GETTING THE LOOK: 1. Cantera rope molding  2. Keystone  3. Arched opening  4. Statue of Jesus Photography by Michael Woodall

When interior designers Michael Barron and Luis Corona of Casa del Encanto Ltd. planned their Mediterranean-style home in Mesa, Arizona, they weren’t quite sure where to display an antique statue of Jesus. But when construction of the home allowed for an open-air walkway connecting the main house to the guesthouse, the two had an idea.

Instead of enclosing the area, they used keystone and cantera molding to build an arched opening, turning an otherwise unimportant space into something extraordinary. With no glass, the “window” created an unhindered view of the garden and became the perfect place to display the statue.

Corona first came across the antique while in Jalisco, Mexico. When he initially tried to purchase it, he was turned down. The statue’s arms were broken, and the sellers insisted on repairing them before the statue could be sold. Adoring its imperfection, Corona refused the repair and was given the antique at no charge. It is now the focal point of the wall and provides a fine story for visitors.

Barron and Corona’s garden was featured in the January 2008 issue of Phoenix Home & Garden [“Heaven on Earth”].