs well in Tulum's tropic humidity.
Factory made statement sofa with plush, deep seats and durable, designer dining chairs, delivered from Playa del Carmen.
Cozy and considered, custom-made lighting features by Detraform using local artisanal products.
Fully stocked kitchen with products focussed on durability while highlighting Mexican design.
Tropical plants and custom planters.
Wall art produced by local Tulum painters and of course mandatory macramé from area artisans.
Bonus features for larger budgets can include soft palm leaf baskets from the Sierra Tarahumara, fine textiles from Oaxaca, vintage design items from Mexico City, Tushy bidets from the US, a reverse osmosis water filter for drinkable tap water and more.
Interior design and project management
Prices starting at:
Two Bedroom / two bath / balcony
Flat Rate Design Fee starting at:
$8000 USD
Furnishing Budget starting at:
$35,000 USD
Do you need help with a project?
Detraform is a multi-disciplinary design agency, founded by creative director Joel Blair, located in Montreal & Mexico City. Joel’s work has been featured in Monocle, Wallpaper and Wired magazines. He’s been an Airbnb Superhost for 8 years.
Leading our projects is Mexican interior designer Karla Castelan, based in Guadalajara & Mexico City. Karla brings her experience of the best local artisans and industry resources for a speedier project delivery. Karla’s work is focussed on the hospitality industry and vacation rentals.
FAQ
+ Why do I need a designer?
There's a lot of inventory coming onto the vacation rental market as more and more developments are completed in Aldea Zamá. To get a good return on investment you need a space that attracts international, design-conscious travellers. You can do it yourself but keep in mind doing business in Tulum can be complicated and frustrating until you learn the ropes. When you commission Detraform we'll make the process smooth and fun, while delivering your finished space on schedule.
+ What is your timeline to complete a project?
Our timeline depends on the season but you can expect three months to get things right.
+ Why do you charge a flat fee?
Many interior designer's fee is based on a percentage of your total furnishing cost. We believe this fee structure creates a conflict of interest where your designer is incentived to push you towards the most expensive pieces and has no motivation to find cost effective design solutions.
Detraform charges a flat fee for each project so you know exactly what your design cost is before we begin.
+ How "flexible" is the furnishings budget?
Aldea Zamá is the most expensive development area in Tulum. Great design will guarantee that you can rent your unit at the highest price while adding value to your investment. Your big ticket items are quality mattresses, the sofa, and window treatments. Beyond those items, there's lots of opportunity to find creative solutions for a tight budget.
Once we get started, your furnishings and accessories are charged at cost (with no commissions or kickbacks creating extra income for Detraform).
We're transparent with prices throughout the project. You can expect several budget approvals along the way so you'll never get surprised by costs.
+ I need a property manager.
You sure do. We work closely with our boutique property management partner Tulum Traveler. They are Airbnb Super Hosts that treat their client condos like their own home. Tulum Traveler can take care of all the legal work, utilities set up and local complications before the design phase, then manage photography, listing and ongoing Airbnb hosting afterwards. Their current rentals outperform competing Aldea Zamá rentals and they do business with transparency and integrity.