The Home Within Us: Romantic Houses, Evocative Rooms Review

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(More customer reviews)This book gives a lovely glimpse of the select output from architect Bobby McAlpine and his firms. His body of work is more akin to a talent and style not seen since the early last century with architects like Harrie Thomas Lindeberg or Mellor, Meigs & Howe. These are gracious, intricate, lovely and very inviting structures inside and out.
He's been served well by clients who must have the resources to build such structures and more importantly appreciate the stately old world feel. Not a hint of McMansion or chest-thumping loud architecture that so many homes of today sadly exude. McAlpine could design and build a dog house and I suspect it would be more visually inviting then most homes, even those of the 'well heeled', built in the last 50-years.
A comparable contemporary firm would be Fairfax & Sammons, who also have had a book issued in the last decade on their output. If you have that publication you'll certainly appreciate this one.
Some publications such as Southern Accents and Veranda have showcased his work (he's been based in Alabama) but otherwise he's not receiving the widespread accolades he deserves. Perhaps this book will change that. 'The Home Within Us' is not without some quirks - no detail accompanies the homes shown so no idea when they were built or even where they stand. Some of the pictures appear to have been sourced from prior photo shoots so sometimes the pictures themselves look dated. And perhaps a good thing as it reflects well on what he's accomplished I was hungry to see even more exterior and facade detail shots.

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Architect and designer Bobby McAlpine creates idyllic houses that wed historical precedent with gracious modern living. His distinguished firms, McAlpine Tankersley Architecture and McAlpine Booth & Ferrier Interiors, are renowned nationwide for their talent in designing residences that resonate with nostalgia, fantasy, and a sense of place. Their dwellings—from country and seaside retreats to homes in historic American neighborhoods—offer favorite period styles with a timeless quality. Presented are over twenty houses in a variety of settings that illustrate concepts running throughout their work. Juxtaposing intimate spaces with lofty entertaining areas and combining unexpected materials, such as stone with thatch, are among the hallmarks of these prestigious firms. Examples include a Mediterranean-revival house with sleek factory-sash windows and classical Roman columns, a beach house with a vaulted hallway leading to a light-filled contemporary salon, and an unusual house that blends Scottish vernacular style with modern details. With lush photography capturing the romance of these houses, The Home Within Us is ideal for anyone wishing to be inspired by the poetic design of a romantic home.

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