Traditional Mexican Style Interiors (Schiffer Design Book) (Hardcover)

~ Donna McMenamin (Author), Richard Loper (Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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.

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.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 191 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing; illustrated edition edition (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764316931
• ISBN-13: 978-0764316937
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #344,079 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 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 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?

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not an authentic look at Mexican architecture, May 1, 2005

By	T. Jagger (Fort Davis, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The emphasis is definitely on Mexican "style" as opposed to actual Mexican architecture. Rather than an authentic look the author focuses on upscale abodes in her hometown of Tucson, Arizona (including her own home...), with a few casas in the US expat destination of San Miguel de Alllende, Mexico, and two houses in Houston, Texas thrown in for good measure. With just a couple exceptions these homes are owned by Anglos seeking a Mexican-themed style. In many cases the owners have hired Hispanic-surnamed architects and designers, often with pleasing results. More often however, the effect is to Mexican architecture and design as the Las Vegas Luxor is to the Egyptian pyramids: an over-the-top interpretation.

The photography by Richard Loper is excellent. The writing by Donna McMenamin is not. For a writer of her apparent credentials I was amazed some of the sentences made it past the editor with awkward and amateurish phrasing and grammar. In fact I wondered whether English was the author's first language until I checked the dust jacket bio.

None of this is to say the volume is without merit or not worth owning. There are many good examples and ideas presented to seed your own imagination.

The overall impression of this book however is that of a McMexican treatment of a subject that could have been approached with far more insight, authenticity and taste.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Remodel Without It, June 11, 2003

By	Miss Echo (Tucson, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews

While recently completing a remodel of an adobe house in Tucson, Arizona, I searched for just such a book. Now in the final stages, I stumbled across it. This would have made my life a whole lot easier had I found it months ago. It defines this style, and gives hundreds of examples that can be emulated. It is beautifully done, and having purchased it several hours ago, I can attest that I have not been able to put it down. I have it marked with sticky notes now, 11 in all, of ideas that will really enhance the remaining aspects of our remodeling project. I can't wait for my husband to get home, so that I can show him this book.