Family Houses in the Country

Be forewarned: envy, awe, and heavy sighs are likely reactions to Family Houses in the Country. Filled with marvelously provocative photographs, the authors take us on a journey across the world and across time. The first section of the book takes us to homes owned by a single family for generations. Visit Bardochat, a classic 1896 English country estate in Argyllshire, and share tales of living in the third floor nursery under a watchful nanny's care. Get lost in Combermere Abbey, built by Cistercian monks in 1131, and now inhabited by a young family. The stories of their owners are as amazing as the estates.

From ancestral manors, the book moves on to homes purchased by a more recent generation and beginning to feel a comfortable groove worn by extended family and friends. Take a leisurely stroll through a sprawling second home built on the steep slopes of New Hampshire's Newfound Lake and have coffee and pancakes with the family (promptly at 9 a.m., please).

The final section, "Personal Inspirations," observes those houses that, though out of the way or dilapidated, spoke to the owners and inspired them to create their dream homes, whether it be a large stone cottage with smoky chimneys and sloping floors in Bucks County or in a rustic former barn in New England.

Ultimately, Family Houses in the Country celebrates family togetherness and traditions, whether centuries or decades old. The author remarks, "In a world that is ceaselessly changing, family houses embody continuity through so many shared memories." Though our own homes may not be as posh as ones revealed here, you feel like you can walk right into the photographs and join the families as they sit down for tea or a glass of wine. --Dana Van Nest