HERE is a long, low, rambling house that is surprisingly compact in plan. Located on Long Island, within easy commuting distance of  New York City, the house was built shortly before the war for its present owner by Walter Uhl, builder, who is also the designer. The house is painted gray with green shutters. Because of its excellent lines, it seems to fit right into its setting in the rolling Long Island countryside. The builder provided a beautiful lawn, surrounded by a white picket fence to the rear of the house. This lawn also provides a run for the owner's two cocker spaniels. A flagstone terrace, handy to the kitchen, may be used for serving meals in fine summer weather.

Once inside, we find a spacious living room with a large fireplace and, beyond that, a study which doubles as a guest room. The bath in the study also doubles as downstairs powder room. The living room has a large bay window on the south side and two large windows to the north, making it sunny, cheerful room at all times of the year. The kitchen, connected to the garage by a breezeway, is located on the opposite side of the entrance hall from the living room. A pantry of unusual proportions is used for the storage of food and equipment, and also serves as a built-in doghouse. Actually, the two cocker spaniels have the run of the house and grounds; two doors, of proper dog size, are located in the pantry, one swings in, for incoming spaniels and the other swings out. A continuous dormer across the rear of the house and two single dormers on the front, make room for two 13' by 22' bedrooms on the second floor. Each bedroom has a large closet. There is a linen closet and bath on this floor as well.

When the Clint Andersons started looking around for a homesite, they had one definite requisite in mind. They wanted trees and plenty of them. Though finding a deeply wooded plot in Kansas is not the easiest thing in the world, patience rewarded their quest, and soon they were busy with architects and plans, putting their dream house into shape. The architects Overend and Boucher knew immediately the kind of house best suited to the site and, without hesitation, produced one that was homely and comfortable, without too much emphasis on any particular style. It's a low-eaved house, part brick, part shakes painted white, and held down to its site by a low-pitched gray roof. Alongside the entrance, target of all eyes, is a white wheelbarrow, gay with bright-colored petunias.

The plan is a rambling one, with emphasis on the living room and recreation room, which are placed back to back and share the same chimney. This allows each to enjoy its own fireplace. Walls in the living room are soft green with plum-colored fish nets draping window heads; the recreation room, on the other hand, is warm with yellow walls, green asphalt floor. Since nights are often very warm in Wichita, the Andersons insisted that all sleeping rooms have cross ventilation. A feature of the master wing is a separate entrance from the hall which, when closed, forms a suite and gives added privacy to bath and extra-large dressing closet.

Being a resident of Houston, Texas, Raymond Brogniez knew exactly the kind of house that would bring him the greatest amount of comfort there on a limited budget. Since old Sol beams down most of the year, a wide overhanging roof was planned to shut out glare and heat. Four vents were placed on the underside of the eaves so that a suction fan can draw out any hot air in the attic space. Windows were carefully placed, with emphasis on cross ventilation, to snare every vagrant breeze. For further heat protection and relief during sudden cold spells, the roof was fully insulated with rock wool and plaster applied on inside wallboard.

In addition to being an architect, the owner is also a student of the psychology of color, line, and texture. Therefore, sketches were made of all interiors before color schemes were chosen. Furniture, too, was selected in proportion to the size of the house in order to avoid any feeling of overcrowding. It is not surprising that in such a hot climate cool tones have been used in every room. The living room, for example, has gray plaster walls, gray-green carpet and accents of yellow, gray, coral and white on upholstery and draperies. Though living and dining rooms are one, subtle differences give each individuality. Three thin columns, placed adjacent the entrance, help with furniture arrangement while one dining room wall has been given a coat of dark gray-green. A built-in cupboard under a bank of windows allows for linen and china storage. Its top forms a most convenient serving table. Kitchen and garage form the front wing with plenty of working space at rear of latter. Two bedrooms, bath, and lots of closets complete plan. Its blue ribbon was earned in the National Association of Home Builders competition.

The Donald Simpsons frankly admit that most of the ideas for their charming white-painted brick house came from their favorite magazine. The result is a house reminiscent of the best tradition, to which has been added the most up- to-the-minute planning for modern living.

Clean-cut lines emphasize the simple, good proportions of the exterior; grey shutters and a black asphalt roof bring the well selected ground planting and towering background foliage into focus. Radiant heat makes floors comfortable for two active youngsters. The house is larger than it first appears; there is a full-sized dining room and bedroom suite on the first floor while upstairs we find two more bedrooms with their own bath. The lower room is used for overnight guests and arranged to insure them complete privacy and quiet.

The Stephens house is located in the center of a residential district; but because of its towering pines and hilly site, it might well be far in the country. Split shakes gives the exterior a thoroughly authentic look. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stephens are avid collectors of Vermont antiques, and their home affords a perfect background for their treasures. A large picture window in the living room affords a gorgeous view of the surrounding landscape and is flanked by open bookcases whose backgrounds are painted a deep red. There's a pine panelled study and blue and white lining room on the first floor. This house has been kept low in appearance by the wise use of heavy white painted eaves across its front. Bedrooms above are spacious and well lighted.

The  Herbert C. Bergstrom home is contemporary in design with little recall of any previous architectural style. Only in early western ranch houses do we find any comparison. Materials are used honestly and simply with no attempt at camouflaging their natural beauty. Its one-story exterior walls are of unfinished siding, eaves are wide and overhanging with rugged, exposed stone accents. An open car port, adjacent to the front entrance, can easily substitute for a covered porch, made doubly useful in combination with the living-room terrace. This is a home for two grownups and a school-age child. Two large bedrooms plus one small sleeping room are adequate to take care of the family's needs.

Since the most favored exposure is to the south, a living-room wall of glazed doors on this side brings in magnificent views of surrounding rolling hills. The living room also takes care of the bulk of the traffic-clever planning of doorways has restricted this traffic to one side. There's a separate entrance into the well-lighted kitchen, though this room can be reached, too, from the front hallway. Extra overnight guests, who might draft the living room as sleeping quarters, will find the entrance hall bathroom a convenient asset for privacy. In the basement, reached by stairs from either kitchen or living room, we find a root cellar, storage and heater room. The large living room also serves as eating quarters.

In fact, every square inch of this compact plan has been utilized in spite of the general rambling effect one gains upon first approaching the house.

This contemporary house is one of a group, built as a co-operative unit. Each house is different though materials are similar for better uniformity. These young couples and their families discovered that by pooling some of their resources, many advantages which as individuals they were not able to afford were theirs. Get-togethers on weekends provide a large part of the social life while craft projects help furnish the houses.