Private Tuscany [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Helman (Author), Simon McBride (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 1999

Tuscany has long exerted a magnetic pull over visitors to this most romantic of Italy's provinces. From Lord Byron and Henry James to contemporary writers, designers, and artists, everyone is charmed by the rolling Tuscan landscape, its magical light, its rich artistic and visual culture, and above all, its highly sensuous way of life.

Private Tuscany reveals the interior style of some of the area's most charming homes--the pared-down beauty of a film director's farmhouse retreat; the refined elegance of an aristocrat's seventeenth-centry palazzo high in the hills; the Gothic mood of a winemaker's medieval fortress; the modern chic of a designer's country house; or the earthy character of an architect's villa, drenched with color and light.

Whether it is the ancient terra-cotta floors, gardens fragrant with herbs, or candlelit dinners on outdoor terraces, the spirit of living in Tuscany is alive in these pages in brilliant color.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Tuscany's hill towns and countryside have enthralled inhabitants and visitors for centuries--the golden light in the afternoons, the grape arbors, and the rolling hillsides dotted with rustic farmhouses and villas. Private Tuscany invites us into these dwellings, giving us a glimpse of how life is lived in this warm, inviting place.

The homes featured in this gorgeous volume are as enchanting as the Tuscan towns and hillsides they're built on. Many embody a style we've come to associate with Tuscany: dark-timbered kitchens with dried herbs and garlic ropes hung from the rafters, original terra-cotta tile floors, large-windowed living rooms, and artfully frescoed walls. There are centuries-old furnishings crafted by skilled Italian artisans and elegantly manicured gardens containing hidden grottos and classical statuary. But the homes also reflect the special touches of the people who occupy them. For instance, a theater lover displays his exquisite collection of miniature theaters in the salon; the daughter of a villa owner paints traditional murals on the walls and mosaic patterns on the floors.

Simon McBride's photographs skillfully capture the magic of these Tuscan homes and feature a variety of residences, from simple farmhouses to grand villas and palaces. The book's four chapters divide the homes into types: rustic, classic, grand, and modern. An index at the back serves as an introduction to Tuscany's pleasures, providing contact information for sampling the region's wine and produce, fine dining, hotels and houses, gardens, and crafts.

Several of the homeowners featured in Private Tuscany have gone to painstaking lengths to restore these buildings after decades, or even centuries, of neglect. The results, from the simplest farmhouse kitchen to an elaborately frescoed dining room, are breathtaking. --Kris Law

About the Author

Simon McBride has been photographing gardens and interiors for over two decades, working regularly for Architectural Digest, Country Living, and House & Garden, among many others. To date, he has completed commissions for more than thirty books.

Elizabeth Helman Minchilli is a seasoned arts and interiors writer, contributing to Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, and House & Garden. She is the author of Private Rome.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Rizzoli (June 12, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847821781
• ISBN-13: 978-0847821785
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 0.8 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #791,393 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elizabeth Helman Minchilli is the author of six books on the joys of Italian life. Her latest book is Italian Rustic, to be released by Artisan in November 2009. She is the author of Restoring a Home in Italy, now in it's third printing. Minchilli's passion for Italy led her from her native United States, where she studied architectural history, to Italy in 1987. She writes on architecture, design, food and travel for a variety of publications.
Assisting her on her latest book, Italian Rustic, is her husband, Domenico Minchilli, an architect who restores and builds homes in Italy and around the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A visual feast!, July 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Private Tuscany (Hardcover)

A beautiful book -- I enjoyed it much more than Tuscany Interiors which I also own. The houses range from simple to elaborate and -- of course! -- the landscapes and gardens are gorgeous. This is a great book from which to "lift" Italian decorating ideas.

69 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, inspiring,full of memories of Italy, August 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Private Tuscany (Hardcover)

This book was so lovely. It contains exquisite photos and many, many ideas applicable for my own home. Great decorating ideas. I've shared this book with other people who have been equally inspired by the warm, gracious, elegant living portrayed throughout. Highly recommend this book for yourself or gift. A lovely way to remember past visits to Italy or inspire a personal visit in the not too distant future.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not over the top, April 6, 2007

By 

puppy's gal - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Private Tuscany (Hardcover)

With this book you can get a good idea of the warm ranges of wall colors that create a Tuscan mood. This book focuses more on color and neutral tones as opposed to some that go for the white tones. The decor shown is generally not over the top and focused on the grandiose villas that are out of reach of most everyone. There are many modest but lovely homes shown and you can pull fabric inspiration and accessory inspiration. I would give the book 3.5 stars due to some of the rooms being a bit sparse in design and lacking in real life things such as television/stereos, etc. That however is typical of most design books.