Traditional Mexican Style Interiors (Schiffer Design Book) (Schiffer Design Books) [Hardcover]

Donna McMenamin (Author), Richard Loper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2003 | Series: Schiffer Design Books

There is charm and character in a Mexican home like no other architectural style. It is a classic, timeless style that remains in constant demand. All who enjoy looking at beautiful interiors and want new ideas for their own home will find this book irresistible. Over 280 color photographs of some of the most beautiful new, old, and remodeled Mexican-style homes are compiled here. Color is everywhere vibrantly painted walls offer a rainbow of hues, hand painted talavera tiles cover every available surface, and traditional Mexican folk arts adorn walls and furnishings. Twelve chapters illustrate beautiful entryways, living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, ceilings and floors, stairways, niches, fireplaces, lighting, and arts. Having specific rooms and architectural details divided into separate chapetrs is a format sure to please decorators, designers, architects, builders, and homeowners looking for new and exciting ideas.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

There is a charm and character built into a Mexican home like no other architectural style. It is a classic, timeless style that remains in constant demand. All who enjoy looking at beautiful interiors and want new ideas for their own home will find this book irresistible. Over 280 color photographs of some of the most beautiful new, old, and remodeled Mexican style homes are compiled here. Color is everywhere--vibrantly painted walls offer up a rainbow of hues, hand painted talavera tiles cover every available surface, and traditional Mexican folk arts adorn walls and furnishings.

Twelve chapters illustrate incredibly beautiful interior rooms, including entryways, living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, ceilings & floors, stairways, niches, fireplaces, lighting and arts. Having specific rooms and architectural details divided into separate chapters is a format sure to please decorators, designers, architects, builders, and those homeowners that are just looking for new and exciting ideas.

The companion book, Traditional Mexican Style Exteriors, explores the intricate details of these same homes’ facades, doors, gates, porches & patios, columns, fountains, pools, cantera stone work and gardens.

About the Author

The Author

Falling in love with Mexican architecture came easy to the author. During her trips to Mexico researching Popular Arts of Mexico 1850-1950, she was continually exposed to not only MexicoÂ’s arts, but the countryÂ’s architecture as well. This constant barrage of intense color, talavera tiles, lavish gardens, and relaxing portales left an indelible impression on McMenamin. So much so, she acted as general contractor for the coupleÂ’s new Mexican style home in Tucson, Arizona which she shares with her husband, David and their two cats. McMenamin buys and sells antique Mexican and Native American Arts, accompanies clients to Mexico to shop for appropriate architectural details, and is a contributing writer for Tucson Lifestyle Magazine, Home & Garden. Donna is also the founding President of Latin American Art Patrons, affiliated with the Tucson Museum of Art.

The Photographer

After graduating from Ohio University in 1983, with a BFA in photography, Richard Loper chose Houston, Texas, with its thriving oil business, to launch his photography career. He freelanced for local advertising agencies, graphic designers, magazines, and energy companies. However, the late eighties marked a slowdown in Houston’s economy and Richard began dabbling in his other passion—building custom furniture. In 1993, he embarked on his new career as a craftsman of fine reproduction Arts & Crafts style furniture.His first collaboration with Donna McMenamin was Popular Arts of Mexico 1850-1950, for which he received rave reviews for his photography. Richard and his wife, Linda, recently purchased a 1926 Arts & Crafts Bungalow with a long-term plan for renovating and refurbishing it.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 191 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764316931
• ISBN-13: 978-0764316937
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #129,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My brand new FAVORITE THING I OWN!!![.], April 15, 2003

By 

"chelita101" (Olympia, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Traditional Mexican Style Interiors (Schiffer Design Book) (Schiffer Design Books) (Hardcover)

This book just arrived yesterday, and before I even got 2 chapters into it, I KNEW it was my NEW FAVORITE THING that I own!! Up until now, "Mexicolor" and "Mexican Tiles" by Masako Takahashi have been my 2 favorite, pour-over-for-hours, someday-dream-about books (no offense, Masako!!). Even still, for exploring different categories and wonderful photos of artesanias I ADORE "Mexicolor"; and for the history and definition of Talavera tiles, as well as photos SPECIFICALLY of tiled interiors, "Mexican Tiles" can't be beat. But THIS book....!!![.] What can I say??!! All around, as far as Mexican interior design goes....Donna McMenamin ROCKS!!![.]

More sedately, now: I REALLY appreciated the opening interview with Mexican-architect-turned-Arizona-resident Rafael Rios-Ghinis where he lays out and defines very succinctly what a "Mexican Style Home" IS. I have know for ages WHAT I love when I see it, but had never been able to DEFINE it, even to myself. Reading Mr. Rios-Ghinis' words was like a crystalization of all my unfocused and unconscious favored design elements..."Oh, yes, I like THAT!!", "No, no, that's not quite it". Amazing! I suddenly have a STYLE!!![.] And all this time, I thought I was just......"colorful"!!![.]

So...for all those of you who don't get QUITE so excited over interior design....I don't know what to tell you. And for those of you who find what you need/want/like in all of the traditional "House Beautiful", "Home and Garden", run-of-the-mill decoration books you can find all over and anywhere....I don't know what to tell you either. But for you kindred souls, whose hearts about stop beating for joy if you make an awesome flea market find of a "retablo", "jarra de talavera", "máscara de Michoacan", or "batea de madera" (and YOU know who you are!!![.])...those of you who NEVER, EVER, EVER find YOUR design taste reflected in ANY of those other design books....any of you who may have heard the comment more than once, "Gee, your house sure is....COLORFUL...", all I can say is: "Go Donna, go Donna...!!![.]"

If, someday, I am fortunate enough to realize my fondest little private dream, I will live in a house designed by el maestro Rafael Rios-Ghinis and decorated with the help of this FABULOUS designer, Donna McMenamin. Siempre se puede soñar ¿verdad?

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book on Mexican Interiors Yet!, February 20, 2003

By 

Jennifer Hamilton (San Miguel de Allende, GTO, Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Traditional Mexican Style Interiors (Schiffer Design Book) (Schiffer Design Books) (Hardcover)

This is the most comprehensive and beautifully written and photographed book on Mexican Interiors to date. Living in San Miguel de Allende personally, I have seen many, many books on our incredible homes here in Central Mexico, but none have even come close to scratching the surface as has the work produced by Donna McMenamin and Richard Loper. They discovered homes previously never shown in books or magazines, and have produced glorious dialogue and outstanding photography in this stunning tour de force. It should be an absolute must to all lovers of Mexican architecture and interior design. I cannot praise this book enough, and have never seen anything as brilliantly gorgeous as this outstandingly superb work of art.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I was looking for., July 29, 2006

By 

T. S. Lunquist - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Traditional Mexican Style Interiors (Schiffer Design Book) (Schiffer Design Books) (Hardcover)

I was looking for a reference book to guide my Mexican-style remodeling and redecorating efforts, and this is the best I've found yet. (I have about a dozen!) Gorgeous pictures, and plenty of them. Each section discusses a particular room type (kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms etc.) and each room type gets a good amount of attention. Something I dislike about other books is their tendency to look only at the courtyards or living rooms of Mexican or adobe-style houses -- not so useful if you're considering how to tackle your kitchen. This one covers it all, including touching on gardens and indoor-outdoor spaces that are such an integral part of Mexican living.

Definitely pick up the companion volume, "Traditional Mexican Style Exteriors", while you're shopping. Together they paint a vivid picture of the colorful and vibrant style of Mexico.