Customer Reviews

Vietnam Style

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Superbly enhanced throughout with the simply beautiful color photography of Luca Invernizzi Tettoni, "Vietnam Style" is a co-authored study of Vietnamese history, culture, art, and architecture by Bertrand de Hartingh (a recognized authority on the intricate and complicated cultural history of Vietnam) & Anna Craven-Smith-Milnes (whose fascination with Vietnamese architecture and design led to the founding of her own business, Mekong Merchant). With special attention to elements of interior design, "Vietnam Style" is organized into four major sections: Vernacular Styles; The French Legacy; Modern Times; and Contemporary Design & Crafts. From temples and pagodas, to residences and rooms, to furniture, baskets, lights, embroidery, lacquerware, ceramics, and propaganda art, "Vietnam Style" offers informative insights and illustrative examples that wonderfully showcase the diverse contributions that made Vietnam culture and architecture what it is today. A work of impressive detail and seminal accomplishment, "Vietnam Style" is very highly recommended for academic library International Studies, Architectural Studies, Interior Design Studies, and Vietnam History reference collections, and is especially appropriate for non-specialist general readers with an interest in Vietnamese culture.

The fact that this book exists came as a very pleasant surprise.

Mr Tettoni's photographic skills are a well known to readers of other photoraphic books covering Southeast Asian architectual styles and the photographs in this book definitely will not disappoint his fans.

However, what sets this book apart is the authors' collective ability to tell a story and show us the blending of the indiginous, Chinese and French styles (and provincial variations within Vietnam) and give the reader a window into the unique feel of Vietnamese architecture and its place in the world of tropical architecture (there really are tropical houses in Asia that are not in Bali).

This is a wonderful book and itis surprising that there is a Vięt Nam style ! Beautiful, outstanding and wonderful houses, decoration. I would recommend this book to everybody who loves interiorist, decoration and different home styles.
Splendid gift !!

This book features little that is actually Vietnamese. What you will find here are luxurious homes built by millionaire Western expats and Westernized Vietnamese--homes that it can be fairly said are Vietnamese only insofar as they happen to be located in Vietnam. In fact, the book contains absolutely no information about Vietnamese style as interpreted and produced by the Vietnamese themselves! As one of the few books on Vietnamese aesthetics--and the only on architecture or interior design--that seem currently to be available, this book is a terrible let-down, and not worth the money. Those interested in authentic Vietnamese style would ironically do better by turning to illustrated travel guides.

This book is filled with beautiful pictures. I definitely recommend this book to interior decorators and book collectors.