A Place to Call Home: Tradition, Style, and Memory in the New American House

I love Gil’s design books. Each shows where he is in his pursuit of good design for the home. Elevated looks that are still comfortable to be in… not museum spaces… homes.

This stunning book not only has captivating photograph of the author/architect's work, but it compelled me to actually read it rather than to just look at the pictures. I especially loved the seven stories that accompanied the featured houses. Particularly the author's own house in Maine. How I would love to have the budget to hire him. But until then, I'll settle for this sumptuous book.

This new book of Gil Schafer is even more of a pleasure than his first book. There is a much greater variety of home styles represented and they do indeed give the feeling of "home" and personal style. The homes featured here are less in the classical style for which he is well-known, more eclectic and varied. I keep reading/browsing this book over and over since I received it; it's a great favorite. His own home in Maine is wonderful - a great departure from his original style - and a gorgeous location. There is nothing like the area around Mt. Desert and its mountain-sea vistas and his modern style in this instance is the right tone for the location. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this book so much! Many ideas. Great coffee table book. Gave it to my DIL too. Lovely rooms.

This is the second book that is a monograph of the works of Gil Schafer and I am so glad that I have made this purchase. Excellent text, impressive pictures and as important in an architectural monograph - floor plans. A great addition to my collection of outstanding residential architects from the 1920's - today. If residential architecture is your hobby then make this purchase. Thank you.

I’m conflicted by this book. As someone who recently moved to the US from Europe, I was hoping this book would give me an insight into the American style of decorating. It’s full of beautiful grandiose houses, but there’s no real diversity of style and the book and author’s aspirations are full of deeply conservative, colonial and “plantation house” ideals. There’s no attempt to explore local Spanish or indigenous traditions or a memory of the place pre-settlement. What I find disturbing is its tone deafness and the fact that the author seems to have no awareness of this or at least makes no effort whatsoever to discuss these issues when addressing the reader. No dialectical approach, just problematic dogma. This is not a book that I will cherish or display on a coffee table. I will donate it swiftly. One for the Goodwill bin.

I have really enjoyed reading this book, and the photos are wonderful. Gil does such a great job of enfusing each project with his own experience, while still keeping with the owners desires. I loved reading how his own experience provided inspiration for each owners dream. The homes are lovely and timeless. Beautiful!!

The enjoyment I got reading this book approaches the sublime. Even though the pages are two-dimensional, I felt transported into every room, indoors or out. The scale, light and color balances are very appealing and there is no sense of where the timeline begins or ends, which in my mind is the hallmark of classic design. Do not miss this experience.