The Ecuador Chronicles - 2010-07
Furniture - Can't Find What You Want;
You Can Always Have it Made;
And What Catalogue is This
There are plenty of furniture stores all over Quito - but sometimes, just like in the US, you can't find just want you want or the exact size you need. In Ecuador there is another good option - you can have furniture made for about the same price as buying from the furniture store. Maestro Julio Espinosa made our bedroom furniture and dining room set. We first met the Maestro before we had finalized the purchase of our apartment at his small store in Colonial Quito. We liked the unique style of his work (he had been trained by a Peruvian Maestro) and the fact that he was willing to build to our size and specifications.
Dining Room Set Made by Maestro Julio Espinosa
By the time we were ready for furniture the Maestro was operating out of his home and furniture shop about 45 minutes east of Quito - he was quite busy without the overhead of a store. So we took our measurements and went to see him. We looked at samples he had, and the Maestro drew diagrams on a scrap of paper. We reached an agreement for furniture for both bedrooms and the dining room set. But the Maestro was not satisfied; he needed to come to the apartment and verify measurements - in particular for the master bedroom we needed to be sure that the queen sized bed and bed side tables would fit in the intended area. Once everything was finalized we had to wait about a month for the furniture to be built.
Master bedroom - Perfect Fit
Guest Bedroom
Muebles Rocio -
An Unexpected Catalogue
We decided that out master bedroom needed a day bed with a pullout bed below. This would provide a place to sit and and to sleep two additional (small) people when needed. We could not find what we wanted in a store so we went to Muebles Rocio on Calle Oriente at Venezuela, only a few blocks from our apartment - known for making metal furniture. We worked with Tania Dial and Tatiana Cejudo to place our order. They turned to the bed section of a well worn catalogue in a plastic binder - we found just the day bed we wanted. The catalogue was in English with a picture and description of each item - and it looked very familiar. I asked Senorita Dial about the catalogue; she gave a vague answer saying they received one every few years. I turned to the front of the book - it was JC Penny, 1994 edition!
Tatiana Cejudo and Tania Dial - Ready to help, with a JC Penny Catalogue
The Maestros at Muebles Rocio can create furniture using the small picture in an old JC Penny catalogue for their design - amazing! And their work turns out great.
Muebles Rocio Maestro in the Metal Works Shop
Metal Pipe Bending Device
More of the Metal Works Shop
Take a Look at the Beautiful Result
Here it is - The Day Bed in Our Master bedroom
On a later trip to Quito we brought a new JC Penny Catalogue for Muebles Rocio. One of the Maestros became very emotional as he looked through the book - he now had access to the latest furniture styles.
Would you like to Visit Ecuador and have Some Furniture Made -
Find out how at Live Well Ecuador: