There are few fantasies more persuasive or alluring than that of the expansive estate. When you think of big houses, your mind may immediately jump to the McMansions of yore, those garish homes you’d expect to see on an episode of MTV Cribs. The ones we can’t stop daydreaming about more closely resemble graceful, though still boldly luxurious, homes. We're highlighting 12 sprawling estates and cool compounds featured in AD at our bio link. Photo by @durstonsaylor; design by @purplecherryarchitects; roundup by @rachelcomplains.