I’m Carla Fernandez, an experience designer and social impact strategist living between the Hudson Valley, NY and Joshua Tree, CA.

I started visiting the Mojave Desert and the spectacular Southwest when I moved to Los Angeles at the ripe young age of 21. I made the leap to buy and remodel a home on three acres adjacent to Coyote Hole Conservation Area in 2015, without knowing what was inside of a wall or what natural wonders lived in the surroundings. This place, and the incredible crew who helped revive her, have since taught me that and much more.

This project has been a creative christening and a labor of love. The more time I spend on this land and in this building, the more honored I am to be a part of her next chapter.

I named her after a beloved Fernandez family lullaby, Cielito Lindo. It’s been sung at weddings and funerals and birthdays for farther back than we can trace. To me, it’s all about celebrating even in the midst of heartbreak. My memories here with friends, family, and the quiet of the desert are already achingly beautiful. My hope is that you can create some, too.

You can learn more about my work online, or follow me on Instagram.