Beth Bonini's Reviews > Summer to Summer: Houses by the Sea

As long as I can remember, I've been enamoured with the idea of the 'summer house' - especially the versions of these to be found off the coast of New England in places like Maine and Massachusetts. In that sense, this book was absolutely ideal. I read it with the greed of a glutton anticipating a feast- and certainly it cannot be faulted in weight (it's a whopper) or sumptuousness. If you've ever wondered about the huge houses perched on promontories, just barely glimpsed from sailboats, then this is the book for you.

My only criticism, and it is one that most readers won't even mind, is that this is a book of summer houses with exactly the same linguistic understatement as when the Gilded Age mansions of Newport were described as 'cottages'. Yes, these are houses (by the sea) used predominately during the summer season. And perhaps there are a few wet towels hung from railings - one of the definitions of 'relaxed' summer living, as provided by the author. And admittedly some of the houses have a 'playful' decor, and many of them pay homage to the past - with its accretions of summer upon summer - but the overall mood is a serious one. These are serious houses: serious in the sense of having famous owners, designers and provenance. Highest of high-end. You definitely won't see any faded, ratty beach towels - although you will see some beautiful swimming pools and some amazing ocean views.

There are some good ideas for decoration that can be adapted for a summer home on a much smaller scale and budget, but read this one mostly for a peep into 'lifestyles of the rich and famous'. It's maximalist in every sense.