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3 What does it mean to design and live in your dream home? It's a multifaceted question fully explored on the pages of this extraordinary compendium, created through the photographic submission and gracious editorial collaboration of some of our country's foremost architects. Due to the magnitude of the types of homes identified in this carefully curated collection, it became necessary to select a singular descriptive category, a single chapter, in which to discuss each project. There is intentional flexibility in the chapters—Single-Family, Urban, Sustainable, Waterf ront, Mountain, Desert, Farm/Ranch, and Future Homes—as a single-family home could certainly have sustainable elements and a home in the city may very well be a vacation property. We utilized the chapters to give you a feel for how home designs might be affected by the terrain, climate, and environment. The chapters themselves are merely launchpads for creative investigation, so look beyond them to uncover those designs and concepts that speak to you on a personal level. All of the featured homes—whether new constructions, extensive renovations, or still on the drawing boards—were developed by these talented home designers expressly for their clients, and the high degree of personalization and detailing lends great weight to the quest of completing the home of their dreams. The vast estates speak for themselves. The waterf ront, desert, and mountain homes certainly maximize the views. Even the smaller properties are impeccably appointed with f resh ideas and beautiful materials, designed to suit the needs of those who dwell within. You may already know many of the architects whose residential designs are splashed across these pages, as some are household names, have achieved Fellowship status in the American Institute of Architects, are leading the way in sustainable design, f requently show up in industry and community periodicals, and have even appeared as experts on the evening news. But we've also included a number of talented architects who work within a very specific geography and are therefore flying under the radar—for now. They, too, fully deserve the recognition that this collection gives. Our country is a wonder of topographic and climatic diversity. The choice to build in a bustling city—Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York—or a more remote destination in the mountains, desert, suburbs, or coastal regions, certainly affects the design. But within that f ramework, the sky is the limit, and the creative professionals whose architecture is presented herein are masters of discovering the possibilities, zeroing in on the important elements of their clients, being ecologically f riendly, and inventing the unique, timelessly crafted envelopes that people call home. The homes and design ideas presented in the following pages are meant to inspire your journey toward your future dream home. We hope you enjoy the ride! Brian Carabet Publisher Introduction

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