Customer Reviews

The Home Within Us: Romantic Houses, Evocative Rooms

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book gives a lovely glimpse of the select output from architect Bobby McAlpine and his firms. His body of work is more akin to a talent and style not seen since the early last century with architects like Harrie Thomas Lindeberg or Mellor, Meigs & Howe. These are gracious, intricate, lovely and very inviting structures inside and out.

He's been served well by clients who must have the resources to build such structures and more importantly appreciate the stately old world feel. Not a hint of McMansion or chest-thumping loud architecture that so many homes of today sadly exude. McAlpine could design and build a dog house and I suspect it would be more visually inviting then most homes, even those of the 'well heeled', built in the last 50-years.

A comparable contemporary firm would be Fairfax & Sammons, who also have had a book issued in the last decade on their output. If you have that publication you'll certainly appreciate this one.

Some publications such as Southern Accents and Veranda have showcased his work (he's been based in Alabama) but otherwise he's not receiving the widespread accolades he deserves. Perhaps this book will change that. 'The Home Within Us' is not without some quirks - no detail accompanies the homes shown so no idea when they were built or even where they stand. Some of the pictures appear to have been sourced from prior photo shoots so sometimes the pictures themselves look dated. And perhaps a good thing as it reflects well on what he's accomplished I was hungry to see even more exterior and facade detail shots.

Have long been an admirer of Bobby McAlpine and have wished he would publish a book. This is marvelous and has already become one of my favorites. Several but not all of the houses shown were previously published in Southern Accents and elsewhere -- and it is wonderful to have them together here with the author's narrative. One of the things that makes this book especially interesting is the feature on the architect's own house which is shown in three quite different iterations. It is fascinating to see how the same space looks dressed in three quite different schemes.

McAlpine's narrative relates some of his design choices, for example, the preference for a smaller entrance at the side of the house rather than the grand center entrance, the interest in natural stone and limed antiqued wood, and patina of all sorts. McAlpine gave me a real appreciation for the use of dark. Seeing these rooms, I understood that one does not require pastel walls to have an experience of light in a room -- on the contrary, sun flowing into a room with dark walls can render a much richer experience of light. Seeing his rooms in the eighties gave me the courage to paint the light walls of my sunroom dark, dark green, and I have loved it. Of course McAlpine is not unique in using dark, but he has done it so skillfully and compellingly.

If you like patina'ed surfaces, stone and brick, dark, dare I say, somewhat masculine and oversize furnishings, nuanced colors, antiques -- if you like Saladino and Tarlow and VerVoordt -- you will most likely enjoy this book.

If you loved John Saladino's book, Villa, you will love, The Home Within Us, by Bobby McAlpine. This most wonderful book is filled with homes that are timeless, worldly, romantic, soothing, and have a sense of history. I love the juxtaposition of rustic wood and stone with velvet and crystal shown throughout the book. The rooms are peaceful. They are not over-decorated, but warm and interesting. Each item, whether chair, urn or sconce, is art. Beautifully done. Recommended

I admire McAlpine's work and this book features many dreamy homes. The written pages are very poetic and thought-provoking...reflecting upon the power of purpose residential design. The photographs of the featured homes are fabulous. I was disappointed because there were no floorplans, and some of the most exciting homes only tease you with a limited number of photos (i.e. the chapter called "Friendship" features a home that I'd really like to know better, but there is only one view of the front, a close-up of a window, one small view of a porch, and a picture of the garden shed). It left me daydreaming of beautiful homes, but feeling a bit cheated.

THE HOME WITHIN US: ROMANTIC HOUSES, EVOCATIVE ROOMS is far more than another fine Rizzoli book on architecture. This is a collection of the art of Bobby McAlpine, a meditation on the impact the space where we live has on our peace of mind and our sense of art and beauty. Written by both McAlpine and Susan Sully, this elegant book, photographed splendidly by Mick Hales, explores homes that bear the imprint of McAlpine. The homes range in architectural types and sizes, but there is a constant present: good taste and quality craftsmanship are married to interior design that shows a profound respect for the building itself and the lines of the design created either by McAlpine or simply enhanced by his impeccable taste.

Homes such as these may not strike the viewer immediately as 'noticeable houses', but that is also part of the designer's drive: let the dwelling speak for itself, opening the structure to interpretation of romantic concepts. He is as likely to appreciate the rooflines and the shingles that cover those roofs as he is to praise the approach of the entry ways of these homes - welcoming parlors that invite the guest to enter and grow to know the secrets of the home. For McAlpine each home he shares has great significance and he sees his mission as one to enhance the lines, the atmosphere, and the comfort of the home as a palace of solace. This is a poetic book, written in a style that in not only interesting but also endearing, a book that invites repeated readings and motivation to re-think our own domiciles. Grady Harp, August 10

A very insightful, and entertaining "coffee table" design book - but aside from the stunning photography -- also a penetrating look into the life and ideas of one of America's leading residential architects. Five stars!

Great book on possibly the top architect in the Southeast US. I had a lot of the pictures in magazines but also a lot of new ones . Well worth buying.

The work is very good. Especially the architecture.
The interior design is very complete and well done.

But the style is an interpretation of John Saladino's work; and it's basically repeated for each client, thus little of the owners' personality shows. There's a formula, an elegant one, but a formula for the styling.

But it's all of great quality.

The book is worth buying, I wish the inspiraration lasted longer.

My husband and I have been searching for our next floor plan for 2 years now and I am unable to find an acceptable stock plan. Although this book has no floor plans (which I already knew, and a good architect is not going to give away anything), it helps you dream about what it should look like. The homes in here are so classical and many look like they have been around for many years. I like that they are not cluttered. If you like to look at details of architecture, you would like this book. I may have to pay big bucks for an architect, but this book helps narrow down what I am looking for with good pictures.

After following the decorative and archtitectural work of McAlpine, the author, for several years and usually finding it a unique and beautiful, I was excited to get the book. However, I was disappointed with lack of variety it shows . The book appears to be a showcase and catalog of his work, showing his unique style of architecture and decorating, but offering little variety. The houses are all in McAlpine's interesting style, but, after seeing one or two, they all start to look alike. I was hoping for more...but did not get it!