Everyone reading this should know how uncanny and psychic Maria's design talents are. She brings so much emotional depth to her aesthetic eye. I think she sees the better self we can't always get to but are reaching for. I’ve tried to talk Maria into doing this kind of virtual design as a kind of therapy—don't we all want someone to do this for us? -FG

Maria is wonderful to work with. She has a way of seeing things and a gift in helping you see her vision. She has incredible attention to detail, really cares and really invests to make sure that everything is perfect. -PB

Los trazos de ese hermoso dibujo me hicieron viajar a mi infancia not tan infancia - en un segundo. Amaba tus dibujos. -NR

Veo tu sketchs y te veo a vos! Siempre me acuerdo de vos. -AO

I have always been intrigued by the idea of home—what it means to us, how we create it and how we find more peace and ease within it. Over time, I’ve had the chance to explore these ideas through personal home renovations and by helping others with similar projects of their own.

Like other creative people (I suspect), I’ve held various jobs and roles over the years: in addition to working as a decorator and designer, I’ve also worked as a public school teacher, at nonprofits, as a data collector, as a restorer and reseller of old furniture, as a stay-at-home mom. I’ve also always enjoyed sketching, work I often return to. And words, I have always loved words, both in my native Spanish and in English, the language of my adoptive home for over 30 years now. For a little while, I kept a blog and made some wonderful connections that way.

But of all the jobs I’ve had, I’d say the most meaningful one has been as mama to a beautiful little guy. Traditional school ended up not being a good fit for him and so we eventually found our way back we’d started: at home, where we spent our days quietly pursuing our interests and learning from each other, side by side.

I think one common thread through all these seemingly disparate interests and occupations comes from a deep desire to be of use, and to help and connect with others. I put this website together as a way to remember some of the things I’ve worked on, particularly those that are more visual in nature.

Thank you for stopping by. If you’d like to get in touch, you can reach me at vintagesimple[at]gmail.com.

Just wanted to thank you for all your help over the years. I love my home so much because of your thoughtfulness, your kindness and your incredible talent. Thank you. -CP

I love that you have such a consistent aesthetic across your different mediums. -LM