[.uk] Private Tuscany (ISBN 0847821781)

Amazon.com Review:
Tuscany's hill towns and countryside have enthralled inhabitants and visitors for centuries--the golden light in the afternoons, the grape arbors, and the rolling hillsides dotted with rustic farmhouses and villas. Private Tuscany invites us into these dwellings, giving us a glimpse of how life is lived in this warm, inviting place. The homes featured in this gorgeous volume are as enchanting as the Tuscan towns and hillsides they're built on. Many embody a style we've come to associate with Tuscany: dark-timbered kitchens with dried herbs and garlic ropes hung from the rafters, original terra-cotta tile floors, large-windowed living rooms, and artfully frescoed walls. There are centuries-old furnishings crafted by skilled Italian artisans and elegantly manicured gardens containing hidden grottos and classical statuary. But the homes also reflect the special touches of the people who occupy them. For instance, a theater lover displays his exquisite collection of miniature theaters in the salon; the daughter of a villa owner paints traditional murals on the walls and mosaic patterns on the floors. Simon McBride's photographs skillfully capture the magic of these Tuscan homes and feature a variety of residences, from simple farmhouses to grand villas and palaces. The book's four chapters divide the homes into types: rustic, classic, grand, and modern. An index at the back serves as an introduction to Tuscany's pleasures, providing contact information for sampling the region's wine and produce, fine dining, hotels and houses, gardens, and crafts. Several of the homeowners featured in Private Tuscany have gone to painstaking lengths to restore these buildings after decades, or even centuries, of neglect. The results, from the simplest farmhouse kitchen to an elaborately frescoed dining room, are breathtaking. --Kris Law

Not over the top:
With this book you can get a good idea of the warm ranges of wall colors that create a Tuscan mood. This book focuses more on color and neutral tones as opposed to some that go for the white tones. The decor shown is generally not over the top and focused on the grandiose villas that are out of reach of most everyone. There are many modest but lovely homes shown and you can pull fabric inspiration and accessory inspiration. I would give the book 3.5 stars due to some of the rooms being a bit sparse in design and lacking in real life things such as television/stereos, etc. That however is typical of most design books.

PRIVATE TUSCANY:
I WAS LOOKING FOR A GRANDER INSPERATION AND IT WAS NOT THERE. SOME NICE SHOTS BUT NOT WORTH BUYING.

Great addition to my references:
I am an Interior Designer and I am always searching for new references and inspiration. This is a beautiful book

Beautiful Book:
Something that I will enjoy over and over with a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning.

Transports you to another place and time:
This was not the book for me because we are building a Tuscan style house and the houses featured in this book are beautiful, but old and refurbished houses in Tuscany. So many of the materials are not available in America, and also there is the comfort issue; while the houses are beautiful and definitely authentic, they might not be so comfortable for today's lifestyle. If you are looking for ideas on a modern Tuscan style house, I definitely recommend Tuscan & Andalusian Reflections. However, if what you want is to see is the real, authentic, Tuscan refurbished houses, then this is the book for you. I must say the decoration ideas are great, and the pictures are beautiful. Even though it wasn't what I expected, I don't regret buying it because it definitely transports you to another place and time when you flip through it.