This handsome collection of 30 congenial, livable houses will be an invaluable resource for those considering building a house and an inspiration to all who admire good design.

"White's project descriptions are lucid, brief and hype-free, and they come stocked with floor plans. He describes terrain contours, materials and palette choices and circulation patterns...This is a practical yet mouthwatering and aspirational study of architects helping people honor the streetscape, keep properties saleable and upgrade their home life by several respectable notches." - Period Homes

"What makes a house nice? Architect Samuel G. White tells us: Nice houses aren't too big or too formal. They are neighborly, with harmonious proportions. They have inviting spots in which to read a book, take a nap or cook." - New York Newsday

This is a book of houses where we all would like to live. The locations are diverse - New England, Long Island, Pennsylvania, California - and the architecture encompasses both traditional and contemporary vocabulary. What links them is their livable scale and the architect's commitment to creating congenial spaces with a handsome and functional design.

They are unassuming dwellings whose architecture moves easily to the background, supporting comfortable furniture, works of art from a variety of periods and styles, and the plantings and outdoor spaces that are essential to the composition. These houses display grace and style inside and out.

They invite a full range of activities from formal to informal, from celebration to repose, from a solitary existence to a house full of children or guests. These houses have good places to read a book or write a letter, to take a nap, and to cook and eat with family and friends.