California Romantica features the most important, yet rarely seen, residential exemplars of the California Mission and Spanish Colonial styles, by such noted architects as George Washington Smith, Wallace Neff, Richard Requa, Lilian Rice, and Paul R. Williams, among others. From whitewashed stucco walls and cloistered patios to tile roofs and sumptuous gardens, each house shown is a rare masterpiece, splendidly appointed with authentic Monterey furniture, California tile, and Navajo rugs. Among the magnificent seaside estates, canyon villas, and courtyard bungalows shown is Diane Keaton’s former home in Beverly Hills, which she thoughtfully restored with noted designer Stephen Shadley, and for which she has been recognized as a committed preservationist. She brings her cinematic eye, a keen sense of natural drama, and a profound appreciation for the nuances of shadow and light to the elucidation of these buildings, through the selection of specially commissioned photography. Authoritative text by D. J. Waldie lucidly explicates the architecture and provides an intimate tour of a historic and distinctly Californian lifestyle.
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About the Author
Diane Keaton has been recognized for her work in California architectural preservation. She is widely known for her work in theater and film, and has won numerous awards and accolades, including an Oscar for her role in Annie Hall and praise for her work as director of Unstrung Heroes. D. J. Waldie is the author of Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir, which received the California Book Award for nonfiction in 1996, Where We Are Now: Notes from Los Angeles, and co-author of Real City: Downtown Los Angles Inside/Out. He is a regular contributor to Los Angeles Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, L. A. Weekly, and others.
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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
" Diane Keaton's new book, "California Romanica" is a Work of Art !,
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This review is from: California Romantica: Spanish Colonial and Mission-Style Houses (Hardcover)
Speaking as both an artist and a collector of books on Spanish Revival Architecture, I can truly say that Diane Keaton's new book on Spanish Architecture is fabulous! Ms. Keaton and her photographer really captured the unique and splendid features of the style. They have isolated both quiet and monumental vignettes from the homes featured. I would love to see a second book done on other homes. I am building a Spanish Rivival home in Southern Baja and have done alot of research on this style of architecture. Thank you Ms. Keaton.
39 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Photography book more than book on houses,
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This review is from: California Romantica: Spanish Colonial and Mission-Style Houses (Hardcover)
Just a bunch of art photos. Sure, some of them are beautiful. But this book is classified in the home section. If you are looking for ideas or inspiration for your house, this is definitely not the book. Casa California is far better for that purpose. Many of the photos in this book are of a tiny tiny detail. The book itself is gigantic and very heavy. It's a very self-indulgent work by the author and publishing house.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
California Deceptica,
This review is from: California Romantica: Spanish Colonial and Mission-Style Houses (Hardcover)
The review by Judith is right on. This book is a disappointment. I was expecting this book to showcase detailed examples of classic Spanish Colonial Revival homes but it shows very little of the homes at all. Good thing I perused it at the local bookstore instead of buying it sight unseen. The book is a pretentious, abstract study of how the light, shadows, textures, and colors interplay on close-up shots of sections of walls, doors, tile and other small, mostly interior, sections of the houses. The book is too bulky and the photos are not even crisp and clear, but often fuzzy. The white text on black pages is irritating. Each chapter is devoted to a particular house and you can review all of the photos for one chapter and still not know what the house looked like. Plus, all of the houses are devoid of furniture for some reason. The author seems to have a special fascination for boring partial views of empty rooms. To add insult to injury, the last chapter actually consists of dull, boring, underexposed shots of the dark interior of a partially torn down house, apparently being gutted or remodeled, that are better suited for a claims adjuster's file. There are many good books that showcase fine Spanish Colonial Revival architecture with fine photography. This is not one of them. Now I understand why this book does not offer the Search Inside feature.
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