Casa Adobe [Hardcover]

Karen Witynski (Author), Joe P. Carr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 11, 2001

In their third book, authors/designers Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr forage through the mountains of Mexico and the deserts of the American Southwest in celebration of the strength and wonder of adobe design style. From its humble beginnings to its present-day renaissance, Casa Adobe unearths the homes, haciendas, and holiday getaways that have blended handcrafted details, natural materials, and cross-cultural furnishings to express the elegant simplicity of adobe living. Stunning photographs reveal the textures of both traditional and modern homes and the unique marriages between adobe's ancient simplicity and homeowners' eclectic global treasures. The interior design elements-hand-wrought iron chandeliers, punched tin and copper sconces, painted Mexican-country furniture, early American antiques, Navajo textiles, African folk art, contemporary paintings, New Mexican retablos and Pueblo pottery-are at happy communion inside the comfortable surrounds of adobe. Award-winning authors of The New Hacienda and Mexican Country Style Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr were awarded the spring 2000 Pluma de Plata (Silver Pen) from Mexico's Ministry of Tourism. They have been at the forefront of the Mexican design movement for over twenty-five years as designers, importers, and antique dealers. Based in Austin, Texas, Witynski and Carr are the owners of Texture Antiques, a gallery specializing in Mexican furniture, architectural elements, contemporary art, and accents. Individually, Witynski writes on home and garden design for national publications, including This Old House magazine, and Carr designs furniture from recycled Mexican wood. Together, they divide their time between their Austin, Texas home and the Yucatan Hacienda. a> Please visit the author's website for more information on this wonderful book.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Contents Preface Introduction Evolution Textures Interiors & Architectural Elements Surroundings Traditional Adobes Modern Adobes Adobe Escapes Beyond Adobe Building Materials Resources & Travel Guide

About the Author

Award-winning authors Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr have been at the forefront of the Mexican design movement for over twenty-five years as interior designers and antiques dealers. Their Mexican design book series includes six titles: Mexican Country Style, The New Hacienda, Casa Adobe, Adobe Details, Casa Yucatan, and Mexican Details. Based in Austin, Texas, Carr and Witynski are the owners of Texture Antiques, an interior design firm and gallery specializing in hacienda style, Mexican colonial furniture, and architectural elements. Their design work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, and dozens of other magazines and newspapers. Individually, Witynski photographs homes and gardens for national publications and Carr is a hacienda consultant and furniture designer.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith, Publisher; First Edition edition (September 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586850318
• ISBN-13: 978-1586850319
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #570,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Casa Adobe, May 25, 2003

By 

Sara Ramsey (Texas/New Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Casa Adobe (Hardcover)

Casa Adobe is a terrific source book for those contemplating living in an adobe or any other earthen style home. Photographs with informaive descriptions tease the casual reader, while those already familiar with Mexico, Arizona, and the Southwest immediately jump head first into the well-written, beautifully illustrated text. Joe P. Carr and Karen Witynski take you to Sante Fe and the surrounding areas with early photographs of adobe structures. Then you are taken to country and contempory homes and structures that best reflect what Casa Adobe is all about. The last chapter of the book is especially helpful foranyone interested in adobe, stucco, or rammed earth homes. It gives sources and individuals to contact as well as galleries and suppliers. My next purchas will be Casa Yucatan, written and photographed by the same collaborative authors.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review--New Mexico Magazine, June 8, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Casa Adobe (Hardcover)

Many people find the lines and textures of an adobe building at once seductive and compelling. This book is all about the unique aesthetic of houses made of mud. Third in a series of four books on popular residential design in Mexico and the Southwest, this book contains photos of spectacular adobe homes, inside and out, in New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and various places in Mexico.

The book documents the evolution of adobe from its historic past to its most modern applications, including interior details and architectural elements. The authors chose well the buildings they use as examples for their premise that "adobe is an old tradition with a new future," the recurring theme of the book.
--New Mexico Magazine, May 2002

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Happy, August 11, 2008

By 

Stephanie C. Riggs "design book collector" (Tampa, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Casa Adobe (Hardcover)

I purchased this book in Carmel, California. We then moved to Florida and my sons rabbit basically ate the book. I was so upset and thought I would not be able to replace it. I found it on Amazon and purchased it. Of course it was used because you cannot buy it new, but it was in great condition. I collect these types of books and would have been heartbroken if I could not replace it. Thanks Amazon!!