Luxury LifeProperties

The Journal

Architecture, interiors & the art of living

Stories about the rooms, materials and ideas that make a house remarkable.

Close view of a carved stone facade with tiers of tall mullioned windows
Architecture

How to Read a Great House Facade

Windows, gables and columns tell you when a house was built and what its owners wanted you to think.
A wood-paneled library with a fireplace, a writing desk and floor-to-ceiling books
Interiors

The Library: Heart of the Great House

Once a status symbol, the private library has become the most personal room in the house.
A drawing room with a carved mantel, crystal chandelier and pale armchairs
Design

Hearth and Home: The Fireplace Through the Centuries

The fireplace started as the house's only source of heat. It ended up as its centerpiece.
A many-gabled stone manor with tall chimneys under a deep blue sky
Living

Before You Fall for an Old House

Historic homes are beautiful and demanding. Some questions worth asking before you sign anything.