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Extraordinary seascapes, a rigorous climate, a fascinating amalgamation of cultures, endless summer days and long winter nights – these are just some of the factors that have combined to determine the distinctive architecture and way of living that are the essence of Baltic style. Until the 19th century, few people other than fishermen lived on the Baltic coast or on the islands.

However, with the coming of the industrial age, the area became a popular tourist destination. Spa towns were built near long, tree-lined beaches on the archipelago's numerous granite islands. Luxury hotels, spa buildings and summer villas welcomed the Russian intelligentsia and the Scandinavian social elite. Wonderful, romantic villas with towers, exotic pavilions, equipped with their own pontoons, and balconies and wooden verandas sprang up along the water's edge. A new way of living emerged in this summer paradise – sailing trips and regattas, open-air dining, late nights spent outside during the endless days, and extraordinary fishing expeditions talked about long into the fierce winters that followed. New countries – Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland – bordered the Baltic, their shared histories and geographies rich in interest and diversity.

Baltic Homes includes over twenty houses from this fascinating part of northernmost Europe, painting a sometimes nostalgic, sometimes resolutely modern picture of the area. With nearly 250 colour photographs by distinguished photographer Solvi dos Santos, this engrossing and seductive book encapsulates a distinctive and beautiful style of life.