Maye Ruiz Discusses Red, Design, and Inspiration

Interior designer Maye Ruiz, known for her vibrant and eclectic style, shares insights into her creative process, personal inspirations, and deep connection to the color red. Ruiz emphasizes the power of color in design and daily life, revealing how it shapes her artistic vision and brings energy to her projects and personal spaces.

The Enduring Power of Red in Design and Life

Maye Ruiz's personal and professional identity is strongly linked to the color red. She describes it as her primary style signifier. This connection extends beyond aesthetics, influencing her mood and energy levels.

According to Ruiz, she always incorporates something red into her attire. This could be a purse, earrings, or even red socks paired with a white dress. She enjoys combining red with seasonal colors such as blue, butter yellow, or brown, creating dynamic visual effects.

Her relationship with red evolved over time. As a child, her clothing was chosen by her mother and was very feminine. Later, blue became her favorite color. However, when she began wearing red, she felt a shift. She experienced a sense of increased power and confidence.

"When I started wearing red, I felt more powerful. The more I wore it, the more I realised it matched my soul and spirit. It sounds crazy because it’s just a colour, but it gives me support and energy. Now I’m too attached to it. I think I have a codependency with red."

This deep attachment highlights the psychological impact colors can have on individuals, reflecting personal identity and emotional support.

Mexican Craftsmanship and Urban Contrasts

Ruiz's design work often features artisanal elements, particularly tiles. She expresses a strong preference for handmade tiles due to their inherent imperfections, which she finds appealing. This appreciation for local craftsmanship is evident in her projects.

She uses tiles in unconventional ways, such as tiling side tables or pedestals, demonstrating her creative approach to traditional materials. Her home in San Miguel de Allende features a wicker chair called La Tuna, designed by Mestiz, her husband’s furniture brand. This chair is named after the fruit of the Nopal cactus, a symbol found on Mexico’s national emblem.

Mexico City holds significant personal meaning for Ruiz. She lived there for nearly five years and considers it her favorite city globally. Despite the heavy traffic, she recalls her time there fondly.

Ruiz loves the city’s contrasts and layers, noting that many elements tell a story. She appreciates finding highly decorative buildings next to more worn-out facades. During her time in Mexico City, she photographed what she called "shitty" places—graffitied walls or street food stalls—finding a unique magic and accidental beauty in them.

Playful Design and Bold Color Choices

Ruiz's design philosophy centers on playfulness and the unexpected. She believes in combining elements that might not theoretically work together but create an eclectic and fun aesthetic. This includes mixing inexpensive art with costly pieces.

A key aspect of her approach is encouraging people to be bold with color. She suggests painting all walls and ceilings, even in unconventional shades. Many people are hesitant to use strong colors, preferring neutral tones like beige.

However, Ruiz argues that neutrals often highlight imperfections and require more effort and budget to complete a room. In contrast, well-chosen, vibrant wall and ceiling colors can transform a space, even with simple furniture.

• Bold Color Choices: Painting walls and ceilings in colors like butter yellow, mint green, dark burgundy, or brown.
• Immediate Impact: These colors can drastically improve a room's appearance, making it feel more finished and inviting.
• Reduced Effort: Strong colors can minimize the need for extensive decorating or expensive furniture.

Her own home features unique pieces, including a diptych by the artist duo Celeste and an ’80s Bialetti Roma coffee maker, inherited from her father.

Influences and Personal Habits

Maye Ruiz draws inspiration from various sources, including fashion icons and filmmakers. Leandra Medine Cohen, founder of the former blog Man Repeller, is a style icon for Ruiz due to her bold and experimental fashion sense. She also admires Spanish entrepreneur Blanca Miró Scrimieri, who offers a distinct, less overtly 'sexy' style.

Film director Pedro Almodóvar is a significant reference point for Ruiz. She notes that red is a prominent color in his films, often worn by his main characters. Engaging with his work made her feel like a character in one of his movies.

"Pedro Almodóvar is my biggest reference – I feel like a character in his films."

She particularly loves the Gerrit Thomas Rietveld Utrecht chairs in his film Pain and Glory, and the olive-green velvet sofa with burgundy piping from The Skin I Live In. The Miquel Navarro sculptures in Julieta also captivate her.

Beyond design and fashion, Ruiz has several personal habits and preferences. Her fridge is always stocked with various cheeses, and she has an current obsession with capers, which she enjoys on toast with tuna and cream cheese. Coriander, a staple in Mexican cuisine, is also a constant in her kitchen, used to enrich dishes.

Leisure, Wellness, and Unwavering Attachments

Ruiz enjoys a range of leisure activities. She is an avid player of Continental Rummy, a card game similar to Rummikub but played with multiple decks. She describes herself as highly competitive during games, sometimes becoming like a "villain." These game nights are often held at a friend's house, complete with snacks and wine.

Her wellness routine includes regular deep-pressure massages every two weeks to relieve shoulder tension from working. She also practices EMDR therapy, a trauma release technique, finding it effective for processing memories and understanding emotional triggers.

If her house were burning, the one item she would save is her copy of The Pedro Almodóvar Archives. This underscores the profound impact Almodóvar's work and the color red have on her life.

Ruiz also cherishes a painting of red carnations by her great aunt, a piece she acquired after her aunt's passing. She feels a strong connection to the painting, believing the red carnations perfectly represent her.

In terms of personal style, rings and earrings are essential accessories. She will return home if she realizes she has forgotten to wear them, even if it makes her late. Her wedding ring, made of silver by Mauricio Martínez Larsen, reflects her preference for the metal, which holds historical significance in her home state of Guanajuato.

A simple indulgence she never foregoes is French fries, particularly wedges with plenty of salt. She finds them an immediate mood booster on a bad day. Her most recent clothing purchase was a versatile animal-print skirt from Bimba y Lola, which she notes pairs well with red and can be dressed up or down for various occasions, from meetings to casual outings.

Spending around 500 Mexican pesos (approximately £20) on flowers is another favorite activity. She enjoys arranging bouquets, finding it a peaceful and present moment away from digital distractions. Her current favorites include exotic red anthuriums, birds of paradise (her mother's favorite), and calla lilies.

Her living room is her favorite space at home, mainly because of her library. She enjoys rearranging books and objects on the shelves. As an extroverted person, she loves hosting guests in this social hub, where they can drink, talk, listen to music, and browse books together.