Desert Style [Hardcover]

Mary Whitesides (Author), Matthew Reier (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 16, 2003

$29.95 hardcover 1-58685-173-X May 8 X 10 in, 144 pp, 140 Color Photographs, Rights: W, Design Desert Style is cool living in hot climates. Based on the idea that a home should exist in harmony with its landscape, author Mary Whitesides shows how materials and textures reflect the land, and how desert hues and cooling tones can be used in beautiful and efficient ways. She discusses how to use flowing and open interiors, patios, and thoughtfully placed windows to extend living spaces outside, enhancing the relationship to the natural world. Desert Style is abundantly illustrated, and offers advice on every aspect of desert living, including building materials, space issues, heating and cooling systems, furniture, paint-even how to choose art that will complement a particular style like Old World Anasazi or High Desert Adobe. Desert Style also includes a section on landscaping and choosing plants for a desert environment, plus information on how to incorporate fountains and reflecting pools into landscaping to create a private oasis for any desert home. With 140 gorgeous full-color photographs of desert homes throughout the high Rocky Mountain deserts and the Southwest, plus a comprehensive resource listing, Desert Style will have everyone heading for drier ground. Mary Whitesides has extensive experience with interior design and home furnishings. She created some of the original interiors at the Sundance Resort and was one of the four founding members of the Sundance Catalog. She is the author of Mountain Style, and lives in Park City, Utah.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Living with the harsh demands of climate and solitude, people have flourished in the desert for thousands of years. Drawing on the rich history of desert-style living, author Mary Whitesides illustrates contemporary desert style in modern desert dwellings. She shows how historic building materials and methods, such as rammed earth and adobe, are combined with modern style and contemporary conveniences. Desert Style examines how exterior design in architecture can create homes that meld with the desert landscape, how materials and textures can reflect the desert, and how color schemes of desert hues and cooling tones can be incorporated into living spaces to create desert style. Indoor spaces and designs are abundantly illustrated, from use of space and materials to create the best heating and cooling for desert homes, to what furniture, paint, and art you should use. Modern art, Old World Tuscany design, Spanish Colonial style, and wrought iron are just a few of the elements that can be combined to achieve the style you want. Open interior spaces, patios, and well-placed windows are incorporated in the design of desert style homes to create openness and to extend living space into the out-of-doors. Water, a precious commodity in the desert, can be used in fountains or reflecting pools whenever possible, to create a sense of oasis in a dry environment. Showing examples of homes throughout the deserts of the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest, the book includes rich full-color photography, a section on desert landscaping, and a resource listing and guide. From an understanding of the philosophy behind desert style, down to incorporating the most specific details, this book explores the many options for creating beautiful, contemporary desert style living.

About the Author

Eminent designer Mary Whitesides has designed everything from interiors and home furnishings to pottery and coffee mugs. Her Peruvian-inspired furniture collections are widely distributed and featured in museums, including the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. In addition, she was one of the four founding members of the Sundance Catalog and a partner in developing the Sundance look, as well as the author of Desert Style, Mountain Style, and Wicker Design for Gibbs Smith, Publisher. She lives in Park City, Utah.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith; 1st edition (April 16, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158685173X
• ISBN-13: 978-1586851736
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,321,558 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great!, March 15, 2007

By 

Isis L. Primus "Isis Primus 'design lover" (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desert Style (Hardcover)

This was also added to my design collection of southwest decorating at its best. This is a very enjoyable book I always look at this for more items for another project. Or just to enjoy what someone else has done to make their living environment lovely.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PERFECT, September 14, 2007

By 

M. Barnum "ptbarney90" (Palm Springs, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desert Style (Hardcover)

This book is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Perfect condition and rapid delivery. Excellent service.