Coffee Mill Conversion
Designing and transforming this old coffee mill into a bright, two-bedroom loft has been an absolute joy. From the very first day on the raw construction site to the moment we crafted the last piece of furniture, every step has been a hands-on adventure.
Set deep in the Guatemalan jungle, the project embraced the reality of working with scarce but noble local resources. Every beam, shutter, and joint was handmade with the help of a small sawmill and an extraordinary self-taught carpenter—an artisan whose mastery goes far beyond words on a page.
The tropical climate brought its challenges, but nature itself guided the solutions. Instead of glass, all the window frames carry mosquito nets, allowing natural ventilation to flow freely throughout the space. The new extension—home to the kitchen and living area—was lifted off the ground to avoid humidity and to keep the structure cool and dry.
This extension also opens onto a balcony with a direct view into the jungle, overlooking the coffee patio where coffee—or sometimes rice—dries slowly under the sun before being processed. It’s a quiet, grounding moment in the project, connecting the home back to the rhythms of the land around it.
The entire extension is built from fallen trees gathered from the surrounding forest: mahogany, conacaste, ron, maría cacao, cedar, teak, San Juan, Santa María… A rare privilege to work with such beautiful tropical woods, each with its own colour, scent, and character. Generous overhangs protect the house from rain and sun, while thoughtful solar shading keeps the bedrooms cool and comfortable.
Inside the existing coffee-mill warehouse, we created two well-proportioned bedrooms and a bathroom, all featuring open wardrobes that allow clothes to breathe—another simple, climate-friendly solution. The roof is made of white thermo-acoustic aluminium sheeting, which extends outward to form protective overhangs around the home.
Every detail of the interior was designed and built on site: the cedar-and-mahogany kitchen, the pendant light, the chairs, the sofa, the shelving—every piece carries the touch of the jungle and the hands that shaped it. The built walls are finished in local limewash, adding softness, brightness, and a sense of place.
This project is a celebration of craft, resourcefulness, and the unique beauty of building with and within nature.