Can you design it as my home and as a rental?

That is our specialty. We design a lockable owner's closet for your personal things, specify guest-proof materials, and style the property to perform in listing photography. When you are in town it is your home; when you leave, it is ready to list the same week.

How do I know what I can legally build on my land?

That is the first thing we check, before any design, because it is the most expensive thing to get wrong. The feasibility and site study reviews land use and zoning, the buildable area under COS and CUS, setbacks, slope, access and services, and whether the title is clean. If you have not bought yet, we can run this before you commit to a lot.

How long do building permits really take in Puerto Vallarta?

Plan on eight to fourteen weeks from the moment the construction documents are complete, running in parallel with engineering rather than after it. Timelines differ between the municipality of Puerto Vallarta and Bahia de Banderas in Nayarit, and inside Punta Mita you also clear the resort design review first. Coastal sites in the federal zone add a ZOFEMAT step. We file everything and appoint the DRO.

Do you charge for handling permits and engineering?

Yes, separately and transparently. The hard costs, the municipality, the structural and MEP engineers and the soil lab, are billed at cost with receipts, so you pay exactly what we pay with no markup. On top of that we charge a coordination fee for the work of running them: appointing the DRO, filing the licence, briefing and checking the engineers, and walking the paperwork through the municipality so nothing stalls. You see that fee before we start.

What if I want to change something once construction has started?

Changes you choose are always yours to make. What we work to eliminate is the other kind, changes forced by a drawing that missed something, which is what quietly inflates most builds. We resolve those on paper first, where a change costs an eraser instead of a demolition. Nothing is bought and nothing is changed without your written approval in the portal.

Can foreigners own property in Puerto Vallarta, and does it affect the build?

Yes. Inside the restricted coastal zone, foreign buyers hold title through a bank trust called a fideicomiso. It is set up with a notary and a bank rather than with us, but it has to be in place before permits are filed in your name, so we plan around it and connect you with the notaries and lawyers we work with.

Do you work in Spanish and English?

Both, throughout. Drawings, contracts, reports and site meetings are handled in whichever language you need, and your project manager is bilingual.

INTERIOR DESIGN | PUERTO VALLARTA & RIVIERA NAYARIT

Interior Design in Puerto Vallarta
managed from wherever you are.

Q: Do I need to be in Mexico during the project?

No. Most of our foreign clients visit once or twice, some not at all until delivery day. Everything else happens through your client portal for approvals, budget and photos, scheduled video calls in English, and weekly visual reports.

Q: How does the client portal actually work?

From day one you get access to your project portal. It shows decisions waiting for your approval with photos, options and quotes, your live budget with every expense itemized against what you approved, and this week's progress photos and videos. Nothing is purchased or changed without your written approval in the portal.

Q: Can you just furnish my vacation rental without a renovation?

Yes. Our turnkey furnishing service works on its own: furniture, linens, kitchenware, art and accessories, purchased, delivered, installed and styled for your listing photos, while you track every item and cost in your portal.

You shouldn't need to fly down to oversee your home in Mexico. We design, build and furnish it while you approve every decision — and see every peso — from your own client portal.
Then you just arrive and enjoy.

BOOK A FREE CALL

OUR PROJECTS

Client portal: approvals & live costs

Bespoke Carpentry Workshop

Turnkey — arrive to a finished home

English-speaking team with 10+ years in the field

Quality control and Design fidelity

WHAT OWNERS ACTUALLY WORRY ABOUT

The four questions every foreign owner asks us — answered

We've worked with homeowners from Los Angeles, Texas, New York, Toronto, Montreal, France, and beyond. The questions are always the same. Here's how we've built our studio around them.

I don´t live full-time here. How do I keep control of a project in Mexico?

YOU APPROVE EVERYTHING FROM YOUR PHONE

Nothing gets bought or built without your sign-off. Your client portal shows each decision with photos, options and quotes; you approve in one tap, from anywhere. Weekly photo and video updates mean you see your home take shape without booking a flight.

How: client portal + weekly visual reports + video calls

I've heard horror stories about budgets doubling. How do I know what I'm really spending?

YOUR COSTS ARE LIVE, ITEMIZED AND VISIBLE 24/7

Your portal tracks every expense against the approved budget in real time — materials, furniture, labor, all itemized. If something threatens to move the number, you know before we spend, not after. You never discover the real cost at the end.

How: live budget tracker + change orders approved by you, in writing, always

Who actually does the work?

I don't want to manage five contractors I've never met.

ONE FIRM, ONE CONTRACT, ONE RESPONSIBLE PARTY

We're a design-build studio: the people who design your interiors are the same firm that builds the carpentry, runs the renovation and installs the last lamp. When something needs fixing, there's exactly one phone number to call — ours.

How: design + construction + custom furniture + installation under one roof

Will it survive the coast?

Everything I buy here seems to fall apart in two years.

WE ARE EXPERTS IN MATERIALS THAT LAST

Being born and raised on this coast has taught us — sometimes the hard way — which woods, fabrics, hinges and finishes last in tropical humidity and which look great for one season. Your home is specified to be beautiful in many years, not just on delivery day.

How: tropical-proof material specs + local and international brands we've vetted for years

DESIGNED TO LIVE AND EARN

Live in it half the year. Let it earn the other half.

Our foreign clients don't have to choose: their Vallarta home is where they winter — and a high-performing rental when they're away. We design for both from day one, because retrofitting a personal home into a rental (or the reverse) always costs more.

HOW IT WORKS

YOUR INTERIOR DESIGN IN 4 STEPS

DISCOVERY CALL

A conversation (in-person or via video) to understand your property, lifestyle, and goal: a primary residence, an investment, or a vacation rental.

CONCEPT & PROPOSAL

A transparent, itemized budget and design proposal. You know exactly what is included for your investment.

IDENTITY & DESIGN

A 3D visualization of your space with it´s own identity. Interior construction drawings, custom millwork, and procurement of furniture and FF&E.

INSTALL AND STYLING

We handle installation, furnishing, and final styling. You receive your property ready, showcased through professional photography.

WHAT WE DO FOR YOUR RENTAL

Bernal spaces yield 10–25% higher rental rates, reduce vacancy periods, and attract the ideal clients.

Case Study - Studios Santa Mar

4.94

GUEST FAVORITE AIRBNB

CUSTOM MILLWORK
LOCAL CRAFTSMANSHIP
INTERIOR STYLING
APPLIANCE SELECTION
PURCHASE COORDINATION
8 WEEK DELIVERY

What our clients say...

We are not accustomed to this level of service in Canada, the experience was seamless including all the quotations, reports, and weekly meetings. If we could bring them back home for our home renovation we would.

APT ARIA

Rhino and Julie - Canada - Kitchen Renovation and Interior Design

They are the best! Romel and Manuel did an incredible job, I needed a team that could bring a highly refined aesthetic to my forever home. My friends have named my apartment the "Four Seasons Jungle Retreat"

APT SYBARIS

Darin Slyman - MO - Full Renovation + Custom Carpentry + Interior Design

For my full-house project, I wanted to stay within budget without sacrificing quality. Bernal helped me identify where I could save money and where it was worth spending more for the greatest impact.

CASA VAYU

Denis Ernandes - Los Angeles - Architecture + Interior Design + Custom Carpentry

I didn’t think furnishing my apartment from scratch would be easy, but I ended up having fun with it! Bernal even redesigned the apartment layout, which gave me the kitchen of my dreams. I’m so happy!

APT DEVA

Maria - Puerto Vallarta - Renovation + Finishes + Interior Design

YOUR NEW SPACE STARTS HERE

Your home in Vallarta, finished and ready to live in.

Tell us about your property and your vision for the space. We'll reply within one business day with honest next steps — and show you a live demo of the client portal on our first call.

Reply within 24 hours, in English or Spanish

No fee for the first conversation

Design and furnished, ready to rent or live

Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit & Punta Mita

ABOUT THE DESIGN WORK

Straight answers.

Do I need to be in Mexico during the project?

No. Most of our foreign clients visit once or twice — some not at all until delivery day. Everything else happens through your client portal (approvals, budget, photos), scheduled video calls in English, and weekly visual reports. Many clients tell us they felt more informed than on renovations they did back home.

How does the client portal actually work?

From day one you get access to your project's portal. It shows three things at all times: decisions waiting for your approval (with photos, options and quotes), your live budget — every expense itemized against what you approved — and this week's progress photos and videos. Nothing is purchased or changed without your written approval in the portal.

How do payments work from the US or Canada?

We work with a clear payment schedule tied to project milestones, agreed in writing before we start, and we'll walk you through the standard options for paying into Mexico. Every payment appears in your portal against its milestone.

What does interior design cost in Puerto Vallarta?

It depends on scope. Full interior projects (design + custom furniture + installation) for an apartment typically start around $300,000 US; turnkey furnishing packages for rentals are quoted per room. On our first call, we'll give you a realistic range for your specific property — and once you approve a budget, the portal holds us to it.

Can you just furnish my Airbnb without a renovation?

Yes. Our turnkey FF&E service works on its own: furniture, linens, kitchenware, art, and accessories — purchased, delivered, installed, and styled for your listing photos, while you track every item and cost in your portal.

How long does it take to design, furnish, and deliver a complete interior project?

It depends on the project. The design phase can take anywhere from 3 weeks for a two-bedroom apartment to 8 weeks for a full villa. Installation and furnishing usually take 6 to 12 weeks, especially when custom furniture needs to be imported or fabricated.