Wine Country - 9781586854645

The rich and varied architectural history of the northern California wine country and the fertile soils that produce abundant vineyards has attracted those who are conscious of preserving the qualities inherent to the area. Wine Country Style takes an intimate look at the lifestyle of nineteen homeowners of the Napa and Sonoma valleys, an area of the country that shuns fast-food restaurants, billboards, and commercial motels. These residents understand that the fine attributes of well-designed architecture are the integration of personal taste with the microclimate and history of their surroundings. People in the wine country today are passionate about the excellent wines produced in the agricultural region in which they choose to live. These inhabitants have personalized the architectural forms that express who they are and how they live, while maintaining the heritage of the area through a variety of styles: Tuscan, French Country, Franciscan Mission, Mediterranean, Modern, Rustic, American Colonial, Victorian, Palladian, Italianate, Asian, with farmhouses, barns, and cottages completing the eclectic blend that comprises the architectural styles of the bucolic wine-making Napa and Sonoma valleys. < BR>Yearning for a rural lifestyle in climatic conditions and verdant landscapes much like that in Europe's wine country? Then this is a must-have publication, full of lush photography and descriptive prose, a perfect addition to a home reference library or coffee table.< BR>Eminent designer Mary Whitesides has designed everything from interiors and home furnishings to pottery and coffee mugs. Her Peruvian-inspired furniture collections are widely distributed and featured in museums, including the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. In addition, she was one of the four founding members of the Sundance Catalog and a partner in developing the Sundance look, as well as the author of Desert Style, Mountain Style, and Wicker Design for Gibbs Smith, Publisher. She lives in Park City, Utah.< BR>