"Made Wijaya guides readers through fantastically imagined and designed, stylistically diverse outdoor environments exploring various theories of Modernism and its current expressions."--Veranda

Tropical Style showcases thirty-five contemporary Malaysian homes and resorts that feature the use of indigenous cultural forms and cross-cultural influences in new and exciting ways. The elegant and often breathtaking houses, apartments and resorts presented here evoke the essence of the modern tropical architecture, Malaysian style—a combination of indigenous cultural forms, organic building materials, exquisite local craftsmanship and adaptations to the sun-drenched tropical climate. Echoing trends in green architecture, Malaysian homes historically evolved to integrate environmental factors into traditional building techniques and designs that are harmonious with outdoor living. All the spaces included here have been selected for their stunning design, originality of concept and innovative fusion of age-old architectural patterns with a modern aesthetic sense. Minimalist homes in Kuala Lumpur, contemporary courtyard homes, wooden houses in lush garden settings, idyllic beach resorts and luxury homes modeled on traditional Chinese and Malay houses full of Asian decor are illuminated in this book celebrating the fascinating multicultural eclecticism of modern-day Malaysia. With over 350 stunning color photographs, Tropical Style: Contemporary Dream Houses in Malaysia will delight and inspire those who wish to apply these ideas to their own tropical homes, in any global setting.

Sri Lanka Style showcases 30 of the finest traditional and modern dwellings in Sri Lanka. Reflecting its location and status as a hub of Indian Ocean trade from time immemorial, the tropical island of Sri Lanka has always been open to the movements and patterns of world culture. Indigenous architects and cultural traditions, colonial incursions and the vagaries of living in a tropical environment have combined to produce a distinctive Sri Lankan architectural style: thick lime-washed walls, tall windows and doors, terracotta or granite tile floors, open pavilions and verandas, courtyard gardens, elaborately carved furniture and vibrant hand-looms. The Sri Lankan homes vary from private homes to retreats and resorts, all designed by the island's most creative architects and interior designers including some by the world-renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa that have never been seen before. These works demonstrate the essentials of the Sri Lankan spaces open to the elements and the natural use of space and decor, contributing to a palpable sense of peace and discipline. In addition, there are practical design ideas that can be applied to any tropical locale. Photographed entirely on location, Sri Lanka Style is an inspirational sourcebook of contemporary tropical style.

Tropical Style showcases thirty-five contemporary Malaysian homes and resorts that feature the use of indigenous cultural forms and cross-cultural influences in new and exciting ways. The elegant and often breathtaking houses, apartments and resorts presented here evoke the essence of the modern tropical architecture, Malaysian style--a combination of indigenous cultural forms, organic building materials, exquisite local craftsmanship and adaptations to the sun-drenched tropical climate. Echoing trends in green architecture, Malaysian homes historically evolved to integrate environmental factors into traditional building techniques and designs that are harmonious with outdoor living. All the spaces included here have been selected for their stunning design, originality of concept and innovative fusion of age-old architectural patterns with a modern aesthetic sense. Minimalist homes in Kuala Lumpur, contemporary courtyard homes, wooden houses in lush garden settings, idyllic beach resorts and luxury homes modeled on traditional Chinese and Malay houses full of Asian decor are illuminated in this book celebrating the fascinating multicultural eclecticism of modern-day Malaysia. With over 350 stunning color photographs, Tropical Style: Contemporary Dream Houses in Malaysia will delight and inspire those who wish to apply these ideas to their own tropical homes, in any global setting.

Creative garden ideas from a renowned landscape designer

"Born out of fantasy and speculation, designed for fun and profit, Miami Beach has been, from its inception, a city of mythical composition. Its famed Art Deco District was designated a Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and today the area is basking in a revival of interest and attention. Nevertheless, while fashion photographers and entrepreneurs, artists, developers, restaurateurs and club owners flock to the neighborhood, it is still struggling, after years of deterioration and neglect, to recreate itself out of its own forgotten glamour. Despite a new palette of confectionery colors and the renovation of numerous buildings, the Art Deco District remains in need of urban cultivation, of a reinterpretation that transcends its original resort identity. Author Laura Cerwinske introduces Tropical Deco: The Architecture and Design of Old Miami Beach by discussing both the area's past and its future. Throughout her comprehensive exploration of the most concentrated neighborhood of Art Deco buildings in the world, she details the style's evolution and examines its design. Tropical Deco: The Architecture and Design of Old Miami Beach treats its readers to a delightful view of a unique adaption of a historic architectural style. For, while Miami Beach's Art Deco architecture derives its stylistic roots from the streamlined and electric visions of the cosmopolitan North, Tropical Deco design is much softer and more temperately seductive. These are buildings whose narrative and evocative nature is at once sophisticated, naive and filled with humor."--Publisher.

Alicia Rountree's debut book is a refreshing guide for achieving harmony and health in your life, showing readers how to create casual gatherings as well as daily rituals to enhance their well-being. Inspired by the colors and textures of her tropical roots, Alicia Rountree shares her carefree lifestyle in her paradisiacal home in Mauritius--from a picnic on a sandbank to a sunset dinner on the beach and quiet time at home sipping tisanes. Her refreshing entertaining style is shown at her family's beach retreat and colonial stone homes as well as on deserted beaches. Chic tabletops are dressed up with a mix of heirloom and contemporary tableware, palmiers are worked into table decor, and fresh herbs or flowers are tucked in napkin rings fashioned from twine. Throughout Alicia also offers advice to promote wellness in daily life, such as energizing recipes including a lemongrass tonic, avocado toast, and nourishing dal. Vases full of vibrant blooms, such as bird-of-paradise and palm fronds, are used to create a serene decor. For the style-conscious and health-minded, Alicia's outlook is uplifting.

Featuring over 250 photographs and insightful commentary, this topical interior design book will add a uniquely Asian-Pacific element to your home. The Philippines is home to a new generation of craftsmen, including furniture makers, artists, sculptors, and weavers. They specialize in taking the indigenous materials of the country--pina, abaca, capiz shell, bamboo, rattan, to name a few--and producing contemporary items that would be as at home in a New York loft as on a tropical verandah. Harnessing both Asian- and Latin-inspired style and modern techniques, they produce a cornucopia of fine contemporary furniture and "authentic" furnishing items. In this sourcebook of decorating and shopping ideas, these objects are presented within metropolitan and rural present-day interiors. From furniture and furnishings to table settings and lighting, all the homes, many never photographed before, are accented with artifacts in modern designs. Tropical Interiors shows how Philippine style is clearly now a global phenomenon and can be applied to homes worldwide.

Draws on some of the world's most architecturally significant regions, from Brazil and New Zealand to Florida and Singapore, to demonstrate key designs that were directly influenced by tropical climates, beach landscapes, and regional artistry, in a lavishly photographed volume that dedicates six chapters to minimal design effects.

This practical handbook shows how to turn a garden into a fantasy of exotic contrasts: thrusting spikes alongside feathery grasses and vibrant colours against a deep green backdrop. It has advice on growing exotic plants in non-tropical climates, showing that exotic specimens can be easy to manage.