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.
"If you're longing to vicariously experience a bit of sunshine, pick up the new book RANCH HOUSES: Living the California Dream by architects David Weingarten and Lucia Howard, with photos by Joe Fletcher....Their list contains the familiar and the unexpected, and they acknowledge both the limitations and the vast possibilities inherent in this classic American house type." ~CustomHomeOnline.com
"lively and insightful..." ~Residential Architecture
"Shows what a remarkably diverse form the ranch house can be...” ~HousePlans.com
"Topping our list of favorites is Ranch Houses..." ~San Francisco Magazine
“Ranch Houses is an essential resource for architects, homeowners, and all those who aspire to the indoor/outdoor lifestyle that is the California dream.” ~California Homes
