Customer Reviews:
Truly Wonderful!.......2006-05-30
This book has delicious, detailed pictures that calmly transports readers into the most wonderful parts of Indonesia. I was looking for a book that would give me design ideas to use and this book delivered those ideas and more. If you're looking for authentic,tropical designs, I think this is one book in which to begin your journey. Get it, sit back and enjoy the absolute beauty it has to offer.
I love this book!.......2004-12-05
I love this book. I've always dreamed of living in Indonesia. This book has many magnificent pictures that makes me more excited in moving there with my family! This is a great book because it exhibits many architectures unique to the balinese culture and would truly be enjoyed by anyone interested in tropical designs. I highly recommend it.
Great book!!.......2002-05-25
This book features many amazing pictures- of exclusive hotels as well as private homes. I was most impressed with the pictures of Amanjiwo- a famed Aman resort - and with Begawan Giri in Bali. This book is also well laid out and well written. Highly recommended for people who are interested in Balinese and tropical architecture and design.
Customer Reviews:
BUY IT.......2006-03-30
Wonderful book on contemporary tropical design. Just looking at the pictures transports me to another place! I've even incorporated some of the simple design ideas into my own home. From the simple & serene to the eclectic, you won't be disappointed.
Functional Art.......2005-04-28
In short, this book has exceptional photos and displays wonderful furniture and design of natural materials. It's amazing to see how these materials can be formed into such beautiful and practical pieces of furniture. It's functional art!
Product Description
This is a book that for the first time opens the doors to the public of the Marina at the luxurious gated community and Resort Casa de Campo in the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic. It is one of a king peace of art printed and bounded in Italy, with more than 300 breathtaking full color photographs and original drawing throughout. The book is a first class guided tour of the Marina at Casa de Campo in the hands of its creator, the architect Gianfranco Fini. Stunning aerial views, with never before seeing original drawings that will allow you enter into the mind of the architect to see the way of living that he was planning to create and vivid pictures of it actual beauty and style. The full size pictures throughout the book portrays a whole range of Caribbean style an elegant properties from inside out, from chic waterfront apartments and townhouses of less than 2,000 sqf. to magnificent Villas and Mansions above the 16,000 sqf. The foreword by Eduardo Martinez Lima (Central Romana Corporation CEO) will tell you the story of how two entrepreneurs convince them from an architectural and business point to build the Marina. Carmen Ortega (Arquitexto Magazine Editor) will introduce you to the Dominican Republic and Casa de Campo, while Carlo Montanaro (Editor of Dove, Dove Case and Style) will show you the way of living in the all year round summer at the Restaurants, Yacht Club, Art Galleries and, seaside houses of this luxurious destination.
Customer Reviews:
Great BOOK !!!.......2007-04-29
If you want to know more about architecture in the Caribbean, you have to read this book!
Caribbean Elegance.......2007-04-11
Through his work at la Marina, Casa de Campo, Gian Franco Fini captures the essence of refined architecture with a perfect air of Caribbean elegance.
A place to visit before you dies........2007-04-10
This is a book about one of those magical places that once you get there you don't want to leave. It's in the path of boats coming from Miami to the West Indies and is the place to see in the Caribbean before you die. Casa de Campo is the Caribbean most complete resort by far where any possible hobby in the world could practiced at world renowned conditions -besides skiing, except if you change it for water-sky-. The book about the Casa de Campo's Marina is definitely a 5 start in class, quality and content. This is the real thing in Caribbean Elegance and Luxury where you'll be able to find some of the most exclusive houses in the region.
The Best Keep Secret in the Caribbean unveils........2007-03-02
This is the only book available about Marinas from an architectural standpoint. Blueprints, sketches and more than 300 full-color pictures are a never ending source for one of the most luxurious approach to Caribbean Architecture. It's about the renowned Marina at Casa de Campo, La Romana, Dominican Republic and is a must for anyone willing see from the inside out as many options as possible to recreate a tropical paradise despite if it's and apartment or a houses under 2,000 sqf or a masterpiece above 20,000 sqf.
In contrast with W.R. Blain's book for "Marina Developments" -That is an excellent and maybe the only book about Marinas from a structural standpoint- this one is an architectural approach to Marinas and all the elements around it such as Yacht Club, Apartments, Houses, Restaurants and all related services. It's full of details and references in a text that is catchy and easy to read. My only concern was that I thought it was pricy in the first place despite that it was printed and bounded in Italy, but Blain's book is above the $250 and this one is more related to interior design and architecture so it's worth 5 out 5 starts.
Book Description
This book documents the transformation that Balinese architecture and interior design have undergone over the past five years. Cleaner lines, more imaginative use of space, A-frame roofs, and the use of stone, concrete, and ceramic roof tiles are increasingly visible along with the traditional coconut wood, teak, and thatching.
Customer Reviews:
Interior Designers Must Have.......2007-02-22
Great photography and awesome scenarios. It really brings the feeling of being in Bali. And the decorations show the artistic side of the new interiors of the open living. It inspires my clients when they come inside my furniture store. Of the books I have from Bali, this is certainly the encyclopedia of interior design!
There's no place like Bali..........2000-05-05
Many westerners have set up homes in Bali, which have long been a magnet for western culture-hound. Here,writer and photographer showcase what the island's most inspiring examples of contemporary residences, shops, restaurants and of course the beautiful resorts that Bali is renowned. The work is well researched, featuring architectural and interior detailing of cross cultural legacy and an amalgamation of both modern and traditional. The text includes little stories of origins and legends. And as always, Lucca Invernizzi Tettoni's superb photography, mostly outdoor shots of the creme de la creme of Bali's private and resort landscaped gardens. This work captured all parts of the Balinese tropical living experience, proving why Bali is often remembered as the place to rejuvenate the soul.
Bali,Modern The Art of Tropical Living.......2000-04-03
This is just what the doctor ordered for enthusiasts of tropical decor and culture. By focusing on the use of modern (alibet, longer lasting) building materials with techniques designed to provide a tropical ambiance is neat. It's not something that I have found elsewhere. It would also be nice to provide some interior decorating schemes to be translated into the American shopping market using or importing accessories from the Bali region or using alternative sources for the "tropical" look from other areas, i. e., the British West Indies, the Caribbean, major U.S. catalogues, etc.
Thanks for the opportunity to comment.
Amazon.com
Before opening Tropical Houses, hide your passport. As soon as you get a glimpse of these incredible houses nestled among lush tropical landscapes, you'll want to head straight to the airport. Author Tim Street-Porter spent more than 10 years traveling through Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Bali, Java, Mexico, and Belize, meeting the owners of these Shangri-las and taking interior and exterior photos. Tropical Houses offers intelligent, dreamy commentary and over 272 breathtaking full-color photos.
Visit the House of Iseh in Bali and sit in the verdant shadow of the sacred volcano Gunung Agung. Said writer Anna Mathews of the view from the terrace: "Once you have lived in this place you can never be the same again. You are driven mad by beauty." In Jamaica, imagine you're a guest at Good Hope. Originally a plantation, Good Hope is now a 10-room villa that overlooks the Queen of Spain valley and the Cockpit Mountains. To look at these provocative photos is to imagine yourself in another life--one where you lounge on the veranda while white-jacketed waiters quietly replace your empty rum-and-pineapple drink. The owners of these estates have taken great care (at great expense) to create private, tropical paradises. One of the most stunning is Taprobane, an incredible retreat dominating the tiny island of the same name. Built by Count de Mauny-Talvande, the house is "an octagonal villa that allowed for verandahs in every direction; a 1930s folly, which, with small gardens extending through the foliage to the overhanging edges, fully occupied the crest of his island."
The careful architecture and landscaping of these estates "opens a world of sensual experiences." When the sky is gray and you don't have time for a vacation, Tropical Houses will lift your spirits and quiet your wanderlust. --Dana Van Nest
Book Description
The ambient warmth of the tropics causes architectural distinctions between indoors and out to evaporate, along with the walls that divide them. Houses expand into the landscape, while the sights, sounds, and scents of nature waft through living spaces. Indeed, one of the pleasures of living in the tropics is an awakening of the senses that brings us closer to nature.
Internationally renowned photographer and writer Tim Street-Porter has spent more than ten years traveling through Bali, Java, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Belize, and Jamaica. This book's 272 stunning photographs, supported by Street-Porter's fascinating and informed commentary, capture the appeal and the meaning of the enviable dwellings he found in his journeys. It may be the outdoor bath, a sybarite's delight, with sun filtering through a frangipani tree . . . the deep-eaved verandah, where one sips coffee while contemplating the neighboring valley shrouded in early morning mist . . . or the thatch-roofed palapa, its main supports local tree trunks wrapped in strangler vine.
These wonderful expressions of vernacular architecture -- many the products of the world's finest architects and designers--nest in jungles, perch over volcanic cliffs, stand placidly beside lagoons, and exist always in harmony with the nature that envelops them. These are real places where people really live, but each seems suspended in a setting that is at once dreamlike and elemental.
Customer Reviews:
Island living.......2005-08-02
Excellent book with something for all tastes. Beautiful pictures make you want to go home and decorate immediately.
Beautiful and Exotic.......2004-05-28
The cover is just a teaser to the exciting tropical houses Tim Street-Porter captures in this wondeful book. A real treat to exclusive tropical living around the world. Also an excellent reference to decorate in the tropical look. Street-Porter does it again as he did in Casa Mexicana. A book to enjoy over and over.
Perfect for Decorating Ideas.......2003-01-15
We are trying to get an "island" feel for our home and this book was the perfect reference. Not only are the pictures of the homes (inside and out) breathtaking, but there is enough detail about the decorating itself to be useful for our purpose. The only downside is that it makes you want to sell your current house and just travel the world staying in these amazing homes! Especially tempting is the contact information at the very end in case you actually want to rent one of them on vacation...
Great book.......2002-05-25
I found this to be a wonderful book - it has some amazing pictures. It affords you the opportunity to view some beautiful private houses that you are unlikely to be able to visit. Unlike some other books that focus primarily on houses in South East Asia, this one also features some great houses in Mexico and Jamaica.
The Best in Tropical Houses.......2001-11-29
Tropical Houses takes you around the globe to find some of the most interestingly designed homes in the world. The photographs are at once detailed and lush. If you are going to buy one book on tropical interiors, this should be the one.
Book Description
Tropical gardens are some of the most spectacular to be found anywhere. The rich diversity of tropical flora and climates allows for an astonishing variety of forms, both native and introduced. Modern tropical gardens afford a display of striking plants from all over the world, in arrangements that blend the traditions of many countries and cultures. This highly successful compendium presents a selection of the most beautiful gardens of Hawaii, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, including Bali. Traditional and modern types are considered, and the origins and individual features of each example are discussed in full. With a special section giving information on garden features, the book will be a source of ideas and inspiration to gardeners both in the tropics and in temperate regions.
Customer Reviews:
The Tropical Garden.......2003-10-23
Warren and Tettoni pair up again with luscious footage in The Tropical Garden. For those world travelers in whom Bali has inspired a love of tropical flowers, plants, and gardens, this book will bring back the warmth and splendor of the perpetual latitudes of summer. It contains 291 full-color illustrations of the flamboyant diversity of tropical flora in hotel, royal, religious, botanical, museum, palace, water, presidential, and colonial gardens from Bali to Java to Hawaii, Rangoon, Bangkok, Singapore, and Malaysia. Warren's text and Tettoni's photographs show us a paradise of fruitful blooms and eternal abundance, with delightful coverage of well-styled Balinese gardens in Sanur and the posh Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay. Brilliant, rebellious, downtrodden French artist Paul Gaugin described an equivalent utopia in an 1890 letter penned from Tahiti: "Out there at least, with winterless skies overhead and wonderfully fertile ground underfoot, Tahitians only have to lift their arms to gather their food. . . . Whereas in Europe men and women satisfy their needs only after ceaseless toil, contending all the while with convulsions of cold and hunger, prey to poverty. The Tahitians, blessed inhabitants of Oceania's unknown paradise, know only the sweet things life has to offer. For them, life is singing and loving." Gaugin could just as well have been describing the tropical treasure that is Bali--lying succulent and verdant under the benevolent, life-giving equatorial sun.
Ordinary Tropicana.......2003-07-30
Lots of photos, could have been bigger and show more detail.
Lots of plants, but the ususal varities, not very exciting.
I live in Hawaii and most of this stuff is at Home Depot.
Charming tsxt but not helpful to the serious gardener.
Nice coffee table book, will keep the rings off the table top.
Tropical Garden.......2001-08-27
A beautiful book. I love the photographs. Very illustrtive and also I liked the first chapter on history. A book you can see again and again. Very relaxing.
Just a plain decoration book ... with an attractive topic.......2000-05-14
You will find in this books the kind of articles you read in decoration magazines. Pictures are big but don't expect any artistic originality. A useful book if you plan to plant a tropical garden in your backyard.
Average customer rating:
- General plans & photos of contemporary homes in tropicalAsia
- A Book to Dream On
|
The Tropical Asian House
Robert Powell
Manufacturer: Select Books (Singapore)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Residential
| Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Asian
| International
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Design & Construction
| Home Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Home Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 9810065574 |
Customer Reviews:
General plans & photos of contemporary homes in tropicalAsia.......2001-03-24
Architect Robert Powell, a contributor to some of the latest Asian tropical style/garden/architecture books, has written this fairly straightforward book highlighting some remarkable Asian homes of recent design. It is very well illustrated and many of the photos show shadows and light to excellent effect.
It is something of a showcase for several Asian architecture firms, and the range of style is remarkably wide. Powell gets into the philosophy behind each design, discussing such matters as flow, function, exploitation of view or site features, use of vernacular, even local religious or cultural beliefs. Each house (total: 27) has its own chapter, with several good photos, general plans (!), elevations, and an essay about the structure and what each architect was expressing. While the text is sober and without fluff, reader can find in it a pleasing sense of respect for land, nature, materials, culture. (One disgusting exception: the photo of a room in a Thai house which contains several tiger and other exotic animal skins on the floor)!
If you are working with an architect and want to produce a certain effect, this book offers real solutions and helpful possibilities. Amazing variety.
A Book to Dream On.......2000-01-05
This is a great book and deserves the 5 stars I gave it. When I ordered the book, I was not aware of its contents in terms of photography or writing. But with the combination of beautiful photographs but perhaps more importanly with the writing, the books actually makes you experience the house as though you were actually there. The author's gift for language, combined with his technical understanding of architecture in general and the elements of tropical Asian architecture in particular, will feed your imagination with ideas about the wonderful possibilities of finding design elements that will bring joy to your life. Highly recommended, for looking at, and for reading.
Book Description
Start with a warm tropical climate. Add an abundance of exotic natural building material. And then let the cross currents of Asian design and aesthetics create a rich architectural alchemy of its own. The result? The exquisite homes in the Philippines, a perfect balance of form and functionality. Tropical Living explores this dynamic experiment with breathtaking photography and fascinating text.Tropical Living examines diverse residential design styles in both the city and in the countryside, in mountains and at the sea. From a classic old-world penthouse in the Malate area to an Asian-fusion villa on Batangas Bay, over thirty private homes are showcased and captured in color photographs taken by noted photographer, Andrew Chester Ong. Featuring an introduction by anthropology professor, Fernando Nakpil Zialcita, this book is a feast for lovers of Southeast Asia and anyone interested in design concepts from this fascinating and underrepresented corner of the world.
Customer Reviews:
Highly Recommended!.......2002-07-11
If you are into tropical architecture, this sure is the book for you! Not much text which makes it of "worth" + great photography! Before planning a house, this sure is a must-have! Houses featured here has its owne individuality and character! Dont miss it!...
A designing must.......2001-09-15
This is a beautifully photographed and well-organized showcase of wonderful Philippine homes. The range of houses covered is amazing and you're sure to get inspiration from one of the many fine examples of East meets West design as well as the seamless blend of Spanish, Malay, and Western heritage that the Philippines has. The homes are fabulous and even if you aren't thinking of redecorating, you will be after you finish it. One of the things that I particularly like about this is that unlike many books on Asian homes which focus only on either architectural design OR the interiors, this one gives a good balance of both. I just wish that the book had more pages.
Philippine Dream Homes.......2001-07-10
This was truly a feast for my senses. The Filipino elite is a highly sophisticated, well travelled, cosmopolitan, tropical, and casually elegant group who have developed a blended taste and style of their own. This book could be renamed "Tropical Dream Homes of the Philippines Rich and Famous". What is truly visible in this book is the rich diversity and fusion of the different cultures - Chinese, Spanish, Indonesian, Malaysian, and American - creating a Philippine cosmo-Asian blend. I highly recommend this book.
Amazon.com
There's nothing new about the temperate gardener's love of hot tropicals: the not-so-secretly sensual Victorians planted lavish, whimsically shaped beds full of palms, giant reeds, and angels' trumpets, many of which still survive. (Of course, manual laborers were easier to come by in the 19th century.) This book shows not only how to re-create this sort of tropical bed and border, but how to fake it on small city plots and patios with tropicals planted in sizeable containers. Author Richard Iversen, who has gardened professionally in Barbados as well as on Long Island, New York, says, "Popping a banana plant into the soil next to an azalea may look exotic, but it doesn't make an exotic garden." His emphasis on color, texture, and form turns this from a book on novelty gardening into a fine garden-design book.
If you crave a bed of exotic plants and are willing to do a bit of extra work, you can grow ficus and canna in Cleveland or Vancouver, but it is important to realize before taking on a tropical garden project that growing them is a year-round proposition, while enjoying them is a six-month pleasure; in colder climates, such as those colder than zones 7 or 8, many tropical and subtropical plants must winter over in a heated area such as a garage or greenhouse. Iversen is good at imparting this kind of careful detail, showing when to dig up tubers and how to store them, and including a picture demonstrating how early spring bulbs can share the garden with later-blooming tropicals. A glossary of 100 tropical plants at the book's end will get gardeners with a passion for the lush and dazzling off to a great start. --Barrie Trinkle
Book Description
The idea of mixing tropical plants with perennials and hardy annuals has been around since Victorian times. It is now enjoying a newfound popularity because tropical plants are more widely available. Gardeners who want to bring the lush beauty of tropicals to an existing garden, or who want to create an authentic vintage garden, will delight in The Exotic Garden. Although tropicals are novelties in temperate climates, they can successfully be grown anywhere. Iversen shows how tropicals can easily be used as annuals to perk up a garden with color during non-blooming seasons. The author's expert advice shows how to grow tropicals in beds, borders, and containers, select and combine plants, and use the tools of color, texture, and form. Plus, there are special overwintering tips and a full color glossary of more than 100 plants.
Customer Reviews:
Very informative.......2002-11-02
Dr. Iversen's book is full of wonderful ideas on using tender perennials and annuals for an exotic look in stunning combinations. In addition, there is a guide on how to care for and overwinter these plants.
as practical as it is beautiful.......2002-10-22
Gorgeously illustrated with color photographs and garden design plans, "The Exotic Garden" convincingly maintains that the luxurious foliage, texture and bloom of tropical plants will work in any garden, providing you can give the plants house room during winter.
There are separate chapters for designing tropical gardens, borders and beds, planting and caring for containers, and the care tropicals require. Many of Iversen's ideas combine tropicals with temperate-zone plants, and he uses color, leaf texture and height throughout for striking effects.
The last 30-plus pages offer a glossary of 100 tropical plants. Each entry includes a color photo, the plant's origin, decorative interest (foliage or flowers), culture characteristics, height, propagation (cutting or seed, season, time to maturity), horticultural use and overwintering needs. Iversen also provides mail-order sources.
An attractive book with ideas to fit anyone's garden.
Inspiring and educational.......2002-09-09
I had the pleasure of studying under Dr. Iverson at SUNY Farmingdale. This man knows his plant material and how to use it effectively in challenging landscapes and spaces. If you are a northern gardener looking for some new ideas instead of the same hum-drum gardens buy this book ! This man got me to learn the Latin for some 200 plants..trust me you will close the book and have learned something.
A MUST HAVE.......2001-10-25
This book is a must-have. I had Dr. Iversen as a professor at SUNY-Farmingdale and reading this book is like sitting in one of his classes or lectures. It is very clearly written and eloquent, and very informative, explaining everything from the culture and history of tropical plants, designing gardens, to the care and planting of tropicals, with beautiful photography. The SUNY-Farmingdale tropical garden is a beautiful site to see on campus. I have my own tropical container garden with my banana trees and angel trumpets by my back door at my apartment during the warm weather and inside my apartment in the cool weather. This book is excellent and should be on everyone's bookshelf.
Great photography, modestly informative.......2001-09-06
The has two main sections. The first section is about garden design and plant care, about 119 pages. It contains 11 pages on tropical environments and habitats. 22 pages on color, form, and texture. 48 pages on tropical borders and beds. 20 pages on containers. 18 pages on growing and propagation.
The second section is 33 pages. It contains an encyclopedia of 96 tropical, or exotic looking, plants. Each plant is described by common name, scientific name, country of origin, growing conditions, propagation tip, overwintering instructions, and a 2 inch photograph of the plant.
The book also contains 2 pages of common names indexed to family names, 4 page topic index, over 130 large full color photographs and dozens of drawings.
The first section about garden design and plant care is good, but not great. Much is the same old information that you can read in most every garden book. Nothing special.
Photography is awesome. Images cover a great variety of plants, design concepts, and unusual situations. Very interesting and informative captions follow each photograph.
The second section which is the tropical plant encyclopedia is great. Information is interesting and content is meaningful. Great layout of information with a photograph of each plant. Too bad this isn't the major concentration of the book - because this section is awesome!
Overall the book is a good general guide to designing with tropical plants. There are sections of great content, but they do not fill the book. Solid information for beginners, although nothing that could not be found in other texts.
Book Description
Sri Lanka Style showcases over 30 of the finest traditional and modern dwellings in Sri Lanka, from private homes to retreats and resorts, all designed by the island's most creative architects and interior designers—including some by the world-renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa that have never been seen before. These houses demonstrate the
essentials of the Sri Lankan lifestyle—spaces open to the environment and the natural use of space and decor—and contribute to a palpable sense of peace and discipline. In addition, there are practical design ideas that can be applied to any tropical locale.
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- Mary Emmerling's Quick Decorating: Fast and Easy Projects for Every Room of the House (American Country Series)
- Mastering Color: The Essentials Of Color Illustrated With Oils
- Materials and Components of Interior Architecture (6th Edition)
- Maya Cosmogenesis 2012: The True Meaning of the Maya Calendar End-Date
- McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers
Books Index
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Tropical Interiors
Tropical Living: Contemporary Dream Houses in the Philippines
