Edward Holler and Samuel Saunders have made such a name for themselves in Mexico that their contacts down there have coined a phrase for them: Aqui viene el drama, meaning "Here comes the drama."
Which is not to say that the couple ham it up, but rather that when it comes to the furniture and antiques they're seeking for their business, Holler and Saunders Ltd., theatrical is their thing.
And so it is with their own home, a rambling estate of more than 70 acres and 30 rooms - main house plus three guest houses plus warehouse - in Nogales, Ariz.
Rock-star lavish and brightly baronial with a regal air, each building heaves with antiques and art mainly from Mexico and South America. It's not only a reflection of their exuberant tastes but a showcase for their business. Ninety percent of the furniture, art and artifacts is for sale.
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The soft-spoken Holler has been in the business for 50 years, supplying mainly designers, architects and store owners with one-of-a-kind pieces from far-flung places with price tags that can reach high into the five figures.
After five decades and a lot of poking around in remote places, is it harder to find gems?
Yes, says Holler. "But it's more fun for me because when you find something you sort of celebrate."
They go on their annual shopping adventure from May to October. They have tipsters all over: people who tell them of antiques or artifacts that come on the market, and of historic haciendas whose contents are going up for sale.
Holler's guided tour of his own home takes some time. He stops to talk about two 17th century portable desks, the precursors of today's laptop computer, and the 50 or so tea-leaf storage jars he's collected from South America. He expounds on the background of an ornately carved, beeswax-covered cabinet from the 1700s. He patiently explains the architectural style called earthquake baroque, built to withstand natural disasters.
Holler inherited the land, which was originally homesteaded by his great-grandfather Karl (Charles) Holler. Karl bought the original 160 acres in 1884. Edward Holler started building his own house in 1968, and added on bit by bit.
Mexican colonial in style and built of adobe, its focal point is the swimming pool and leafy poolside area. The home's balconies, huge glass doors and terraces are all directed toward this area. Inside, the place is its own castle: a weaving journey of rooms, steps and staircases.
They include: a TV room (only Holler and Saunders could surround a massive projector screen with an ornate gold frame); a long rectangular living room; and another seating/dining room with wide balcony and beamed ceiling.
The only room that jars is the tiny galley kitchen. That's because the couple neither eat in the house nor cook. They have reserved one of the guest houses purely for dining, where their cook caters for them.
Another guest house holds their offices and some glamorous photographs from their decades here.
Like many in the interior design field, the partners' business has been slowed by the recession, but also by the drug troubles south of the border and around the Arizona-Mexico border.
They sold a property they owned in Mexico; Holler says they could no longer suffer the drug problems down there.
Last year they opened a small shop in Tubac that serves mainly as a showroom (Holler opens it up only occasionally). On the door is a sign that says: Nogales, U.S.A, not Mexico."
Buy one thing you love
When Edward Holler started collecting his own furniture, he made do before he could afford the best. "The first room we built we had milk crates that we painted for chairs."
His interior design advice: "Buy one good piece, the one thing you really love."
Contact Holler and Saunders Ltd. at 1-520-287-5153 or visit www.hollersaunders.com
Contact freelance writer Gillian Drummond at gcdrummond@aol.com. For more on her visit with Edward Holler, read her blog at www.homeisafourletterword.com