Moroccan Interiors: 25th Anniversary edition

Book Description

This book explores contemporary interiors in the sun-soaked land that stretches from the Sahara to the Mediterranean: Morocco. The diversity is breathtaking: the rural pisé architecture of the south is a far cry from the Hispano-Mooresque ornamental beauty of the imperial cities.

Moroccan interiors are as endlessly varied as the country itself, from the restored palaces in the medina of Marrakesh (where aesthetes of the international set now live) to humble troglodyte fishermen's homes at Sidi Moussa d'Aglou.

The colorful palette of this country and the light there itself suffuse these very different homes with a vitality that is as distinctive to modern Morocco as it is a reflection of contemporary trends in décor worldwide.

Customer Reviews:

Awsome!.......2006-02-06

This book features some very interesting residences. Many of the exotic homes featured in this book are loaded with color and texture. Each property is unique and full of character. The book is fairly large and the photos are awsome and the price was great too!

Tiny, unreadable print.......2006-01-04

Absolutely georgeous photography and Lovatt-Smith has obviously hiked all across Morocco searching for homes. I was most impressed with the variety of homes, especially the cave homes.

I'm sure there is a great deal of useful information in this book, but I gave it three stars because the print was tiny and itallicized. In places where it was superimpossed over sand, water or some other scenery, it was unreadable. Why didn't an editor catch that?

This is an OH WOW, LOOK AT THAT book.......2001-03-09

Preservation or desecration of certain architectural styles and decorative heritage goes in and out of fashion the world over. It's not only Morocco that wanted to demolish the old and over-value the new. How much of the beauty and culture of the East has been lost in the name of "progress"? The situation is not simple, however. In the latter part of the 20th century there was an urgent need throughout the Mediterranean for affordable, modern housing for quickly expanding populations and growing economies strapped for cash, skills and resources. Unfortunately aesthetics and the traditions of artisans often got trampled in the rush. Lisa Lovett-Smith's sumptuous Moroccan Interiors reminds us that embracing preservation has so much to offer the present and the future. While she focuses on the homes of the rich, ex-patriate and famous and could therefore be accused of being elitist, she also illuminates the beauty of the simplest of objects that could be found in any home, rich or poor. Lovett-Smith has divided Morocco into regions and cities and celebrated the best of each, appreciating the exquisite, ornate beauty of Islamic art and the colour schemes reflecting the dramatic terrain of the Mediterranean: desert ochre and blistering reds, turquoise, azure, sapphire, gold, saffron and cinnamon to name a few. Lovett-Smith is aware that a picture tells a thousand words and her accompanying text in several languages is brief. The photography is faultless and the lighting of the interiors unobtrusive. This is not just an ornate coffee table book. It is a valuable archive, a celebration of great style and a treasure trove of inspiration for interior architects, artists and designers.

contents.......2000-05-27

I would like to add to my previous reveiw some more practical notes on the contents of the book. The book is seperated into different regions and cities of Morocco and almost all the homes featured are renovations of delightful, but previously run down, Moroccan palaces and estates. In all but one home the owners are Europeans who have settled, or reside much of the year, in Morocco. This is important because, until recently, the Moroccans themselves weren't much interested in preserving thier architectural history, preferring to knock down old buildings and replace them with new ones. Neither were they much interested in preserving thier own style. The Europeans however were devoted to preserving both and created a movement, over time, within the country for Moroccans to begin to do the same. Each home featured reveals the owners deep love for Morocco and for its history. The photographs are lush and beautiful, and the wealth of ideas for interior design and architecture are matched by few books available today.

gorgeous and inspiring.......2000-05-26

The first time I saw this book I couldn't stop looking at it. I was entirely engrossed with the beauty of the interiors, the use of color, texture and interior architecture in these homes. In a word...MESMERIZED! I should say that the interior design in this book is not my 'style'. It doesn't matter in the least. I have integrated, and plan to integrate, many of the ideas into my own home (Colonial - which couldn't be more different) and have, and will, simply do it in my own way. To add to my point I have shown this book to my mother-in-law who is extremely traditional and conservative in her tastes and she was delighted and inspired. I showed it to my sister, who's taste run to the super modern Italian leather look, and she loved it and plans to use some of the ideas for color in her own home. I showed this to another friend who's tastes are essentially 'the cottage look' (she is very good at it) and she was thrilled with the wealth of ideas she obtained. This book can be used as the ultimate coffee table book or the launching pad for new ideas for decorating your own home. Opening this book is like entering a dream world, where magic and graceful living really do exist.

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Awesome
Fresh, lively ideas for creating beautiful living spaces
African adaptability
in love with this book.
Beautiful and practical

African Style: down to the details
Sharne Algotsson
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0609605321
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Amazon.com

Brimming over with vibrant photography and inspiring projects, African Style sheds light on traditional textiles, colors, and materials used in a variety of African cultures and ways of adapting them to modern living. From the basic importance of paint to the fine details of accessories, author Sharne Algotsson (Spirit of African Design) and photographer George Ross have brought together a fabulous blend of creative inspiration, geographical and historical information, and easy projects that will have readers itching to add new style to their homes.

Algottson's suggestion of creating a color board when creating a new look for a room is invaluable. With a simple 11 x 17 sheet of art board, you can combine color chips and fabric scraps to achieve just the right look before making the more permanent commitment of painting the walls and buying new window coverings. Detailed explanations of color--indigo, orange, deep brown, red--will have you ready to take some risks and use those flamboyant shades in your home, while at the same time educate you on the cultural meanings behind some colors. Accompanying all these unique ideas and fascinating information are some truly stunning photographs captured with a playful eye. Ross uses a variety of unusual angles and lighting in his work that capture these glorious interiors in a fresh manner that will encourage you to beautify everything from the walls of your bedroom to the legs of your creaky old footstool. Patterns from Zulu baskets, Ewe cloth, Ashanti Adinkra symbols, and Asoke textiles are used with flair in every corner. Specific suggestions are included for recovering seat cushions, painting small pieces of furniture, and upholstering a headboard--all surprisingly simple projects that require little more than a paintbrush, a staple gun, and an artistic vision. --Jill Lightner

Book Description

"Today more and more of us are striving to bring personal meaning and beauty into our lives and homes. African style is the perfect way to express that joy in living, whether your look is formal, traditional, minimal, casual country, or eclectic," writes Sharne Algotsson in her stunning new book, African Style: Down to the Details. Following on the success of her first book, The Spirit of African Design, written with Denys Davis, Sharne now offers a gorgeous, hands-on guide to decorating any home with the richness of Africa.

Bursting with hundreds of full-color photographs, African Style: Down to the Details looks at a full range of home decorating options, with chapters on Color, Paint, and Pattern; Textiles; Furniture; Accessories and Display; and The Mix, which reveals how to coordinate all the elements to create a harmonious whole. Sharne offers a number of simple, inexpensive but exciting how-to projects that can revitalize a room, such as an African-Style Padded Window Cornice, as well as dramatic before-and-after photographs of quick makeovers for chairs, tables, mantels, and more.

Written by the leading expert in the field, this book is a treasure trove of practical advice, decorating tips, and insider shortcuts for incorporating the vibrant beauty of Africa into any home, on any budget. In addition, an extensive resources section makes it easy for readers to locate hard-to-find specialty stores and suppliers of textiles, furniture, and accessories. Whether you want to redecorate your entire home or simply add a few fresh accents, African Style: Down to the Details is a dazzling celebration of the continent's unparalleled aesthetic.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2006-08-22

I was given this book as a gift...inspiration in my quest to add African design to my new home. Initially, I presumed it was a book of templates I could use in my home. Not at all! This author teaches you how to design and consistently encourages you to "interpret Africa in your own way". She expounds on the differing design styles in north, south, east and west Africa and the influences that explain the wide variety of styles. Should this author publish another home design book, I will purchase it. Guests in my home are in awe of the beautiful African designs!!!

Fresh, lively ideas for creating beautiful living spaces.......2002-03-16

I love this book and have already re-done my bedroom and study "African style". I bought this with "Spirit of African Design" and together they have given me new ideas on how to use color, fabric and paint to create beautiful living spaces. I had gotten so bored with the standard decorating ideas, and this has opened a whole new world to me. I cannot wait to do more!

African adaptability.......2001-05-22

I purchased African Style hoping it would help me decorate my Master Bathroom in an African theme. Although there is not a decorated bathroom in this book, that didn't matter. I was able to adapt all of the elements I admired into this room. Therefore , I find the book to be highly adaptable for any room in anyone's home.

The listed resources and contacts remind the reader that there is a real, tangible person on the other end who is willing to help!

in love with this book........2001-04-09

Hats off to Sharne Algotsson. I love This second book. The color palettes are breathtaking, the design ideas are easily digestble anf the text was clear and to the point. What a great book.

Beautiful and practical.......2001-03-20

Sharne Algotsson has managed the feat of writing a book that is both a coffee table book, thanks to the beautiful color palettes and G. Ross' magnificent photography, as well a a useful how-to book. This book will be attractive to anyone who would like to beautify their interior, even if they are not specifically searching for "Africanness": the color combinations are so elegant and warm, any home will benefit!

Race and Ethnicity: Across Time, Space and Discipline (Studies in Critical Social Sciences)

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Race and Ethnicity: Across Time, Space and Discipline (Studies in Critical Social Sciences)

Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 9004139915

Stories in Stone: Conserving Mosaics of Roman Africa

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Stories in Stone: Conserving Mosaics of Roman Africa

Manufacturer: Getty Trust Publications: Getty Conservation Institute
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0892368039

Book Description

Between the second and the sixth centuries of the common era, elaborate mosaics were designed and created to pave the floors of town homes and rural estates of the Roman settlements in North Africa. These stunning mosaics were especially widespread in the colony of Africa Proconsularis,
modern-day Tunisia, and covered a wide range of subject matter: from scenes of daily life and classical mythology, to abstract floral and geometric designs of rare vibrancy and complexity. A distinctive African style emerged, whose influence would extend throughout the Mediterranean basin and
beyond.
This catalogue is being published to coincide with an exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa from October 26, 2006, to April 30, 2007--the first major exhibition in the United States solely devoted to ancient mosaics. The twenty-seven mosaics in the exhibition come from
Tunisia's leading museums, including the Bardo Museum in Tunis, the Sousse Museum and the El Jem Museum.
Stories in Stone is structured around four principal themes--Nature, Theater and Spectacle, Myths and Gods, and Technique--and includes extensive material on mosaic conservation. In addition to color plates of all objects in the exhibit, this catalogue includes nine richly illustrated essays that
illuminate the historical background of mosaic art, trace the development of principal themes, and examine the conservation of mosaics both in the museum setting and in situ. Contributors include Taher Ghalia, director of the Bardo Museum; Mongi Ennaifer, minister of cultural affairs, Tunisia;
Thomas Roby, senior project specialist, Getty Conservation Institute; and Jerry Podany, head of antiquities conservation, J. Paul Getty Museum.

Average customer rating:

Mud Chic
Sindiwe Magona
Manufacturer: Quivertree Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Shack Chic: Art and Innovation In South African Shack-Lands

ASIN: 0620353929

Book Description

In Xhosa culture the headman and elders of a tribe hold the key to all knowledge. In this compelling visual journey to the traditional dwellings and homesteads of the old Transkei, photographer Craig Fraser has elevated these rural abodes to a similar status. For the design, layout and materials used in these humble homes reveal much more than mere structure.

They reveal that dire poverty does little to dampen the irrepressible human impulse to adorn and beautify. Here the realities of daily life are manifest in no running water (some journey five times a day to collect water), no electricity and scant employment. And yet using little more than materials found in nature or sourced from the surrounding environment, the personality of each homeowner is expressed in a rich, elaborate vocabulary of symbols, geometric patterns, color and decorative detail that is uniquely individual to each.

Collectively these homes reveal the nature of society that lives according to the deep-seated values of a fast-vanishing way of life. Here life is lived in tune with nature and in cognizance of community. Here your worth-and your lifestyle-is measured by your number of cattle. Here the woman's place is at the wood pile and the man's is at the kraal. Here the headman decides where everyone lives and the ancestors dictate that one may never leave. It is here in every inch of a traditional rural dwelling that we find the ideological and decorative footprint of Xhosa culture.

Book Description

African Interior Design. From Kenya to Tanzania, Zimbabwe to Namibia, and on to Botswana, this copiously illustrated book presents an overview of the stunning diversity in African residential design. Forty-five houses in a range of styles by architects such as Van der Merwe Miszewski, Anton Du Plessis, and Betsy Gast are featured in over 400 color photographs. Whether rural houses built with indigenous materials or luxurious modern structures with stunning views of the Savannah, African Interior Design should be an indispensable guide to a subject too little discussed.

Average customer rating:

Lively and beautiful
Great continent, great ideas!
The Spirit of African Design can be a part of your home!
A MUST HAVE ITEM!!!!!!!
Very good book would have liked more Info.

Spirit of African Design
Sharne Algotsson , and Denys Davis
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Folk Art | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0517599163
Release Date: 1996-08-27

Book Description

The Spirit of African Design is an illustrated home-living guide to African-inspired style, with gorgeous photographs, fascinating cultural and historical information, and plenty of ideas and resources for interpreting styles, from Marrakesh to Capetown. Explore the treasures of the past and revel in the exciting work of today's young designers. 250 full-color photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Lively and beautiful.......2000-09-09

This great book shows in text and photographs the various and beautiful ways that African artifacts: traditional fabrics, sculpture, paintings and drawings, popular and ubiquitous souvenir items and - most importantly - African-inspired motifs and designs, can be incorporated into (or the inspiration for) sophisticated contemporary room decor.

The authors have worked for the international design company Ikea, so their slant is design, rather than anthropology. They come at it in an energetic and engaging way. The result is a source book that is a visual treat, and a great home tour. The rooms - living, bed, kitchens (in which W. African design elements are adapted to ceramic tiles, with gorgeous results) and more - are lively, smart, and modern.

You notice in reading the text, and drooling over the abundant photos of the beautiful and stimulating rooms, that well-known European textile designers of the sixties (the Finnish company Marimekko, for example) owe a debt of gratitude to indigeneous African cloth designers. This is something I hadn't ever realized.

A lovely, inspirational, and worthwhile book.

Great continent, great ideas!.......2000-08-17

I have lived, worked and travelled extensively in West Africa since the early 1970's and this is the first comprehensive book which assisted me in incorporating my beautiful art and artifacts into a living design for my home. I loved all the gorgeous pictures and the practical tips. The variety of design styles was also a welcome reminder of the diversity of Africa. I can't wait to read the next book by Sharne Algotsson. I only wish there was a magazine devoted to this subject as well.

The Spirit of African Design can be a part of your home!.......1999-12-31

I have traveled to West Africa and the Caribbean. This book helped me incorporate the artwork and artifacts I brought back from my trips into my day-to-day design. The things I have are no longer just "souvenirs," but are now part of an overall look and feel of my home. Now, when I travel, I have an eye for what I can do with my "stuff" when I get it home!

The authors and photographers have done a wonderful job.

A MUST HAVE ITEM!!!!!!!.......1998-10-09

I just happened to be walking in my local mall and got a glimpse of the cover and was sold from then on. I am probably driving my family crazy but I am now inspired to redecorate my kitchen to resemble an african market. Thanks!!!!!!

Very good book would have liked more Info........1998-07-17

It was a good book and I saw a lot of Ideas that I plan to use, but there were times that I thought they could have given more information about the masks,vases and other artifacts. Things like what the historical use was and where they came from But all in all I enjoyed it.

Luxury Hotels: Africa/middle East (Luxury Hotels)

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Luxury Hotels: Africa/middle East (Luxury Hotels)

Manufacturer: Te Neues Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3832790608

Book Description

This volume of teNeues's series in luxury hotels around the world takes the reader to hotels in Africa and the Middle East. Let your fantasy take flight as you browse intriguing photographs of Arabian palaces straight out of "1001 Nights". Or, revel in the sumptuous surroundings of a lavishly appointed oasis hostelry. "Out of Africa" comes to life when you see a luxurious safari encampment in the midst of the African bush, sure to please even the pickiest of 'big game hunters'. Also prominently featured are the exotic island resorts of Mauritius, the Seychelles, and Zanzibar.

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the most beautiful book in the world
how

Inside Africa (2 Vol. Set)

Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 3822857718

Customer Reviews:

the most beautiful book in the world.......2004-06-03

Really. The listing here doesn't do this 2 volume set justice. If you have any interest at all, don't hesitate, this is the most beautiful thing ever!

how.......2004-01-12

both books are wonderful!!!!!! it's a mix between travel & interiors. another taschen-you-must-have-it !!!!!

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