Houses of Mexico

Fülszöveg

ORIGINS AND TRADITIONS
By Verna Cook Shipuxry and Warren Shipway
The latest in the Shipways' popular series on Mexican design, this book delves into the roots of the bold but elegant Mexican style. It includes many photographs from Spain and Portugal reflecting the Moorish influence. The book gives readers an idea of the marvelous diversity and ingenuity in Mexican homes, particularly in the interrelationships of the various elements. In addition to extensive coverage of the architecture of the houses, the book shows other spatial and decorative elements, including iron gates and grilles which give an atmosphere of seclusion; stairways which seem to grow out of the walls without any support; old paintings, combs, ceramics, character figures used in festivals as well as ancient pre-Columbian figurines.
The Mexican house has preserved an almost Oriental sense of space. Openings, whether arches or portals, with ornamental wrought ironwork, give an illusion of privacy without... Tovább

Fülszöveg

ORIGINS AND TRADITIONS
By Verna Cook Shipuxry and Warren Shipway
The latest in the Shipways' popular series on Mexican design, this book delves into the roots of the bold but elegant Mexican style. It includes many photographs from Spain and Portugal reflecting the Moorish influence. The book gives readers an idea of the marvelous diversity and ingenuity in Mexican homes, particularly in the interrelationships of the various elements. In addition to extensive coverage of the architecture of the houses, the book shows other spatial and decorative elements, including iron gates and grilles which give an atmosphere of seclusion; stairways which seem to grow out of the walls without any support; old paintings, combs, ceramics, character figures used in festivals as well as ancient pre-Columbian figurines.
The Mexican house has preserved an almost Oriental sense of space. Openings, whether arches or portals, with ornamental wrought ironwork, give an illusion of privacy without confining. These openings, and flat or textured stone walls, provide backdrops — or separate one area from another connected by mosaic or cobbled floors. There are carved limestone arches, ornate chimneys, stone benches, often contrasting with curved seats of wood and leather. Wood is carved to ornament chests and bed headboards. Iron is tamed into chandeliers, lamps and lampposts. Lush tropical plants are used under stairs, along stone corridors, or in porches and the open end of living
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This book will be a revelation to those with a stereotyped idea of Mexican architecture. But anyone already acquainted with previous Ship-ways' books knows that the diversity of Mexican architecture is unequalled in the world. Here are houses and rooms and spaces of great character which are a great joy to look at and be in — the kind that every homeowner strives to achieve. Amateur as well as professional architects and interior decorators will find many unusual ideas they'll want to adapt for Northern use. The extensive illustrations, handsome design, and splendid printing make this book an ideal gift.
The principal interest of Mr. and Mrs. Shipway was domestic architecture, which they approached from different angles. That of Warren Shipway, a graduate engineer with a degree from Princeton, was one of construction. Verna Cook Shipway attended the Ecole Speciale dArchitecture in Paris and Colimibia University's School of Architecture, so her approach was naturally the one of planning and design. Mrs. Shipway is the author of Masterpieces of Furniture, and together she and her husband have written The Mexican House, Old and New; Mexican Interiors; Mexican Homes of Today and Decorative Design in Mexican Homes. Vissza