Ranch Houses

With its archetypal open plan and reverence of indoor-outdoor living, the Ranch house is at the very heart of the California dream. When we picture California Ranch houses—the low-slung, informal dwellings that engulfed suburbs after World War II—we are thinking of just one part of a phenomenon that has its roots in early-nineteenth-century ranchos, and which continues today in houses that are startling and up-to-the-minute. Examples of the type have been called ranchos, ranchers, and California ramblers. They have been styled Spanish, Japanese, and French; Monterey and International; Vernacular, Minimalist, and Modernist. From the 1797 Rancho Los Alamitos of Long Beach to such contemporary homes as the Miller Residence of Corte Madera, Ranch Houses unveils the great variety and the very finest examples of this multifaceted form. Including the work of such architectural luminaries as Cliff May, Richard Neutra, John Lautner, and Charles Moore, Ranch Houses is an essential resource for architects, home owners, and all those who aspire to the indoor/outdoor lifestyle that is the California Dream.

An in-depth exploration of midcentury residential architecture in America, with extensive photos and design tips included. Post-World War II ranches (1946–1970) range from the decidedly modern gable-roofed Joseph Eichler tracts in the San Francisco Bay area and butterfly wing houses in Palm Springs, Florida, to the unassuming brick or stucco L-shaped ranches and split-levels so common throughout the United States. In this book Michelle Gringeri-Brown and Jim Brown, founders and publishers of the popular quarterly Atomic Ranch magazine, extol the virtues of the tract, split-level, rambler home and its many unique qualities: private front facades, open floor plans, secluded bedroom wings, walls of glass, and an easy-living style. From updated homes with high-end Italian kitchens, terrazzo floors, and modern furniture to affordable homeowner renovations with eclectic thrift-store furnishings, Atomic Ranch presents twenty-five homes showcasing inspiring examples of stylish living through beautiful color photographs, including before and after shots, design-tip sidebars, and a thorough resource index. Atomic Ranch reveals: Hallmarks of the ranch style Inspiring original ranch homes Ranch house transformations and makeovers Preservation of mid-century neighborhoods Adding personality to a ranch home Yards and landscaping A helpful resource section and index

My Side of the Mountain is a favorite middle-grade novel. This companion gives background on the author, including an interview, questions to guide reading, clues to the story's themes, plot, characters, and setting, a glossary, writing and other activities, and more. If you loved My Side of the Mountain, you need this reading companion.

Janet Stewart's overview of Arizona ranch houses not only recounts the development of a popular architectural form, ir also offers a practical guide for modern homebuilders who wish to recapture this famous style. Photographs and floor plans accompany the text.

Recognized for its environmentally sensitive planning and architecture, the Sea Ranch community is located on the Californian Sonoma Coast. Heavily illustrated, this volume uses photographs and plans to portray the people and buildings and reveal the community's success as an environmental experiment.

The co-authors of American Rustic share inspirations for rustic elegance in home design for those who love living well in wild places. This gorgeously photographed volume offers visions of refined cabin style by top designers, builders, architects, and artists. From Napa to Nashville and along the Rocky Mountain spine, each project reflects the ways we live, and play, in nature. Whether a bison ranch, a log fishing cabin, a stone guest house, a lakeside retreat, a ski chalet, or a wine country barn, each home exhibits whimsical, playful, comfortable, and welcoming interiors and architecture—always inspired by the land. The homes curated in Cabin Style represent a fresh look at the genre, from traditional to transitional to modern. Interviews with architects, designers, builders and owners illuminate both the backstory and the creative process. Photographer Audrey Hall and writer Chase Reynolds Ewald have collaborated on five books, with their book American Rustic being named one of Best Home Design Books of 2015 by Architectural Digest.