Mediterranean Style: Relaxed Living Inspired by Strong Colors and Natural Materials (Hardcover)

by Catherine Haig (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Vivid colors, bold simplicity, textural contrasts, stone, tile, and stucco--these are the hallmarks of this refreshingly unpretentious style, which is easy to live with and surprisingly simple to evoke at home. Vibrant photos and detailed, practical text explore all the elements of the look and explain what to do with your own walls and floors, windows and doors, furnishings and accessories to re-create the look. And the 12 step-by-step projects (including sand-textured or distempered walls, a pebbled floor, a fretwork window screen, studded doors, and a mosaic tabletop) prove that it doesn't take a huge effort or a huge budget to achieve the relaxed grace of this popular decor. The sun-drenched rooms filled with natural materials and accented with the occasional exotic touch (a filigreed lantern, Moroccan dishware, a kilim rug, Moorish arches, Spanish-style wrought ironwork) are extremely inviting--you'll want to sprawl on a cushy divan and sip a cool beverage as you drink in the enticing warmth of this wonderful style. --Amy Handy

Review
A repeat visitor to the sunwashed shores of the Mediterranean Sea, House & Garden editor Catherine Haig has firsthand knowledge of and strong affection for the relaxed pace, saturated colors, and natural materials of the region. From Provence to Tuscany to Marrakech, every photographed interior . . . reflects today's sensibilities for casual, earthy living. . . . Easy-to-do projects sprinkled throughout give you the tools to bring elements of the style to your home. -- Better Homes & Gardens, Summer 1998

Amply illustrated with gorgeous color photos, this volume . . . provides an entertaining look at a style of furnishing and architecture that shares much with the style of the American Southwest, including its roots. -- Baton Rouge Advocate, June 7, 1998

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Press; 1st edition (March 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789204304
• ISBN-13: 978-0789204301
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #121,191 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #86 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Architecture > Interior Design > Style
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simplicity, Warmth and Inspiration, February 3, 2005

By	Amanda Richards "Modest to the extreme" (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Due to unforeseen circumstances whereby my lower living area was suddenly subjected unceremoniously to several feet of murky moisture, I found myself in need of a partial home makeover, but with a shoestring budget and a short time frame.

Fortuitously, this book came through it unscathed, and I took it as an omen that Mediterranean was the way it should be.

The pictures are strikingly beautiful, the colors breath-taking, and my family may not be over-excited to hear that the foyer will now be a washed purple color with an earthen colored roof, accented by a canary yellow metal staircase. The book banishes all fear of the lavish use of color, clearly illustrating how color can enhance your surroundings, making a cozy nest of warmth and harmony.

The furniture and accessories are all rustic and simple, the formula being wood, iron, stone, tile and carpet.

If you're the Victorian or romantic type, there's no toile de joie in lavender and pink in this book, no overstuffed chairs or furniture bearing the legs of any deceased monarch. If however, you're into relaxed, simple, harmonious, rustic and durable decor, this is a good book to use as a guide.

Amanda Richards, February 3, 2005

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars achievable style, March 2, 2002

By	ann gillespie "miss ann" (woodbine, GA United States) - See all my reviews

Having lived in the Mediterranean for 10 years, I have a need to return to that place I have come to love. But, since that is no longer an option, I have to find way to bring that flavour to my current home. I found the pictures to be very representative and the advice captured practical essenses of the style. The advice and the how to project are simple and budget oriented and allow someone to add the flavour to their home quickly. Since they make use of small easily changable items they wont be budget breaking if you find out this style is not for you. Anyone can do lush mediterranean if they can afford $30/sq ft ceramic wall tile, but most of us dont have that kind of budget...

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Little bit too rustic for my taste, December 17, 2002

By A Customer

I just got this book, and although lots of others rave about the photos, the style is a little bit too rustic for my tastes. If you are looking to decorate your home a la small Mediterranean village style, this is definitely for you. However, you won't find any luxurious palaces or mansions here. This book primarily appeals to those who prefer the simple, assymetrical, and distressed look that evoke a centuries-old Mediterranean charm. If your home has fitted carpets or wooden walls as is typical in the San Francisco Bay Area, the style just doesn't seem to fit. I am also far from impressed with the text as it's kind of repetitive, the author mentioned so many times that the Mediterranean style is simple, open, and it evolved due to the balmy Mediterranean climate! As if mentioning the very obvious once is not enough.