Country Houses (Paperback: 224 pages)

If you close your eyes, it's easy to remember the dollhouse that filled your childhood playtime with warmth and comfort. Now envision living in a house that enables you to recapture those feelings. A wraparound porch, a welcoming entrance, and a thoughtful floor plan make this house a pleasure to come home to. The foyer, featuring a built-in seat with shoe storage, opens onto a large living area. Here, in the great room, a fireplace framed by unique windows provides focal interest. The adjacent nook and efficient kitchen combine with the great room to create a spacious area for formal and informal gatherings. The relaxing first-floor master suite is destined to become a favorite getaway. Skylights enhance the second floor and brighten a bridge that connects two family bedrooms to a full bath.

The wraparound porch of this transitional design acts like open arms to a large busy family. Inside the foyer, abundant space and opportunities galore await. Connected to the foyer by a dramatic arrangement of arches and columns, the living room and dining room provide an open area for easy entertaining. A powder room is located across the hall, as is a study/guest room. The L-shaped kitchen is brightened by a bay window and opens through a snack bar to the large family room, where a fireplace and raised tiled hearth add warmth to family evenings. Another bay window graces the master suite, where a compartmented master bath lets you spend quiet time inthe garden tub. Upstairs, the three family bedrooms share a sitting-loft. One bedroom enjoys a private bath, while the other two share a bath that has a double-bowl vanity.

Comfortable covered porches lead you into a home that is tailor-made for casual living. The foyer offers access to a front-facing great room with a raised-hearth fireplace. The great room then flows into the breakfast nook, with outdoor access, and on to the efficient kitchen. Two family bedrooms and a shared bath complete the first floor. Curved stairs lead you to the upstairs master bedroom with its amenity-filled bath and attic access and to a loft/study, also with attic access.