Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1018576 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

From Amazon.com
With its vivid yellows, glowing reds, cool blues, and lush greens, Tropical Asian Style evokes the riches of Southeast Asia. Gorgeous color photos of homes from Chiang Mai to Kuala Lumpur demonstrate essential design elements: living spaces open to nature, and accents of wood, textiles, and earthenware. This is a coffee-table book that will enlighten and entertain with its discussion of local crafts, such as basketware, batik, lacquerware, furniture, terra cotta, ikat weaving, Thai silk, garden sculpture, and more. Its sumptuous full-page spreads--from a saltwater pool above the surf in Phuket to a lovely open-air bathroom accented with old beams and seashells--will beckon you to exotic locales and entice you to add a little Asian flavor (a carved teak daybed, a decorative weaving, or more simply, a hammock on the veranda) to your home. --Jhana Bach

Customer Reviews

fabulous ideas for open-air living
After reading it, I wanted to knock down every wall in my house. Or at least remove the window glass. My next house will definitely be designed based on the rooms in this book.

I didn't read much of the text because the pictures were so captivating. They show every aspect of the tropical Asian house, except perhaps kitchens, which seem to be nothing more than a stove-type device near the dining area. The predominant theme is living among nature and even inviting it to share the living space with you (or is it the other way around?). Instead of windows and doors, you see slatted screens and netting. Very romantic. And a far cry from most of America's obsession with locks and glass. I need to move......

Wish I were there...
My dream is to be surrounded by teak and orchids, eating curry and sipping lime juice, and not owning any sort of time piece. Since that isn't going to happen for several more years I bought this book. I am neither a designer nor a photographer so my only input is how this book makes me feel. I have come to love Southeast Asia after several all too brief trips to the region and Tropical Asian Style, specifically Tettoni's photos, has brought some life to my dull suburban living room. And, while I realize that this book comprises several distinct cultures, it is the overall effect, not any particular region, that is so overwhelmingly beautiful. If you feel trapped in your American workaholic routine, this book is a wonderful diversion.

Truly Gorgeous Overview of Tropical Asian Luxe
This is an excellent look at the best examples of tropical Asian luxury living.

It is not a detailed exploration of regional design elements (look to Bali Style, Thai Style, Tropical Garden Design, et al, for the next degree of depth). It is, however, a rich overview of the best of SEAsian luxury architecture and furnishings.

Every page is simply gorgeous, with photos "bleeding" out past the paper, one trait of a good coffee table or style book. There is little or no image repetition in the coverage of the homes or boutique hotels featured, and each photo is perfectly focused, every composition seen in its best light.

In all the shuffle of Thai grandeur, Balinese earthiness, and Malaysian simplicity, the book might at first glance seem to be presenting a kind of fusion. I think it's fair to say that there is plenty of contemporary blurring of the distinctions between regions, but the reader can also look for regional elements and quickly learn them. Each property is given its own mini-chapter, which helps a lot. And the regional details and sensibilities really come alive when you read the accompanying texts, which are the work of expert style writers.

In fact, the contributors list reads like a who's who of style gurus. There is the clever and quippy Made Wijaya, descriptive Diana Darling, the meticulous William Warren, and details-minded Robert Powell. It's a great read!