Stone Designs for the Home [Hardcover]

John Morris (Author), Candace Walsh (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 10, 2008

Featuring stunning color photography, Stone Designs for the Home explores the work of one of the finest stonemasons practicing today, John T. Morris, who employs the traditional art form of hand-chiseled masonry. Journey through eight properties where Morris's exceptional work abounds while exploring his approach, thought processes, and philosophy behind the stunning art he creates in stone. Filled with a variety of native stones in exterior and interior projects, Stone Artistry for the Home Focuses on utilizing raw stone, masonry, and environmental elements.

Author Bio: John Morris's love of stone began more than thirty years ago when he witnessed a man building a stone wall. His fascination led him to Cuyamungue Stone Company, where he worked for twelve years learning the art of stonemasonry. He then went on to found his own company, New Mexico Stone, where he has worked ever since creating works of art in stone. He lives in Santa Fe.

(20080515)

Editorial Reviews

Review

The work of stone mason Morris, founder of Stone Age 2000, has appeared in Architectural Digest and other design magazines. Here, he revisits seven commissions and discusses how he worked with the homeowners to create walls, fireplaces, bathrooms, and even complete interiors in stone.

This book is generously illustrated with color photographs of Morris's work that show the use of a variety of stone and styles. Recommended for large interior design and landscaping collections.
(Library Journal )

From the Inside Flap

Stone Designs for the Home explores the work of one of the finest stonemasons practicing today, John T. Morris, who employs the traditional art form of hand-chiseled masonry. Journey through eight properties where Morris's exceptional work abounds while exploring his approach, thought processes, and philosophy behind the stunning art he creates in stone. Filled with a variety of native stones in exterior and interior projects, Stone Designs for the Home features projects including walls, flooring, swimming pools, fireplaces, fountains, bathrooms, and much more. Featuring stunning color photography, this book gives tremendous inspiration to homeowners who desire the natural beauty of stone in their homes.

John T. Morris's love of stone began more than thirty years ago when he witnessed a man building a stone wall. His fascination led him to Cuyamungue Stone Company, where he worked for twelve years learning the art of stonemasonry. He then went on to found his own company, New Mexico Stone, where he has worked ever since creating works of art in stone.

Candace Walsh is an editor, writer, and poet based in Santa Fe. Her writing has been published by Travel & Leisure, Sunset, Food & Wine, Four Seasons Magazine, New York Magazine, Blender, Details, Mothering, and Santa Fe Trend. She writes on a variety of topics, from lifestyle, travel, food, and family, to art, nightlife, media, design, and style. She also co-wrote the book American Atelier with David Naylor.

Jacket photos 2008 Robert Reck

Jacket design by Debra McQuiston

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith (April 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423601947
• ISBN-13: 978-1423601944
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #190,301 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stone Designs for the Home, January 6, 2009

By 

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

This review is from: Stone Designs for the Home (Hardcover)

Stone Designs for the Home is a wonderful book for anyone that might be interested in incorporating stone to your home. The pictures are wonderful and allot of stone is used in ways that know one would imagine.

Very pleased with this purchase.

Isis L. Primus,

Scottsdale, AZ

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for lovers of stone in home design, December 3, 2008

By 

J. Landau (Orinda, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stone Designs for the Home (Hardcover)

A superb look at the work of Santa Fe stonemason John Morris with Candace Wallace helping to create an excellent text. The book shows the drywall stonework created primarily for upscale homes (and the occasional resort) in the Santa Fe area. It is an excellent complement to the book, Stone By Design, which shows work by Lew French, the Martha's Vineyard-based master stonemason. The Lew French book presents the epitome of East Coast stonework; this book does the same for the southwest-style home.

The John Morris work is beautifully portrayed in photographs by Robert Reck. The Rancho Alegre, created by owner Mike Kammerer and builder John Wolf, is an extraordinary compound featured in the Country Homes issue of Architectural Digest, June 2008. It displays some of the finest stonework utilizing both old-world and Southwest territorial and colonial styles. The home includes the most extraordinary bathroom I have ever seen, a huge space created to suggest the interior of a Native American kiva. As with all of the applications of stone inside and outside the gorgeous homes illustrated, or in gardens, there is excellent use of photography to display details.

Candace Wallace is no doubt responsible for editing the excellent text which covers John Morris's career, how he came upon each of the jobs shown, and why a particular stone was used. Most of these projects use stones indigenous to New Mexico; some rock had to be imported. Each type of stone offers different challenges to the stonemason and each is discussed in terms the layman can understand.

One thinks of Andy Goldsworthy when looking at the beautiful dry stone garden walls Morris creates. If you are interested in the use of stone in home and garden design, you will love this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BREATHTAKING!, November 20, 2008

By 

G. Andre ""Zipper"" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stone Designs for the Home (Hardcover)

John Morris' talents as a stonemason (artist is a better term) is matched by this book's written words assisted by Candace Walsh and the spectacular photography by Robert Reck. The descriptions of several projects draw the reader into the task and, for me, I wanted to be by his side as he imagined, then created unbelievable beauty out of a natural product. The impact of this book on myself was to strengthen and confirm my desire to live out my life in the environment of the South West and forsake other world locales and environs. The book takes the reader through the design and completion of large and small stone projects with a clear understanding of the process. Highly recommended for the lover of natural beauty converted to man's usefullness and pleasure.