The Mediterranean House in America
Lauren Weiss Bricker
Photography by Juergen Nogai
The Mediterranean Revival style, inspired by Italian villas, Spanish farmhouses, and Moorish courtyards, became a model for sophisticated suburban homes throughout America in the early twentieth century. It remains the dominant style for new residences in California, the Southwest, and Florida.
The Mediterranean house’s long-lasting attraction is rooted in its overall simplicity, gracious informality, and embrace of the outdoors. It is characteristically clad in white stucco, roofed with terra-cotta, and ornamented by ironwork, decorative tiles, and fountains, but evocations of the Mediterranean can also be found in modern houses of steel, concrete, and glass. Common to all are interiors that seem to flow into the land scape, with terraces, loggias, and patios providing effortless access to the open air.
The Mediterranean House in America provides the first national survey of this popular style, beautifully illustrated with full-color photographs by Juergen Nogai, archival photos, and drawings. Author Lauren Weiss Bricker examines more than twenty-five of the finest Mediterranean Revival houses throughout the United States, from the earliest to the most recent interpretations of the style, tracing its evolution and exploring its enduring appeal.
