Book excerpt: The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most beautiful and romantic spots in America, and for over a hundred years some of the country's greatest architects have graced the region with their work. Bay Area Style houses exhibit a distinct and frequently dramatic relationship to the out-of-doors while suggesting a feeling of informality. Emerging from the California Craftsman Style, these houses use natural materials, including wood and river stone. Bay Area Style showcases a variety of the most extraordinary homes from this remarkable region and spans more than a century, revealing the development of a rich tradition. These houses capture the spirit of the place and embody the region's unique style. Featured are houses by architectural luminaries Ernest Coxhead, Bernard Maybeck, Julia Morgan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Raphael Soriano, and Charles Moore, among others.