The New Southwest Home
by Suzanne Pickett Martinson
Published by Northland Publishing
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Reviewed by Andrea Sisco
I love other people's homes because I get decorating tips, art suggestions, perhaps color ideas and room layout pointers for furniture. I also like other people's homes because I'm curious and I want to see where they live.
Shortly after our departure from Minnesota for the long, cold winter and our arrival in Arizona for the balmy sunshine, The New Southwest Home by Suzanne Picket Martinson arrived for review. It couldn't have been a more fortuitous arrival since, after five years in our current home, we are considering a move.
The New Southwest Home is a simply scrumptious book packed with room-by-room tours of stunning and uniquely innovative contemporary and traditional homes that marry style with environment. Whether you're looking for larger windows, unencumbered by coverings, to view the mountains, monastery front doors that signify strength and durability, or a traditional beehive fireplace for cozy warmth, there is something for everyone.
And since the Southwest conjures up visions of warm, neutral earth and desert colors there are many ideas, using that color palette, for the reader to experiment with. From the entryway where guests are invited in, to the heart of the home, the kitchen, and all rooms in between, there is beauty, ideas galore and a sense that Southwest living is a collaboration of beauty and function. The photographs are exceptional and add to the flavor and enjoyment of paging through the book, just for fun or for ideas for your own home.
Armchair Interviews says: The southwest style can be transported anywhere. It's not just for the southwest. Isn't that a fun thought?