This volume investigates the intersection of professional design philosophy and personal living space by examining the private residences of prominent architects. Barbara Plumb curates a collection of homes that serve as both experimental laboratories and domestic sanctuaries for their creators. By analyzing these structures, the text explores how the architects' professional ideologies manifest when they are the sole client and inhabitant of the space.

Architectural historians and design professionals frequently cite this work as a valuable visual record of mid-century residential aesthetics. Readers note that the text provides a clear window into the private design priorities of influential figures in the field.