BY LEE ANN SANDWEISS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANNON ZAHNLE
“Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself—I am large, I contain multitudes.”
These famous words of Walt Whitman, arguably our most American poet, might stand as a fair overview of American homes.
For in this large country, multitudes of ideas abound. Diversity in design—inside and out—characterizes the American home. It’s a point of pride and rugged American individualism to create homes that stand apart from the crowd.
We contradict ourselves—reflecting a stubborn knack for valuing both the communal and the private. We want our homes to have spaces that can accommodate many. But we also like to retreat to our private lairs when the mood strikes.
So, whether they take the form of a Hoosier spin on the International Style, an offshoot of Palm Springs midcentury modern sprouting in the woods, a reincarnated barn, or an historical artifact, the homes in our 2013 collection are diverse, contradictory, individualistic, and distinctively American.
