Casa Yucatan

A land of legend, Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula possesses a unique natural beauty where limestone plateaus, tropical jungles and subterranean rivers are the settings of two magnificent cultures. In its mysterious mix of Mayan temples and Spanish Colonial architecture, the region is undergoing a remarkable restoration renaissance, heralding the grandeur of Yucatan's colonial epoch and the emergence of an innovative and uniquely Yucatan design style. In Casa Yucatan, award-winning authors and designers Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr travel under the Mayan sun to discover the vitality and virtues of this rich design community, catapulted into the international design spotlight by a new generation of architects honoring prehistoric and colonial legacies while creating a bracing blend of old and new. Ancient pyramids now share the jungly landscape with revived haciendas, and colonial homes boasting high-beamed ceilings and cool tile floors posture amidst elegant plazas and renovated nineteenth-century mansions. From city to countryside to coast, the Maya's masterful legacy-carved stone and stucco ornaments-are everywhere in evidence. Sun-drenched colors of burnt ochre, colonial red, and Mayan blue ignite walls and bring subtle traditional details to life: mesmerizing stone-chinked surface patterns, ornate stucco designs, and intricate stencils. Interiors glisten with wall fountains, reflecting pools, and bathtubs that channel to outdoor pools. Hammock-lined portales beckon with leather butacas, daybeds provide restful summits in gardens, and shady courtyards invite respite and reflection. A dazzling photographic tour, Casa Yucatan invites you to step into the cool, gracious galleriesand gardens of colonial homes, old haciendas, and art-filled seaside escapes that dot the Yucatan Peninsula.Witynski, Karen is the author of 'Casa Yucatan' with ISBN 9781423601067 and ISBN 1423601068.