TOWARD the LIGHT

In the Mexican state of Oaxaca, Will and Kerstin Meyer have designed a vacation home that reflects its coastal setting along with the region's rich artisanal traditions.

- SEAN SANTIAGO

About a half hour south of the Puerto Escondido airport is a stretch of Oaxacan coastline where whale sightings are common and the surf break is world famous. The remoteness of the region is key to its appeal. Architects and designers are drawn to the Mexican state for its deep history of crafts, from villages where weavers have worked for generations to the artist Bosco Sodi's Tadao Ando-designed nonprofit, Casa Wabi.

And while this rugged region may be hard to get to, it's anything but unfamiliar territory to the architect Will Meyer and his wife Kerstin; their sprawling coastal compound occupies a three-acre plot that has been in her family for decades. Based in Nashville most of the year, the couple wanted to create a retreat for themselves and their two teenage children.

The custom table by Arca is surrounded by chairs and a bench by Decova. The lights are by Taller Hormiga.

In the guest wing's lounge, the sofa and chair are by Decova, the cocktail tables are by Arca, the rugs are from Dialecto Puerto Escondido, and the lamp is by Tseebal.