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Hacienda Courtyards
by Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr
Gibbs-Smith, Publisher
ISBN 1-4236-0001-0
Published July 2007 - Hardcover - 143 pages - $29.95

I have to stop reading these kinds of books.  Not only does my mouth water at the stunning photographs, my mind wanders off into the unknown.  Just starting off with this book, the pictures on pages 10/11 and 12 drew me in immediately.  I imagined myself walking around both courtyards and fiddling with the plants.  I also fell in love with the beautiful courtyard on pages 122/123.  Designers and antiques dealers Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr offer us a gorgeous insight into their passion, Mexican designs and courtyards.  From these photographs we not only encounter warm and soothing colors, but there are any number of beautiful plants, pots for plants, clay tiles, tables, stone objects, wonderful gates, flooring, tiles, fountains, and more.  I love the privacy and tranquility of a courtyard; a world within a world.  I had no idea about the pools behind some of the walls.  Some of them are stunning and so different - see pages 118 and 121.  I also love looking into these kinds of photographs, where I notice all sorts of things, like the gorgeous plant pots on page 96, the tiles on the stairs on page 80, and the many cactus plants on pages 54/55.  Many of the designs and homes date back to the 1700 and 1800s.  Nevermind that these courtyards are in Mexico - ideas come from everywhere.  Gosh, people are so talented.  See my review of their Casa Adobe book.
Visit their website.
Conclusion - Just beautiful.