I love going to Mexico for a little burst of sunshine and inspiration in the pit of winter, especially seaside Puerto Vallarta. This year I felt as if I'd discovered something ever so slightly new.

As you may know, Mexico is bursting with color — the streets, the buildings, the interiors, the textiles and the food — all in a way that completely reflects the natural environment. My little part of the Zona Romantica (where Puerto Vallarta began as a fishing village) has never stopped growing and improving, and that warms the cockles of my heart.

What I noticed this year in terms of color was a freshness and nuance in combination and interpretation--it wasn't like everything was just one bright pink. Also, it seems like they're using new paint products of a higher grade, I had to go and touch some of these walls.

My brother Scott asked if I thought the light really is different here and I said yes. It's the climate, the angle of the sun, the Tropical atmosphere, the light bouncing off the ocean that affects the way we see. It's for this reason; too, that I find it so hard to bring these colors back to New York with me, they suddenly seem too bright and out of place. As such, I start browning out my pinks, dirtying up yellows, and graying out my greens to match a Northern urban environment.

(Images: Scott Chamberlain)