Our Mas Maya journey started on a family holiday to Mexico. We stayed in a lovely place that had Mayan plaster throughout, creating this beautiful seamless flow between inside and out spaces. As interior design-enthusiasts, the material captivated us. Both for its soft aesthetic, naturalness and sustainable properties, but also on a more physical level. It had this uniquely calming, soothing aura that we all felt when we were there, none more noticeably than our young autistic daughter who described how ‘cosy’ she felt as she padded barefoot between rooms. 

On check out, we learned that the plaster was 5 years old and had no maintenance which really surprised us as aside from a few hair-line cracks, it looked super-fresh. An authentic natural microcement like this that was elegant, durable and environmentally-kind was just what we needed for our home and rental properties we were building back in Spain. 

The flight home was an educational crash course in this incredible local material.

Mayan plaster has been around for centuries but the artistry was lost over the years and only rediscovered in the 90s by a local architect. It’s now used extensively in the Yucatan Peninsula as the go-to building material. The university of Granada recently completed a scientific study on the plaster and discovered that its properties mimic that of sea shells and mother of pearl which may account for its natural aesthetic and amazing durability (you can read more about it here).

Back home we considered the option of importing the Mayan plaster to Spain but due to part of the mix being a liquid water mixed with local tree sap, it wasn’t financially or environmentally viable. Instead, with the help of a Mexican chemist with extensive knowledge of Mayan plaster, we created our own formula using locally-sourced, abundant materials - with added plant extracts to further enhance the original formula.

Mas Maya is made in the beautiful spot of Conil de la Frontera, a traditional tuna-fishing town in Andalusia where we have our office, production warehouse and showroom. In the full cycle of our blow-away moment in Mexico, we now have the privilege of witnessing our clients’ genuine physical response to Mas Maya when they walk around our showroom. It’s beyond our wildest dreams…