Mixed Blessings

A well-to-do American is a relaxed American—or, at least, aspires to be one. So we gather from a Country Home survey conducted among urban and suburban homeowners whose household income averages $130,000 and whose home value averages $430,000. Asked to cite the lifestyle attributes they find most appealing, 41.5 percent picked “casual” and 40 percent chose “relaxed.” By comparison, there were few takers for “elegant” (7.5 percent), “sophisticated” (6.5 percent) or “chic” (2 percent). While “authentic” had less appeal than “real” (1 percent vs.