Courtyards

I love the Mexican architectural tradition of the inner courtyard, the covered patio, or the giant porch. It's part of this blurring of indoors and outdoors that makes living here so pleasant, because you can sit or eat outside, everywhere, throughout the seasons. Some courtyards are elegant and rambling, lined in stone or carisso, or with adobe walls and exposed bricks. Other courtyards are just an opening cut into the middle of a concrete block. Both are a building's secret buried treasure, where light pour in, and a fresh breeze can enter. If you have a little awning, you can watch the rain from underneath. Our courtyard is a little stark, with tiles and a brick wall, but we have three sliding glass doors to access it, and can basically open up the walls of our living room, dining room and entry way to blend them in with the courtyard. We've filled it with plants and bouncy balls.