Isabel

From Josie,

 

Isabel de los Rios, was a mixed race woman in 1600s St. Augustine who baked and sold pastries and honey throughout the city. She created an empire at a time when it was just about impossible for a woman or a mixed race person to do so. When I discovered her I was building my own little empire and I wanted her to be a part of it. 

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This room carries her spirit. She was also refined, powerful and feminine.​​

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This room was the original sitting room for the house when it was built in 1920. The kitchenette built-in used to be a doorway to the kitchen.

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The tile mosaic took me 157 hours. I thought it would just be busting up some tiles and making a puzzle, but I had never tiled anything before the inn and had no idea what I was doing. Every single edge of every single tiny piece of tile was sharp and had to be shaved for your protection, and mine. It turned out to be a very rare and meditative time during the remodel and I cherish it greatly for that.

 

In the end it was the hardest parts of the remodel that I always ended up liking the most~the wall in Castillo, the tiles in Fiel and Firme, the wood accents in Peli. Life is funny like that.

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The breathtaking painting of the angel on the built-in was done by a super talented local artist and Flagler student named Katie Speakman. Check her out!

I once told a guest they could take a bath in Isabel, while their partner showered next to them and they sent me a photo of this (only heads showing) and sometimes I love my guests so much I can barely stand it. 

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