Romantic and picturesque, the word "cottage" brings to mind the idyllic charms of the countryside. Who can resist the appeal of a sweet little house, surrounded by wild roses, at the end of a winding cobblestone lane? From Anne Hathaway's cottage, which became synonymous with the innocent charm of the English countryside, to the sturdy Cape Cod, the first cottage indigenous to the United States, Classic Cottages: Simple, Romantic Homes looks at the architecture, history, design, and decorating possibilities of the many charming cottages throughout North America. From rolling bungalows to quaint thatched stone huts to nineteenth-century gingerbread gems, cottages in all forms are being rediscovered in record numbers as people yearn for inspiring and appealing housing. Classic Cottages: Simple, Romantic Homes celebrates the delightful cottage home with the renowned photography of Doug Keister, the insightful and enlightening text of Brian Coleman, and an abundance of historical and cultural information about the charming cottage. Brian Coleman, M.D., is a practicing psychiatrist in Seattle, Washington. As an old-house enthusiast, he has written numerous articles on historic home design for magazines ranging from Old House Journal to Period Living in the United Kingdom and is the West Coast editor for Old House Interiors. Brian wrote two previous books, Vintage Victorian Textiles and The Victorian Dining Room. He divides his time between New York and Seattle. Douglas Keister has photographed fourteen award-winning, critically acclaimed books (including Red Tile Style: America's Spanish Revival Architecture, The Bungalow: America's Arts & Crafts Home, and Storybook Style: America's Whimsical Homes of the Twenties) earning him the title "America's most noted photographer of historic architecture." His latest offering from Gibbs Smith, Publisher is Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism. He also writes and illustrates magazine articles and contributes photographs and essays to other books, calendars, posters, and greeting cards. Doug lives in Chico, California, and travels frequently to photograph and lecture on historic architecture and photography. Simple, picturesque bungalows, quaint thatched stone and stucco huts, elaborate marble and plaster palaces-all types of homes, even those on wheels, have been called cottages. What makes a home a cottage is its compactness and informality. Loosely defined as any small romantic dwelling, the cottages in Classic Cottages: Simple, Romantic Homes consist of handsomely planned and crafted new homes as well as restored and refreshed older homes-both gentrified for rich contemporary living. The romantic elements that define the traditional cottage-a charming picket fence, colorful frontyard gardens, and an entreating front entry that grabs our eye and imagination-have made cottages a stylish option for those seeking comfy living at affordable prices. Historically, though, the cottage "took to the road" in the 1930s when small travel trailers became second homes as the road-travel industry blossomed. Whether you are looking for a gingerbread gem, a quaint storybook châteaux , or a rolling bungalow, Classic Cottages: Simple, Romantic Homes will convince you that living stylishly cozy is going head to head with living large. Come inside and see. Brian D. Coleman, MD, divides his time between Seattle and New York. His articles have appeared in magazines ranging from Old House Journal, where he is the West Coast editor; to Period Living in the U.K. Brian is the author of seven books on the decorative arts, including the recent titles Farrow & Ball and Cottages. Chico, California-based photographer Douglas Keister has photographed twenty-two award-winning, critically acclaimed books. His seventeen books on architecture include four books on Victorian homes (Daughter's of Painted Ladies, Painted Ladies Revisited, America's Painted Ladies and Victorian Glory); three books on bungalow homes (The Bungalow, Inside the Bungalow and Outside the Bungalow), a book on 1920s whimsical homes (Storybook Style) a book about cemetery art and architecture (Going Out in Style), a book on Spanish architecture, (Red Tile Style), six books on bungalow details and Classic Cottages, that will be published by Gibbs Smith Publisher in the Spring of 2004. Keister photographed and wrote an award winning children's book (Fernando's Gift), has two monographs of his personal work (Black Rock and Driftwood Whimsy), a book on classic travel trailers, (Ready to Roll) and a book on cemetery symbolism, Stories in Stone: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Cemetery Symbolism, that will be published by Gibbs Smith Publisher in the Spring of 2004. His wealth of books on architecture has earned him the title, "America's most noted photographer of historic architecture." Introduction Simple picturesque bungalows, quaint thatched stone and stucco huts, or elaborate marble and plaster palaces